Chamardharini Yakshi' idol belongs to:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The iconic 'Chamardharini Yakshi,' also famous as the Didarganj Chauri Bearer, was originally discovered in 1917 in the village of **Didarganj** on the banks of the Ganges River, near Patna in the state of Bihar. This remarkable, life-size sculpture is considered one of the finest surviving examples of early Indian monumental stone sculpture, usually dated to the Mauryan period (circa 3rd century BCE). It is carved from a single piece of buff-colored Chunar sandstone and is renowned for the characteristic, high, mirror-like polish—the 'Mauryan polish'—which distinguishes imperial art of that era. The figure is a Yakshi, a female nature spirit, shown holding a *chauri* (fly-whisk), symbolizing her role as an attendant.

The incorrect option is 1:
The archaeological site of **Rampurva** is famously known as the discovery spot for two colossal Ashokan pillar capitals: the **Rampurva Bull** and the **Rampurva Lion**. These sculptures are also masterpieces of Mauryan art, made of the same polished sandstone and dated to the same period. The Rampurva Bull capital is currently displayed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, while the Lion capital is in the Indian Museum, Kolkata. However, Rampurva is located in West Champaran district of Bihar, and it is not the location where the *Chamardharini Yakshi* idol was unearthed.

The incorrect option is 2:
**Patliputra** is the historical name for the ancient city that is now known as Patna, the capital of Bihar. Although the *Chamardharini Yakshi* is housed in the Bihar Museum in Patna and is closely linked to the Mauryan capital's artistic tradition, Patliputra refers to the overall ancient city site. The specific, named locality of the discovery of this particular Yakshi idol was the village of Didarganj, making it the more precise and correct answer for its origin.

The incorrect option is 3:
**Laurianandangarh** (Lauriya Nandangarh) is another significant Mauryan site in Bihar, famous for a large earthen Buddhist stupa and an Ashokan pillar bearing a single lion capital. This site is situated further north, in the West Champaran district. Although it contains important early Indian art and architecture from the same period, its finds are primarily related to Buddhist memorial structures and imperial edicts, and it is not the excavation site for the *Chamardharini Yakshi* figure.