~~Buddhism began with the life of the Buddha (Enlightened One), Siddhartha Gautama (c. 566–486 BCE), who was also called Shakyamuni (sage of the Shakya clan). Brought up in an early variety of Vedic Hinduism, he was born a prince, and his family’s kingdom consisted of a small area in present-day Nepal and India....

The history of art in India goes back thousands of years. Traditional arts are also still living cultural traditions, essential to rituals and religious practices, and integrated into daily life. Many motifs in Indian art have survived without significant change over millennia...