Amritsar: The Customs department here today informed that Customs officers posted at Land Customs Station at Attari under the Amritsar Customs Preventive Commissionerate have seized an antique stone sculpture of Buddha.
Commissioner Customs Amritsar, Rahul Nangare in a statement issued here today informed that a passenger of foreign nationality, who arrived in India via ICP, Attari was intercepted and his baggage was examined. During examination of his baggage, the Customs officers posted at the passenger terminal of ICP Attari, detected a stone sculpture of Buddha.
The sculpture was detained by Customs officers posted at the Passenger Terminal, ICP Attari on suspicion of being a prohibited item falling in the category of Antiquity. But at the same time a passenger who was a Foreign National was freed to continue his journey to the next nation.
The matter was referred to the office of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Chandigarh circle. The ASI has now given a report confirming that the sculpture fragment appears to be Buddha of the Gandhara School of Art and tentatively datable to 2 nd or 3 rd 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- with 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 and the Gandhara Art is strongly influenced by Greeko- Roman Art, said he.
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.
It was a incident of around twenty days back, but today a report with regard to Sculpture of Buddha was received from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Chandigarh, said a Custom official.
He said the seized Stone Sculpture of Buddha may be handed over to some museum or department of Archaeological Survey of India.
Adding further he said that 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: National Museum of Customs & GST at Goa.