In this guide
In the Government Museum at Mathura stands a headless statue of a man in a long tunic and heavy boots, holding a sword and a mace. An inscription identifies him as Maharaja Rajatiraja Devaputra Kanishka — the Kushana emperor Kanishka, one of the most powerful rulers of the ancient world. The statue is a symbol of an extraordinary period, when Mathura, in western Uttar Pradesh, became one of the great centres of art in Asia.
The Kushanas
- The Kushanas were a branch of the Yuezhi, a people from Central Asia who moved into Bactria and then into north-western India around the first century CE.
- Their empire stretched from Central Asia and Afghanistan across north India to the Ganga plain.
- Kanishka (late first / early second century CE) was the most famous ruler.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Capitals | Purushapura (Peshawar) in the north-west and Mathura in the Ganga plain |
| Era | The Shaka era (78 CE) is traditionally associated with Kanishka's accession, though scholars debate this |
| Buddhism | Kanishka patronised Buddhism; the Fourth Buddhist Council (Kashmir) is associated with his reign; Mahayana Buddhism grew |
| Coins | Gold coins with images of Greek, Iranian, Indian (Shiva, Buddha) deities — reflecting a cosmopolitan empire |
| Trade | Control of the Silk Road routes |
Mathura as an art centre
Mathura was ideally placed: on the Yamuna, on trade routes, and with access to the red sandstone of nearby quarries (around Sikri and Rupbas). It was already a religious centre for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
Features of the Mathura school
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Material | Spotted red sandstone |
| Style | Indigenous — grew out of earlier Indian traditions (such as the yaksha figures), not derived from Greek art |
| Buddha images | Among the earliest anthropomorphic images of the Buddha; the Buddha is shown with a shaven head (or a shell-like spiral top), smiling face, broad shoulders, robe over one shoulder, often seated with the right hand raised (abhaya mudra) |
| Energy | Powerful, fleshy, vigorous figures |
| Religious range | Buddhist, Jain (tirthankaras from Kankali Tila) and Hindu (Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, Durga) images |
| Secular sculpture | Royal portraits (Kanishka), yakshis on railings |
Mathura and Gandhara compared
| Feature | Mathura | Gandhara |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Western UP (Mathura) | North-west (Peshawar, Taxila, Afghanistan) |
| Material | Red sandstone | Grey schist, stucco |
| Influence | Indigenous | Greco-Roman (Hellenistic) |
| Buddha's appearance | Shaven or spiral head, smiling, fleshy, light robe | Wavy hair, moustache sometimes, heavy folded robe, Apollo-like face |
| Religions | Buddhist, Jain, Hindu | Mostly Buddhist |
| Patronage | Kushanas and local donors | Kushanas |
A third school, Amaravati (in Andhra Pradesh, under the Satavahanas), used white marble and is known for narrative reliefs.
The origin of the Buddha image
Early Buddhism represented the Buddha through symbols — a footprint, a wheel, an empty seat, a Bodhi tree. In the Kushana period, anthropomorphic images appeared — both at Mathura and in Gandhara. Which came first is a long-standing debate among art historians; many now argue that Mathura developed its image independently, drawing on the Indian yaksha tradition.
Important sites and sculptures
| Site / object | Significance |
|---|---|
| Kankali Tila (Mathura) | A major Jain site; stupa, tirthankara images, ayagapatas (votive tablets) |
| Kanishka's statue (from Mat, near Mathura) | Royal portrait with inscription |
| Katra Bodhisattva | An early seated Buddha/Bodhisattva image from Mathura |
| Bhutesar yakshis | Graceful female figures on railing pillars |
| Government Museum, Mathura | One of India's most important collections of ancient sculpture |
A city of many faiths
One of the most striking things about Mathura's art is that the same workshops, using the same red sandstone and often the same stylistic conventions, produced images for three religions. A Jain tirthankara from Kankali Tila, a Buddha from Katra and an early image of Vishnu or Shiva can look like siblings. Donors' inscriptions show merchants, guild members, women and monks all commissioning images — a sign of a prosperous, plural urban society.
This matters for more than art history. It suggests that in Kushana-era Mathura, religious communities lived side by side, drew on a shared visual language, and competed for patronage without the sharp boundaries that later periods sometimes drew. For an essay or a Mains answer on India's pluralist heritage, Mathura is a powerful example from Uttar Pradesh.
How to write about art in a Mains answer
Art questions trouble many candidates because they feel they must describe images they have never seen. A simple three-step method helps:
- Describe the features — material, style, typical subjects (e.g., red sandstone, fleshy figures, smiling Buddha).
- Place them in context — who patronised the art, which religions, which trade routes, which period.
- Explain the significance — what the art tells us about society, religion or cross-cultural exchange, and how it influenced later art.
Add one comparison (Mathura vs Gandhara) and one named object (Kanishka's statue, the Kankali Tila tirthankaras), and your answer will stand out.
After the Kushanas
The Mathura tradition fed into Gupta art — the calmer, more refined Buddha images of Mathura and Sarnath in the fifth century grew out of it.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- What material is characteristic of the Mathura school?
- Which Kushana ruler's statue was found near Mathura?
- Which site in Mathura is associated with Jain art?
- Name two differences between the Mathura and Gandhara schools.
- Which era is traditionally associated with Kanishka's accession?
Mains-style:
- "The Mathura school represents the indigenous genius of Indian art." Discuss.
- Compare the Mathura, Gandhara and Amaravati schools of art.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
Get the next UPPSC guide by email
New guides every week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.