File:2nd century CE Chhargaon village Naga 3, Uttar Pradesh India.jpg

English: This 7 feet 8 inches life size statue was found by villagers of Chhargaon in early 20th century. It was acquired by Pandit Radha Krishna in 1908 and donated to the Mathura Museum, with first paper on it with photographs published by J Ph Vogel in 1909 (Archaeological Survey of India Annual Report 1908–1909, pp. 159–163).

The village of Chhargaon is about 22 kilometers south of Mathura Museum, a part of a vast archaeological site of importance to pre-5th century Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism that surrounds Mathura.

The Mathura region has been a rich source of exceptional early India artwork from Maurya Empire to the Kushan Empire period. The findings include numerous Naga statues (serpent iconography) and worship in the context of all three major Indian religions.

This Naga artwork has an inscription on its back in Brahmi script. The inscription mentions it was installed in the "winter of the 40th year of king Huviskha by two friends: Senahastin the son of Pindapayya and Bhonuka the son of Viravriddhi; they installed it at their water tank; may Lord Naga be pleased". This and the Brahmi script style helps date this statue to the 2nd century CE.

The serpent hood above the spirited man-in-action is a Naga iconography found in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism of this and later period in India. The serpent canopy has six heads here; five, six and seven headed Naga statues and icons are common in early Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.

The two arms of Naga are broken, but other similar smaller Naga statues found near Mathura and elsewhere in India from about the 2nd century show a cup held in the left hand in front of the shoulder. For example, the Kukargam and Khamni Nagas found within about 75 kilometers of Chhargaon, also dated to 2nd-century CE.

This Naga is wearing dhoti tied into a knot around his waist (a traditional rural Indian man's dress style that is culturally preserved into the modern age)

The Naga is wearing a yajnopavita thread-like necklace over his left shoulder that goes down his chest.

The artisan remarkably captured the emotional state and attitude in the statue's face and body, one about to strike with the right hand (broken and missing).

This iconography and spirited attitude is quite similar to those for Baladeva (also called Dauji locally). He is the elder brother of Hindu god Krishna in Vaishnava tradition. Some of his statues found in the Mathura region have inscriptions in Kushana Brahmi script and include the word "Bhagavata". One of these inscribed Baladeva statues is small and provides a date of about 175 CE.

This artwork is partly based on the photographs published in 2D form in 1909 (See Archaeological Survey of India Annual Report 1908–1909, details above). Thus wikimedia commons PD-Art guidelines apply. Any rights I have as a photographer and creative artist, I herewith donate to the public domain through wikimedia commons (the free CC0 license).