Which of the following statements about sculptures at Sanchi is/are correct? 1. In some sculptures there is representation of Shalabhanjika. 2. The figure of Shalabhanjika is represented by a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants. 3. The Shalabhanjika motif was not directly inspired by Buddhist ideas. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The correct answer is D, 1 and 3 only. Statements 1 and 3 are correct; statement 2 is wrong because the woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants is a different figure, usually identified as Gajalakshmi or Maya.

The gateways of the Great Stupa at Sanchi carry many carvings that draw on popular beliefs. One is the shalabhanjika, a graceful woman holding the branch of a tree and swinging from the edge of the gateway. In folk belief she was a woman whose touch made trees flower and bear fruit, an auspicious symbol of fertility. Historians point out that this motif was not directly inspired by Buddhist ideas; it shows how people who turned to Buddhism kept their older beliefs. Another carving shows a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants sprinkling water on her, read as Gajalakshmi or as the Buddha's mother Maya.

A is wrong because statement 2 is false. B is wrong because it includes statement 2 and leaves out statement 1. C is wrong because it picks only the false statement.

Exam tip: Sanchi: shalabhanjika = woman with a tree branch (fertility); lotuses and elephants = Gajalakshmi.