CAVE ARCHITECTURE:
First known example - mauryan age
Ashoka - stupas and chaitya halls lost their original form
Prominent - chaitya halls with inscriptions of Asoka and Dasaratha
CAVES:
SUDAMA / NYAGODH CAVE:Barabar hills
Ashoka to Ajivikas
Rectangular chamber connected to circular chamber
Earliest example of rock cut method - exact translation of
Wood carving on stone
LOMASA RISHI CAVE:Nagarjuni hills
Mauryan period
Frieze of elephants
BHAJA CAVE:Oldest deccan cave
Deep upsidal wall
Octagonal pillars
Curved ribs- barrel vaulting of wooden buildings
Gate- façade like a gable
End - small stupa
KARLE CAVE:Great chaitya hall
Pillars - square stepped plinth
Capitals of horses/elephants to support roof which has ribs to
Represent barrel vaultingGate - carvings and large window
Sangharama - monastery
ELLORA CAVE:Cut by the buddhists
ELEPHANTA CAVE:Trimurthi of shiva
ANCIENT - ART AND CULTURE
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Rock cut caves - barabar and nagarjuni hills - earlest example is sudama cave•Nagarjuni hills - 3 caves discovered - dedicated to monks of ajivika sect by dasaratha(grandson of Asoka) - largest cave is•Gopi cave or milkmaid's cave - reactangular hall with barrel vaulted roof and with circular ends
CAVE ARCHITECTURE DURING THE GUPTA PERIOD:
ELEPHANTA CAVE:Trimurthi of shiva
CAVE TEMPLE OF MANDAGAPATTU:Built by Mahendravarman I
PANCHA PANDAVA CAVE:Mamallapuram
Bas relief
ARJUNA PENACE:Also known as descent of ganga
Built by pallavas
UDAYAGIRI AND KANDHAGIRI CAVES OF ORISSABuilt by jains
Hathi gumpha, rani gumpha and ganesha gumpha caves
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CAVES IN THE POST MAURYAN ART:Chaitya and vihar
Chaitya - prayer hall by monks (karle chaitya in Maharashtra)
Vihar - residence/rest places of monks (nashik vihar in ajantha caves)
CAVES IN THE GUPTA AGE:
Development in the form of paintings:
Ajanta caves:
Aurangabad in maharashtra
29 caves - buddhist in theme
Discovered in 1829
Period of development - 200 BC to 650AD
29 - 4 chaitya + 25 viharas
Carved on a perpendicular cliff - no courtyards
All 3 forms of art combined - architecture, sculpture and paintings(mural paintings)
Technique involved: FIRST STEP: clay + cow dung + rice husk spread on rough surface of rockSECOND STEP: lime plasterTHIRD STEP: surface was kept moist until colour was applied (FRESCO PAINTINGS)Outlines are drawn in red colour and then all colours are used except blue as it cannot be obtained from hills
Theme: Inspired by jataka stories
CHAITYA CAVE NUMBER 19 OF AJANTA GROUP1)Gupta age
Entrance- flat roof - 4 pillars - huge chaitya window- separated by cornice
Wood - discarded
Aisle pillar pin side - beautiful motifs
Buddha figure inside - mahayana school to chaitya architecture
VIHARA CAVE NUMBER 16 & 172)Harisena - vakatak king
65 ft square - 20 pillars - 6 residential cells for monks
2 - end of verandah and 2-back
Between cells - rectangular sanctuary with buddha sitting in
Pralambapada posture:feel hanging downPillars - not alike
Inscription - chiatya mandira
Cave 17 similar to 16 except wheel of life "bhava chakra"
CAVE TEMPLE AT UDAIGIRI3)Near sanchi- gupta period
Front - Rock cut shrine chamber and pillared portico
Façade - 4 pillars with greater inter-columniation between inner 2 -
characteristic gupta feature
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Inspired by jataka stories
Fahien and hiuen tsang refer to ajantha
29 caves - 5 hinayana + 24 mahayana period
Cave no.16 - most elegant architecturally
Famous fresco paintings of ajantha:Dying princess
Flying apsara
Preaching buddha
ELLORA CAVES:
34 caves
3 religions - hinduism(17) + buddhism(12) + jainism(5)
Carved on sloping side of hill- have courtyards
Cave 10(chaitya) - vishvakarma - dedication to patron saint of craftsmen
Cave 14 - ravana ki khai
Cave 15 - dashavathar cave
Cave 16 - kailash temple - carved out of monolith (kailash leni)
Ellora - triple storeyed caves , Ajanta - double storeyed caves
Jaina caves: indra sabha and jagannath sabha
INDRA SABHA > JAGANNATH SABHASame techniques used in mural and fresco paintings
BAGH CAVES:
Near bagh river in M.P
9 buddhist caves
Similar to ajanta caves
JUNAGADH CAVES:
Gujarat
Uparkot meaning citadel - main feature
Uparkots - 30 to 50 ft high artificial platform connected by staircase to the hall
NASHIK CAVES:
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25 buddhist caves - hinayana period
1st century AD
Called as pandav leni
Spiritual presence of buddha denoted by throne and footprints
MONTPERIR/MANDAPESHWAR CAVES:
Located in mandapeshwar
8th century AD
Only brahmanical cave to be converted into christian cave
Beginning of rock cut architecture by mauryans•
•
two features are addedPolishing inside the cave1)Development of artistic gateways2)Examples: barabar & nagarjuni caves in biharUses of caves•Viharas in mauryan age
Viharas are given to jain monks - ajivikas
STUPA:
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Earthened burial mound
Anda -large hemispherical dome where a casket containing buddha relics(dhatu) was placed in small central chamber
Inner wall - unburnt brick, outer wall - burnt brick
Harmika - square pavilion on the flattened summit of the dome
Chatra - umbrella built on the top of the dome
Pradakshinapatha - path for clockwise circumambulation surrounded by a fence built encircling the stupa
Stone balustrade(wooden fence) consisted of thabas(octagonal upright posts) capped by uhnisa(continuous caping stone)
These posts connected by 3 horizontal rails called suchis
3 main stupas on this design - sanchi, bharhut and amaravathi
Sanchi stupa - enlarged by sungas
Torana - gateways having sculptures depicting jataka tales
Sarnath stupa - made of brick
Nalanda stupa - enlarged 7 times
kanishka - massive stupa seen by fahien and hieun tsang at peshawar(shahji-ki-dheri)
Concept of stupa - vedic period
After death of buddha - 9 stupas
8 stupas - buddha's relics and ashes
9th over vessels - relics originally deposited
Max no. of stupas - Ashoka - 84000 - reached climax
EVOLUTION OF STUPAS:
Mauryan - ashoka - sanchi stupa
Post mauryan - more enlarged stupas, toranas- beautifully carved
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Post mauryan - more enlarged stupas, toranas- beautifully carved
Gupta - less no. of stupas - dhamekh stupa near sarnath
3 MAIN STUPAS IN MAURYAN ART:
SANCHI STUPA:
AMARAVATHI STUPA:
GANDHARA STUPA:
BHARHUT STUPA:
OTHER STUPAS:Imp-bodhgaya,nagarjunakonda and taxila
Bodhgaya-no existence just few pillars of sunga period-depict jatakas
Nagarjunakonda- diff from n.india stupas
1) highlight - excerpts from buddha's life sculptured beautifully on panels2) gods praying to bodhisatvas to take birth on earth 3) buddha's entry into womb in the form of white elephant and birth of buddha under a flowering teak tree
Stupa of taxila - "CHIRA TOPE STUPA" - sir john marshall
Stupa of jhandial - found a silver casket enclosing one of gold - scytho pathian style
SCULPTURE:
Mauryan :
Yaksh and yakshini:
Shape - hemisphere - 120 ft in diameter - pradakshana path
Cosmic mountain - symbol
Ivory carvers of vidisha - inscription(wood & ivory to stone) on southern gateway
Wooden railings replaced by stone ones(9ft high)- excellent masonry work
Most imp addition-end of 1st century BC- 4 marvelous toranas at 4 cardinal points
Sculptures(episodes of life of buddha and jataka stories)- finest ancient indian art
2nd or 1st century BC
Later - transformed from hinayana to mahayana shrine
South india - no survival of stupas
Final shape in 2nd century AD-larger than sanchi stupa
Sculpture - extension of amaravathi school of art
Fig of stupa-slightly rounder,taller,slimmer - delicate modeling
Ceylon- "ABHAYAGIRI DAGAHABA"- anuradhapura reached tremendous proportions-327ft-bigger than pyramids of egypt
Sculpted base, dome and hemisphere
Further development - sanchi and bharhut
Very large stupas- nagarjunakonda in krishna valley
Nagarjunakonda - mahachaitya- base in the form of swastika (sun symbol)
2nd century BC
Imp for its sculpture as its dome is vanished
Railings - red stone
Gateways,pillars,uprights and crossbars-full of sculptures-depict pictorial represenations of nature
Sculptures-portray realistic scenes of daily life
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Yaksh and yakshini:
Post Mauryan:
BASIS GANDHARA MATHURA AMARAVATHI
Outside influence Greek or hellenistic-indo greek art No outside influence/indigeneous indigeneous
Type of sandstone Grey or bluish grey spotted red sandstone white marbles
Religious influence
Mainly buddhism All 3 religions - jainism,buddhism,hinduism mainly buddhism
Promoted by kushans kushans satavahanas
Areas NW frontier Mathura, kankalitila krishna godavari lower valley
Features Spiritual buddha-calmness
Bearded budhha-moustache
Wearing less ornaments
GREEK-having wavy hair, large forehead,position of yogi,having large ears,eyes half closed , protruberence on his head
Delighted buddha - not spiritual
Head and face shaven
Muscularity
Dress in tight, energitic body
Buddhas face reflects grace
Seated in padmasan right hand in abhaymudra raised above shoulder
Left hand on left thigh which reflects muscularity, protruberance on head
Reflects narrative
Theme based on life of buddha on jataka stories
Stories of previous births of buddha -human and animal form
RVD KANE
Gupta:
Pala:
METAL SCULUPTURE:
Work-realistic-transfer of style developed on wood
Objects of worship in folk region
Yaksh - parkham,UP and pawaya,Gwalior
Yakshini - didarganj, bihar
3 religions - jainism,buddhism and hinduism
Buddhism - fig found on stupas
Jainism - 24 trithankaras associated with yakshini
Hinduism - shilappadikaram mentions about yakshini
New school added - sarnath school of sculpture
Developed at sarnath
Cream colour sandstone
Lack of nakedness - properly dressed and covered
Decorative
Metal sculpture developed ex: sultanganj buddha
Every god - special attributes and symbols
Black basalt, fine polish
Mamallapuram - relief of pallava king MAHENDRAVIKRAMAVARMAN and his queens
Pala style - descent of ganga or arjuna's penance and varaha
Gomateswara at sravanabelagola - chamundaraya-minister of ganga king RACAMALLA IV-depicts gomata the son of 1st tiayhankara in the rayotsarga posture(meditation while standing)
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Gupta period:
Pala period:
Cholas:
Vijayanagar:
Ceylon:
Buddhist jewel casket - bimaran(Afghanistan)
Hellenistic- imported
Ex: kulu copper vase - pre gupta
Pure copper
7 1/2 ft tall
Wearing diaphanous cloak
Some scholars - pala bronze
Pala + cholas = 2 great medieval schools of metal sculpture
Pala bronzes - mass produced
Export - S.E.Asia, Nepal and Tibet
Bronzes - delicate in design with ornamental detail - lack deep religiosity
Tamils preferred images of metal
Physical features, contours - textbooks
Ex: bronze nataraja
Indian bronzes- cire perdue(MADHUCCHISTA VIDHANA) method
Traced in tirumalai temple
Statue of krishnadevaraya and his two chief queens in anjali mudra
Marked their homage to the gods with half closed eyes
Large bronzes of goddeses
Buddhist tara, parvati and pattini
Pattini - divine form of kannagi - female character of silappadigarama-ideal of wifely devotion
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH INDIA:
4 styles developedDravidian1)Vesara2)Nayaka3)Vijayanagara4)In pallava school, temple architecture developed
PALLAVAS:Mamallapuram cave temples - panchapandava, varaha
Descent of ganga and arjuna's penance
Pancha pandava raths and 2 pidari raths - Narasimhavarman II
Shore temple at mamallapuram and kailasanath temple at kanchi - structural temples
Kailasanth temple - barrel vaulted pyramidal tower
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Shore temple at mamallapuram and kailasanath temple at kanchi - structural temples
Kailasanth temple - barrel vaulted pyramidal tower
Pallava school of temple architecture emerged in 4 stages•
STAGE I - MAHENDRA GROUPRock cut architecture
Word mandapa is used instead of temple
STAGE II - NARASIMHA GROUPDecoration in rock cut caves
Mandapa became rathas
Biggest rath - Dharmaraja rath
Smallest - draupadi rath
Dravidian style - dharmaraj rath was a precursor
STAGE III - RAJASIMHA GROUPDevelopment of real structural temples
Shore temple and kailasanath temple
STAGE IV - NANDIVARMAN GROUPDevelopment of small temples
Dravidian style continued
4 parts - differ according to ages in which they are executed
Principal part - temple > vimana - square in plan & pyramidal proof - image of god is placed
1)
Mandapas - covers and precede the door leading to the cell2)Gate - pyramids, gopurams > principal features in quadrangular enclosures3)Pillared halls or chaultris - various purposes4)Dravida style of temples are founded more in southern India. Here the shikara reduces in size along certain steps and not in a curve
•
Ex: Brihadeswara temple at tanjore - RAJARAJA I, Gangaikonda cholapuram -RAJENDRA, SON OF RAJARAJA I
•
Shikara is a crowning element at the top of the temple - octagonal cupola - equal to "AMALAK" & "KALASH" of nagara style
•
Dravidian - only one vimana, crucified ground plan, uprised platform•Dravidian style started during pallavas but flourished during the rule of cholas•
DRAVIDIAN STYLE:Oldest style of architecture
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FUNCTIONS OF TEMPLES:Religious
Administrative centre
Controlling vast areas of land in terms of revenue collection
Centre of education
Various sources of revenues of temples - donation and revenue collection•
CHOLAS:Vijayalaya - choleswara temple at Narttamalai > earliest chola temple
Brihadeswara temple - great pyramidal tower (vimana) crowned by dome (kalasa) set the style for dravidian shikhara
Rajendra I introduced the mahamandapa before the ardhamandapa in the Brihadeswara temple at Gangaikondacholapuram
VESARA STYLE/ CHALUKYA STYLE/ KARNATAKA STYLEFeatures of both Nagara and Dravidian style
2 principal components - vimana and mandapa > joined by Antarala
Don’t have covered ambulatory around sanctum
Pillars, door frames and ceilings are carved
Ex: dodda basappa temple at dambal
Lad khan temple at aihole and temples at badamiDeveloped in mid 17th century
NAYAKA STYLEBest ex - meenakshi temple at madurai
Meenaksi was the daughter of a pandyan king who married Sundereswara (Siva)
All the features of dravidian style are present
Additional feature - prakarns
Prakarn - huge corridors along with roofed ambulatory passage ways
Interior carvings are seen - temple walls
Tank was added
Constructed with initiative of Tirumalai
Mid 17th century
VIJAYANAGARA STYLE:Some variations from Dravidian style in temple architecture
Gopuram now enlarged1)High enclosure walls2)More decoration3)Sculpture of motif of supernatural horse4)God's chief wife AMMAN was provided with a separate shrine
Kalyana mandapam - god and goddesses married
Mandapa - 1000 pillared hall
Decorative motifs like prancing horses, leoglyphs and monsteres were added.
These additions can be seen at vittalswami temple at hampi
Secular structures - vijayanagar throne room gateways in rajasthan and entrances to wells in gujarat
Concept of secular buildings was introduced by vijayanagar empire. Ex: lotus mahal
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