On The Antiquity of Nepalese Metalcraft: The Buddha of Guita Bahi

Figure 8: Discovery and taking the rubbing of the Licchavi Inscription
March 2016

Main image 1: This photograph from March 21, 2016, shows the preparation of the rubbing of the Licchavi inscription in what is now the back section of the circumambulation corridor. The outer wall of the Prathamaśrī Mahāvihāra shrine is almost completed. The outer wall of the Prathamaśrī Mahāvihāra shrine is almost completed. Mr. Shyam Sundar Rajbanshi, epigraphist from the Department of Archeology, is creating the rubbing while Mr. Ram Shakya, chairman of the Guita Bahi vihar Preservation Committee (Guita Bahi Bihar Sudhar Samiti), takes a photograph with his phone, and young Mr. Samyak Shakya looks on.

The side view of the base of the Buddha statue is clearly visible. The Buddha statue is under the black tarpaulin, standing on the base on the wider level to the front and slightly below the raised portion which has the Licchavi inscription on the back.
Photograph courtesy Ram Shakya and Gyanendra Shakya, March 21, 2016.

Details: see thumbnails below

Detail 2: a photograph taken on March 6 after the original discovery of the inscription, two weeks before the other photographs on this page, with the inscription characters marked in black color. Note that the back of the base is fully visible as the lower tie beam of the wall has not been built up yet.  The base appears to be slightly damaged at the right side, slightly impinging on the last character of the date at the end of the inscription.
Photograph courtesy Ram Shakya and Gyanendra Shakya, March 6, 2016

Detail 3: the epigraphist Mr. Shyam Sundar Rajbanshi prepares the inscription for the rubbing by cleaning the surface of the base with water, while Mr Ram Shakya looks on.
Photograph courtesy Ram Shakya and Gyanendra Shakya, March 21, 2016

Detail 4: The epigraphist Mr. Shyam Sundar Rajbanshi creates the rubbing by rubbing the paper with ink, leaving the characters in white. One piece of paper still needs to be applied and rubbed on the right section.
Photograph courtesy Ram Shakya and Gyanendra Shakya, March 21, 2016

Detail 5: The rubbing continues. The tarpaulin can be seen to be draped over the head of the Buddha statue.
Photograph courtesy Ram Shakya and Gyanendra Shakya, March 21, 2016

Detail 6: photo taken more than a year later: After the rebuilding of the thick back wall of the interior shrine, the inscription is visible inside the “window” that has been left open in the wall.
Photograph IA, Nov. 11, 2017

Detail 7: photo taken in 2008, showing the raised part of the base – which contains the Licchavi inscription on the rear – behind and to the right of the Buddha’s feet. At that time the entire back of the base, including the Licchavi inscription, was embedded in the back wall of the inner shrine.
(Detail of fig. 4, detail 3)
Photograph IA Feb. 4, 2008

Detail 8: We hope this very rough sketch gives an idea of the orientation of the base, from the approximate point of view of main image 1.