Between Power and Protection: Maternal Imagery in the Religious Art of South Asia, 1st–7th Century CE

Abstract

This dissertation examines the “mother-child” image ubiquitous in South Asian religions in the first millennium CE to understand how and why the concept of “motherhood”—embodying complex structures of physical and emotional experiences—inflected the religious landscape of South Asia. These images of motherhood take the form of Hārītī in Buddhism, Saptamātṛkā (Seven Mothers) in Brahmanical tradition, and Ambikā in Jainism and are dispersed in rock-cut shrines, temples, and museum collections. Past scholarship has characterized these goddesses within the strict confines of sectarian categories, often overlooking their shared iconographic representation, myths, and functions. My study challenges this categorization and sheds light on the complex interplay and interconnectedness among the various religious traditions of South Asia. I consider the mother-child image as a crucial iconographic type through the lens of gender, trans-regionalism, and trans-sectarianism. Utilizing a longue durée approach, I read art-historical evidence—such as sculptures, inscriptions, and built environments—alongside religious and literary textual sources to offer insights into how diverse communities recognized and experienced shared religious imagery over time. Central to this investigation is the articulation of motherhood in this early period through the visual arts. I frame the evolving nature of the mother-child imagery against the backdrop of the political, social, and religious transformations taking place between the first and the seventh centuries CE and emphasize the contributions of patrons, artists, and devotees in shaping the role of maternity within the religions active in South Asia. Lastly, I identify overarching patterns within the artistic traditions spanning an extended period through the study of visual data to uncover the intricate contours of fragmented histories rarely found in written records. My research contributes to recovering the feminine presence within the histories of South Asia and developing innovative approaches to understanding pre-modern South Asia.