Description

This terracotta sculpture by Himmat Shah is a refined, stylized homage to the ancient stupas of Nalanda, reimagined through a contemporary sculptural lens. Composed of concentric, tapering tiers, the form evokes both architectural solidity and spiritual ascent, culminating in a smooth, gilded apex. The golden crown—faithfully echoing the devotional practice at Nalanda where Buddhist pilgrims apply gold leaf to stupa surfaces for wish fulfillment—serves as a subtle yet profound gesture of continuity between past and present, ritual and representation. Shah’s treatment of material and form reflects his mastery in distilling cultural memory into minimalist abstraction, where each curve and surface carries the weight of history, reverence, and artistic intent.