Rama, Vishwamitra ka Tila (Pehowa)

Description

This sculpture comes from the 8th-9th century Gurjara-Pratihara Vishnu temple at the site, near the present town of Pehowa. Evidence for the same yields from records of local taxes collected for the maintenance of this temple. It is likely that the specific site of Vishwamitra mound was where this temple was situated. Being a Vishnu temple, reliefs from linked epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana were likely used to adorn the temple exterior. This artefact (probably depicting Rama doing archery), therefore, was likely part of a much larger relief with a clear role vis-a-vis the temple. The small size of the artefact, the wear and tear, as well as the lack of much context prevents a specific conclusion from being drawn, though conjecture leads one to associate this with the Puranic deity Rama.