Avukana statue is an archaeologically important object. This statue depicting Gautama Buddha is a sacred object of millions of people around the world. It is importance can be analyzed under several aspects: as an artistic creation and sometimes for the pilgrimage of Buddhists, as an essential factor for the study of archaeology, as a cultural heritage, etc. A strong discussion about the Avukana Buddha statue has been caused after an incident of dressing the statue. There has been an intense discussion in Sri Lanka as well as internationally about dressing the Avukana statue, which holds a special place amongst the most prominent archaeological monuments in Sri Lanka.
Is it wrong to wear robes on the statue?
While some are making fun of the incident, others have commented justifying it. Some say that wearing robes on this idol, carved with a robe, insults the artists who created it and the Buddha. Others point out that this is not a matter that needs to be discussed seriously, as it may be done as a sacrifice based on individual wishes or to fulfil a vow or ritual. However, the Sri Lankan government has also decided to conduct a full investigation.
According to the Archeology Ordinance, the government says this investigation is being conducted to find out whether there has been any wrongdoing. The government also says that legal action will be taken if it is discovered that there has been any wrongdoing by dressing the statue of Avukana.
The Antiquities Ordinance No. 9 of 1940 makes it an offence to ‘improperly alter’ an archaeologically important artefact. This has also been revealed by the Antiquities (Amendment) Ordinance No. 24 of 1998. Also, the law has authorized a person involved in such an offence to be fined not more than 50,000 rupees or imprisoned for a period not less than two years and not more than five years or both.
Various parties have submitted complaints to the police that this incident took place on the 27th and 28th of November, and the Acting Director General of the Department of Archeology, Nishanthi Jayasinghe, stated that the police have started investigations to identify the people involved in the incident.
What are antiquities?
“Antiquities are defined in Sri Lanka as any building or other object believed to have been created before 2nd March 1815. Monuments over 100 years old are also considered antiquities, even if such objects are not designated as antiquities. , are recognized as antiquities by the Sri Lankan government.
Most of these are under the custody of Buddhist monks. However, the responsibility for their protection is also assigned to the Department of Archeology, and decisions about the Avukana incident are also made in that intervention. Archaeologists point out that these They point out that the next generation should be allowed to see and study them in their proper form. In fulfilling that responsibility, they also point out that such incidents should not happen. Raj Somadeva, a professor of archaeology and a researcher, has emphasized that decisions must be made about the above matter.
The statue of the teacher defeating the disciple and conquering him.
The history of the creation of the Aukana statue dates back to the period between 459 and 477 AD, as mentioned in the Mahavamsa. That time was the reign of King Dhatusena. Although it is known as one of King Dhatusena’s most fabulous creations, history testifies that this was not a statue he had carved but commissioned by artists. The Avukana statue is located west of the Kala vewa(Lake). The stone carver who finished it was called “Bharana.” and historical records show that a craftsman came from the land of “Awakan” to teach him the art of stone carving. Therefore, it is a matter of history that this statue got the name Avukana.
King Dhatusena, who was impressed by the skill of the stonemason named Bharana, gifted him a village, and the area is still known as “Stonemason’s Village”.
However, many legends are mentioned in history regarding the making of Avukana statue. The most popular of these is that the Avukana statue was created due to a teacher and student competition. According to Legend, the Avukana statue and the “Ras Vehera” statue, located 16 kilometres away, were created by two stone masons simultaneously, and the two were the teacher and the student.
Accordingly, the teacher started to build the statue of Ras Vehera, and the student Bharana began to create the statue of Avukana. According to Legend, the building of these statues started due to a competition between them, and the one who finished building the statue first agreed to announce it by blowing a whistle.
It is a matter of record that the student built the Avukana statue first, and the teacher finished the statue after that. According to Legend, after the student made a howling sound to confirm it, the teacher got embarrassed and jumped from the rock where he was building the statue and committed suicide. It has also become an irrefutable opinion. It is said to have been constructed by the teacher. One of the factors is that it can be seen that the work of the “Saseruva”(ras wehera) statue has not been completed. For this reason, issues such as showing more primitive features than the statue of the Ras Vehera statue can be mentioned as matters that have been focused on in the study of this Legend.
Avukana is a work of art created by excavating the stone where the statue is located. However, it can also be observed that the rock where the statue of Ras Vehera is located has been dug and built in it. Since many features of the Ras Vehera statue are similar to “Bamiyan” Buddha statues, it is also speculated that the stonemason who created the Ras Vehera statue maybe someone who came from Bamiyan country or “Afghanistan”, which was known as “Avakan land”, at that time.
It is a fantastic design done vertically, balanced and straight.
However, the height of the Avukana idol created by the student Bharana is estimated to be 38 feet 10 inches. Height 42 feet 8 inches with vertical board. There is a beautiful padmasana at the base of the statue, and the total height from the padmasana to the vertical is 46 feet and four inches. A unique feature of the statue is that the water falling on its head flows down the nose and falls on a mark in the middle between the two lower feet. This shows that the artist, Bharana, has managed to create a vertically balanced and straight giant stone statue.
The discussion about putting a robe on the Avukana idol must be informed about these issues. It is a matter of law to inquire whether there has been any harm or insult in wearing robes and to take action in that regard. So, history must be preserved. To learn the values of that history for the development of today’s world. It is also important to remember that conflicts due to misunderstanding will not be created without this. We expect such activity through a brief survey of the history of Avukana.
The modern artist tries to find Bharana by saying, “I went to look for the man who gave eyes to Avukana Buddha because I can’t even imagine such fine and black stones.”
