Ancient India, Living Traditions: British Museum explores sacred art in world first exhibition

The British Museum is about to embark on a world first in ‘Ancient India: Living Traditions’.

The new exhibition is the first ever to consider early Indian sacred art through a global, pluralistic lens.

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.

Opening on May 22, visitors will find more than 180 objects, including 2,000-year-old sculptures, paintings, drawings and manuscripts.

Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, said: “India’s sacred art has had a profound impact on its own cultural landscape and the broader global context.

“By bringing together centuries of devotional imagery and collaborating closely with our community partners, we not only celebrate the legacy of these faiths, but also recognise the ongoing influence of South Asian traditions here in the UK and worldwide.

“This exhibition is a testament to the vibrancy, resilience, and continued relevance of these living traditions.”

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 of Mathura, India, meaning there are many similarities in this religious art.

Great temples and shrines across the subcontinent drew pilgrims from across Asia and the Mediterranean, spreading these ancient religions and their art across the world.

In Ancient India: Living Traditions, 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 with the ability to protect and cause harm to people if not adequately appeased through offerings.

The exhibition will explore each religion, starting with ancient nature spirits before examining how ancient religious practice has shaped living traditions today and the daily lives of nearly two billion people worldwide.

The whole thing has been pulled together in collaboration with an advisory panel of practising Buddhists, Hindus and Jains, who helped shape the exhibition.

Ancient India: Living Traditions will run from May 22 until October 19, 2025, in the Sainsbury Exhibition Gallery at the British Museum.

Pictured top: Gaja-Lakshmi (‘Elephant Lakshmi’) goddess of good fortune, about 1780 (Picture: The Trustees of the British Museum)