Post Mauryan Acrhitecture
Gandhara, Mathura & Amravati School of Art
Post Mauryan Architecture can be categorised in the following headings -
- Post Mauryan Cave Architecture
- Post Mauryan Stupa Architecture
- Post Mauryan Sculptures
Post Mauryan Caves
Post Mauryan Caves can be broadly divided on the basis of -
- Caves on the basis of structure
- Apsidal Vault Caves with pillars
- Apsidal Vault Caves without pillars
- Quadrangular hall flat roof Caves
- Caves on the basis of purpose
- Chaitya
- Vihara
Apsidal Vault Caves with pillars - (Apsidal means like oval)
- Example - Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra), Bhaja Caves (Maharashtra), Karla Caves (Maharashtra), Pitalkhora Caves (Maharashtra)
★ Ajanta Caves -
- It is located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
- It has 29 Caves including 4 Chaityas Caves.
- It is decorated with sculptures and Mural Paintings.
- Ajanta is the only surviving example of paintings of 1st Century BC and the 5th Century BC.
- The themes of the paintings are events from life of Buddha, Jatakas and Avadanas.
- Images of Padmapani and Vajrapani is very common is Ajanta.
- Padmapani Bodhisattva - The Bodhisattva is depicted holding a Padma (lotus) in his hand. (Cave no. 01)
- Vajrapani Bodhisattva - The Bodhisattva is depicted holding a Vajra in right hand and wearing a crown. (Cave no. 01)
- Cave no. 17 is a very fine monastery excavation of late 5th century during the reign of Vakataka king, Harisena. It is a full of paintings depicting Jataka stories.
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| Padmapani |
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| Vajrapani |
★ Ellora Caves
- Another important cave located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra is Ellora Cave.
- It is a rock cut cave carved out of a single rock.
- There are 32 Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jainism Caves.
- The unique art in Ellora dated back to 5th century to 11th century CE.
- One of the unique feature of Ellora is that it is a triple story of Ellora.
- Different avtars of lord Vishnu is depicted here along with lord Shiva.
- Cave no. 16 is known as Kailash Temple/Kailash Leni.
- One of the landmark image of Ellora is the sculpture of Ravana attempting to lift Kailash Parvat (Mount Kailash).
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| Ellora Cave |
Apsidal Vault Cave without pillars
- Example - Thana-Nadsur cave (Maharashtra)
Quadrangular hall flat roof Cave
- It is a room like cave with 4 walls and a flat roof.
- Example - Kondivite cave (Maharashtra)
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| Kondivite Cave |
Caves on the basis of purpose
- Chaityas - These are prayer hall for monks.
- Viharas - These are resting places for monks.
Monks were always moving/wandering except in Monsoon season.
There as also a ritual among monks that they confessed their guilts, crime or sin while they stay in Vihara.
Post Mauryan Stupas
- One of the major introduction in this period was Upper Pradakshina Path which symbolised Mahayan path of Buddhism.
- Now onwards, the rulers increased the number of Chhartas in odd numbers which symbolises the important personalities of Buddhism.
- With the arrival of Mahayan Buddhism, idol worship started as such idol of Manushi Buddha was placed inside the premises of stupa.
- The wooden vedikas from Mauryan period was replaced by the stone vedikas.
- Example - Sanchi Stupa (MP), Bharut Stupa (MP).
Post Mauryan Sculptures
1. Gandhara School of Art
- Material used - Grey Sandstone
- Area - North-west frontier province
- Patronisation - Kushana
- Influence - Greeko-Roman influence
- Religion associated - Only Buddhism
- Features -
- Spiritual images were created with wavy hair, half closed eyes, unshaved face with minimal clothing and ornaments and the muscles & veins are very much visible.
- Halo was created behind the head which depict enlightenment.
- Full image was created (i.e., from head to toe)
Greek features -
- Grace of Gandhara sculptures was inspired from the Greek God Apollo and Zeus.
- Minimal clothing.
- Wavy hairs.
Roman features -
- Strong physical attributes like large forehead, large earlobe, broad chest and shoulders.
- Roman robe (in many of the sculptures Roman robe was depicted)
- Halo was created behind the head.
2. Mathura School of Art
- Material used - Red Sandstone
- Area - Western UP (particularly in Sonkh and Kankali tila)
- Patronisation - Kushana
- Influence - Indigenous
- Religion associated - Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism
- Features -
- Delighted Buddha
- Images have combed hair with full eye open, shaven face, more ornaments and clothings.
- Round body
- Halo was created behind the head.
- Generally half image was created (only upper portion).
3. Amravati School of Art
- Material used - White marbles
- Area - Lower Krishna-Godavari basin
- Patronisation - Satavahanas and Ikshvakus
- Influence - Indigenous
- Religion associated - Only Buddhism
- Features -
- Panel images were created.
- These panel sculptures were based on the Jataka stories.
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| Source: Unacademy |
In Mathura Sculptures, images of Gautam Buddha as well as images of Jain tirthankars were created (Vardaman Mahavira images were often created).
The Sculptures of Lord Shiva (Mukhalinga & Shivalinga) and Lord Vishnu (full image of lord Vishnu along with this avudh, i,e, arms and ammunition was created).
Halo was created behind the head.
Amaravati Sculptures
They were based on Jataka stories.
One of the often depicted jataka katha in Amaravati sculpture is 'Queen Mayadevi's dream'. It says the birth story of Buddha.
It states that the birth of Buddha was a heavenly event and it was witnessed by angles, two attendants and an elephant and it happened under the shadow of a Banyan tree.
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Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own.
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