BAGAN Archaeological Muse­um is showcasing a remarkable 11th-century sandstone relief de­picting the Buddha’s Enlighten­ment underneath the Bodhi tree.

Housed in the museum’s main gallery among the Eight Great Scenes of the Buddha’s life, the single-block carving portrays Prince Siddhartha’s renunciation, his victory over Mara, and the moment of En­lightenment. The artwork, re­covered from the Myinkaba Nagayon Temple area, reflects distinctive 11th-century features including the Bhumi Sparsha mudra (earth-touching gesture), finely detailed robe lines, beaded hair curls and elongated fingers.

Experts say the sculpture stands out for its intricate crafts­manship and strong iconograph­ic elements typical of early Ba­gan artistry. Visitors to Bagan can study the relief up close as part of the museum’s permanent collection. — Dipalin/KZL