[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989) › v1.c17.s6.9 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s6.9 An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s6.9 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c17.s6.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6.9) The nude goddess, called ‘personified \*yoni\* type’ or Baubo and locally known as Lāja-Gaurī, who sits in the frog or Baubo style with legs wide apart and raised (\*uttānapāda\*) exposing her \*yoni\* and who is often headless and has a lotus in place of the head is seen in terracotta and stone plaques of the Deccan at TER, NEVASA, PAITHAN, BHOKARDAN, KONDAPUR, YELLESWARAM and NAGARJUNAKONDA, of Gujarat at Kanad, Kavi and AMRELI and of the Yamuna valley at KAUŚĀMBĪ, BHITA, JHUSI, etc., from the 1st century A.D. The NAGARJUNAKONDA stone plaque depicting the nude goddess is interesting as the torso is in the shape of \*ghaṭa\* (pot), symbolic of the womb; it bears an inscription of the 3rd century A.D. which records that the plaque was offered by a queen who had her husband and sons alive. Such plaques were offered in fulfilment of a desire, particularly connected with child-bearing. Sankalia, 1960, believes that the nude goddess was introduced in India from Egypt by the Romans. The cult of this goddess continued till at least the 8th century as indicated by her images in the temples at Alampur, Aihole, Badami and Mahakutesvara in the Deccan. - [Previous: v1.c17.s6.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6.8) - [Next: v1.c17.s6.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6.10) - [Up: v1.c17.s6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6) ## Linked texts (8) - [Kauśāmbī](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.kausambi) - [Nevasa](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nevasa) - [Nāgārjunakoṇḍa](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nagarjunakonda) - [Jhusi](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.jhusi) - [Bhokardan](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bhokardan) - [Bhita](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bhita) - [Badami](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.badami) - [Aihole](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.aihole) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c17.s6.9) · Pramāṇa