Matha Kuar Shrine

Matha Kuar Shrine at Kushinagar is a small but important Buddhist archaeological site housing a remarkable 3-metre high standing Buddha statue carved in blue-black stone, dating to the 10th or 11th century CE. The statue depicts the Buddha in the bhumisparsha mudra (earth-touching gesture) and is considered one of the finest examples of late Buddhist sculpture in India. The shrine is a quiet, meditative place maintained by the ASI and is visited by Buddhists and art historians for its rare and beautiful sculpture.