Customs officers posted at Land Customs Station at Attari under the Amritsar Customs Preventive Commissionerate on Friday seized an antique stone sculpture of Buddha said to be built in 2-3 CE.
A passenger of foreign nationality, who arrived in India via integrated check-post (ICP), Attari was intercepted and his baggage was examined. During the examination of his baggage, the customs officers posted at the passenger terminal of ICP Attari, detected a stone sculpture of Buddha.
The sculpture was seized by officers on suspicion of being prohibited item falling in category of Antiquity.
The matter was referred to the office of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Chandigarh circle. The ASI now gave report confirming that the sculpture fragment appears to be Buddha of the Gandhara School of Art and tentatively datable to 2nd or 3rd CE and falls under the category of antiquity under the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.
They have further informed that the main features of such idol pertaining to Gandhara School of Art are-
- Flute hair
- Face of Buddha shown as crown prince
- The idols of Buddha are of are of Black soft stone, which comes from Syat ghati.
- The Gandhara Art is strongly influenced by Greeko- Roman Art
The stone sculpture has been seized under the Customs Act read with Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972 and further investigation and necessary action under the relevant Acts is being taken in the matter.
In previous such instances of seizures of Antiquities, 262 Antiquity coins were seized from a passenger at Land Customs Station, Attari Rail in May, 2017 and another 65 Antiquity Coins were seized from a passenger at Land Customs Station, Attari Rail in September, 2018. The ASI had identified these coins as belonging to various historical eras including, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Period, Indo Greek coins of Azelizus, square coin of Appollodotus, Coins of Akbar, Jahangir and Humayun and Coins of British era with with legend Victoria Empress bust. Some of these Coins are now displayed in the Dharohar.
