Bhikṣus Monks, Novice with a lock of hair
Tapa Kalān - Figure
These two young novices with locks of hair are meditating on death. Both are standing with their heads turned to the right. They hold a skull in their left hand and point to it with their right hand. Their faces are round and smiling, almost childlike. Their bare torsos show a bouncing belly, which adds to their good-natured appearance. They are both dressed in antaravāsaka. Their uttarāsaṅga is draped in a remarkable way. It is wrapped around the arm and comes up over the shoulder, then goes behind and around the neck, so that one can cover one's head with it, like a hood. This is how the smaller of the two monks wears it. Both of them wear the little curly lock of the novice on the front of the forehead.
Observation :The figure on the right of the photo is in the Guimet Museum.
Bibliographical References :BARTHOUX Jules - 1930 - Les Fouilles de Haḍḍa, Figures et Figurines - Pl. 39 a et b
TISSOT Francine - 2006 - Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan (1931 – 1985) - P. 383, K. p. Ha. 1016.83
