Buddhist Goddess Tārā in Early Medieval South-East Bengal: An Iconographic Study

A specific region in Southeast Bengal holds significant importance in identifying the religious and philosophical transformations in contemporary Buddhism, along with the sculptural traditions that developed alongside it. With the emergence of Vajrayāna and Sahajayāna doctrines, the influence of Tantrism on Buddhism in Bengal became prominent after the 8th and 9th centuries CE. The influence of Tantrism led to the elevation of female deities within Buddhist traditions, resulting in the creation of numerous sculptures of Buddhist goddesses. Among the most notable deities are Tārā, Māricī, Parņaśabarī, Häritī, Prajñāpāramitā, Mahāpratisarā, and others. Goddess Tärä was elevated to a high status in Mahāyāna Buddhism as the female counterpart of Avalokiteśvara. She was regarded as the mother of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and played a significant role in various religious rituals. The literal meaning of her name is "protector." but she is also known as the goddess of liberation. Tärä's popularity is evident not only from her extensive presence in Buddhist art but also from the fact that her name became a common epithet for many Buddhist goddesses. Among her various manifestations, the most significant are Khadiravaņī Tārā, Mahāśrī Tārā, and Sītātapatrā Tārā. This research aims to conduct an iconographic investigation on the Tärä idols discovered in Southeast Bengal in comparison with textual sources like the Sadhanamälä and other tantric treatises. Furthermore, the research will analyze and interpret the social and religious structures of that era based on the collected data. Through this study, the classification of early medieval Tärä idols found in Southeast Bengal will enable an evaluation of the religious landscape of that period and create the potential to assess the presence of regional artistic traditions. Keywords: Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, Tantrism, Tärä, Southeast Bengal, Philosophical transformation, Contemporary Buddhism Southeast Bengal.