State PCS
The colossal Mauryan-period statue of a Yaksha, inscribed with the name 'Manibhadra', was found at:
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Answer: Option C — Parkham (Uttar Pradesh)
Detailed Solution
The colossal statue of a Yaksha, inscribed with the name "Manibhadra", was found at Parkham, a village in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.
About the Parkham Yaksha:
- It is a large standing figure, about 2.6 metres (8.6 feet) tall, carved in grey sandstone.
- It is dated to the Mauryan or immediately post-Mauryan period (around the 3rd-2nd century BCE).
- It shows a heavy, powerful figure, with a large belly, wearing a dhoti, a shawl and ornaments.
- An inscription on the base mentions the name "Manibhadra", a Yaksha who was worshipped as a guardian deity of travellers and merchants.
- It is now kept in the Government Museum, Mathura.
About Yakshas and Yakshis:
- Yakshas (male) and Yakshis (female) were nature spirits, associated with trees, water, wealth and fertility.
- Their worship was popular among the common people, and they were later included in Buddhist, Jain and Hindu art.
- They were often shown as guardians at the gateways of stupas and temples.
- Kubera, the god of wealth, was considered the king of the Yakshas.
Popular art of the Mauryan period:
- Besides the court art of the pillars, Mauryan-period art included large statues of Yakshas and Yakshis, made by local sculptors for popular worship.
- They are found at places such as Mathura, Pawaya (Gwalior), Vidisha, Patna and Didarganj.
The Didarganj Yakshi:
- A famous statue of a Yakshi holding a chauri (fly-whisk), found at Didarganj near Patna in 1917.
- It is made of polished sandstone, with a high Mauryan-style polish.
- It is now in the Bihar Museum, Patna.
- Its date is debated (Mauryan or later).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Didarganj (Bihar) is famous for the Yakshi.
- ✗Besnagar (Madhya Pradesh) has the Heliodorus pillar and a Yakshi statue.
- ✗Sanchi is famous for its stupas.
Quick tip
Remember: Parkham Yaksha (Manibhadra) = Mathura district, UP (Government Museum, Mathura); Didarganj Yakshi = Patna (chauri-bearer, Bihar Museum).
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Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the rise of Magadha under the Haryanka, Shishunaga and Nanda dynasties, Alexander's invasion, and the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Ashoka, including Mauryan administration, Ashoka's dhamma and his edicts. Questions often ask about the capital of a Mahajanapada, the founder of a dynasty, or details of Ashoka's rule, such as the Kalinga war and his rock and pillar edicts. Key sources include Kautilya's Arthashastra and Megasthenes' Indica. James Prinsep first deciphered Ashoka's Brahmi inscriptions in 1837. Practise the Mahajanapadas and Mauryan Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.