Ancient India: living traditions

Overview

A new exhibition at the British Museum, Ancient India: living traditions, will consider the origins of three major world religions through the emergence of early India’s sacred art, exploring the enduring devotional practices of today. For the first time, thousands of years of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religious imagery will be brought together to trace the transformation from symbolic representations to the human forms we recognise today.

Drawing from the Museum’s South Asian collection with generous loans from national, international, and community partners, Ancient India: living traditions is the first exhibition ever to consider early Indian sacred art through a global, pluralistic lens.

The exhibition offers a captivating, multi-sensory journey through the devotional art of each religion starting with an exploration of ancient nature spirits, and examining ideas of community, continuity, and change. It will look at how ancient religious practice has shaped living traditions today and the daily lives of nearly two billion people worldwide.

Featuring over 180 objects, including 2,000-year-old sculptures, vibrant paintings, drawings, and manuscripts, this exhibition examines how India’s ancient indigenous religions moulded its sacred landscape and continue to influence spiritual and artistic traditions. Ancient India also brings to the fore the provenance of every object, their stories and the journey from their creation to acquisition by museums.

Between 200 BC and AD 600, artistic depictions of the gods and enlightened teachers of these three religions dramatically changed from symbolic to showing them as human figures, with the iconic imagery and attributes that we know today. Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain sculptures were produced in the same workshops in artistic and religious centres such as the ancient city ofMathura, India, meaning there are many similarities in this religious art. Great temples and shrines across the subcontinent were cosmopolitan hubs, drawing pilgrims from across Asia and the Mediterranean, and spreading these ancient religions and their art across the world.

Visitors will first encounter a striking statue of Ganesha, one of India’s most beloved gods, instantly recognisable by his elephant head. Revered by Hindus as well as some Jains and Buddhists, he symbolises wisdom and new beginnings. Upon close inspection, traces of hot pink pigment still remain on the 1,000 year old statue, serving as lasting evidence of worship. His imagery, including the hooded cobra rising above his shoulder, reflects the influence of nature spirits, ancient deities believed to embody the power of nature and with the ability to both protect and cause harm to people if not adequately appeased through offerings.

The exhibition will delve into these nature spirits, which played a vital role in both urban and rural life in ancient India, whilst examining the dawn of the region’s three earliest religions through their art. A key highlight is the evolution of depictions of the Buddha, tracing the transformation from symbolic representations to the human form we recognise today. In contrast, images of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, associated with wealth and good fortune, have remained largely unchanged for over two millennia.

Highlighting the ongoing relevance of these dynamic, evolving practices, the exhibition underscores the deep cultural and spiritual impact of South Asian, East Asian, and Southeast Asian diaspora communities in the UK. Multi-media films will illustrate how these traditions continue to be practiced and flourish across the country.

British Museum curators collaborated closely with an advisory panel of practising Buddhists, Hindus and Jains to shape the exhibition. Guided by their insights, the Museum prioritised eco-friendly, recyclable, and vegan materials particularly for the care and display of devotional images. Their influence extends beyond sustainability – helping to shape the exhibition’s design, the selection of its final objects, and even the products available in the shop.

Ancient India: living traditions offers visitors a rare opportunity to explore the artistic and spiritual legacy of one of the world’s most influential civilisations.