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South: Buddhist monks in western India sought refuge from the vicissitudes
of unending feudal wars in secluded inaccessible sites.
North: They continued to play an active role in rapidly changing political
situation of Trans Indus Gandhara Region.
The Greek king Menander gained control over Punjab & Sindh and founded
his capital at Sagala ( modern Sialkot)
CITY OF SAGALA Described by a contemporary chronicle as
1. Laid out by wise architects
2. Various strong ramparts
3. Splendid with hundreds of thousands of magnificent mansions and bazaars.
Buddhist monk Nagasena visited Sagala, influenced king to become his
disciple.
Nagasena accepted Buddha as God & Saviour & worshipped him as deity.
This interpretation of Buddhism: Mahayana or large vehicle, the originalBuddhism: Hinayana or smaller vehicle.
REINTERPRETATION OF BUDDHISM:
GREEKS, KUSHANS & LARGE VEHICLE
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FUSION OF GREEK, ROMAN & INDIAN STYLE
Under royal patronage of Menander, Buddhist monks started the task of
making stupas & monasteries.
Used the talents of the immigrant craftsmen, better acquainted withRoman & Greek rather than purely Indian traditions.
First edifice: Shrine of double headed Eagle at Sirkap ( nearTaxila).
Square platform faced with local Kanjurstone, adorned with grid of
pilasters of Roman composite style.
On platform, stood an elongated version of Sanchi type Stupa, now
vanished
Spaces between pilasters filled with relief of Roman classical pedimented
aedicule, indigenous torana& a chai tyahall.
GANDHARA STYLE: expedient mixing of Roman, Greek & Indian Styles.
Support of Indo Greek kings to Buddhism was unfortunately short lived.
Ruled for 100 years, overpowered by Scythian tribe of China/ Shakya
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SCYTHIANS & KUSHANS
Chinese Emperor Chi Husang Ti, responsible for completion of China wall.
Emperor closed Chinese pastures for nomadic tribes of Yeu Chi.
Yeu Chi moved to western region of Aral Sea, original homeland of Scythians
Scythians were forced to move towards India through Bolan Pass near Quetta.
They defeated then Greek King Hippostratus.
Brief rule of Scythians: no impression on Buddhist architecture
Classical example at that time: Fire Temple at Jandial, near Taxila
THE 200 BC FIRE TEMPLE OFJANDIAL IS A CURIOUS
MIXTURE OF A GREEK
ARCHITECTURAL
SHELLAMENDED FOR
THE PERFORMANCES OF
ZOARASTRIAN RITUALS
1. NAOS
2. PRONAOS3. PERISTYLE
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Mixture of Greek motivated architectural shell for the performance of
Achmenid Persian religious rituals
In plan, classical Greek peripheral temple in antis with columns in ionic order.
No imagery, platform at the back of the temple for fire tower dedicated to
Mazda, god of Zoroastrian pantheon worshiped by Scythians & Parthian.
Scythians or Shakya overpowered by Yeu Chi
Shakya moved into western India and were absorbed by Hindu fold.
Yeu Chi; the invaders established themselves as Kushana Dynasty.
KUSHANA DYNASTY
Greatest KushanaKing, Kanishka ascended the throne in 78 AD
Kushana Kingdom: up till Sanchi in South, modern Varanasiin East, included
entire Gandhara region in North west
Two great foci of empire: City of Purushapura (modern Peshawar) & Mathura
Favourism of king was sought by both Buddhist & Brahmins
Mahayana Buddhism with its direct simple approach influenced the King.
Asvaghosa, a Brahmin convert, persuaded the king to adopt Buddhism.
Ashoka to Buddhism: Kanishka to Mahayana Buddhism
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Unending foreign invasions of Greeks, Parthian, Scythians & Kushana
resulted in trade routes, both land & water up to west.
At one time borders of Kushana and Roman empire were 600 miles apart.
Overseas trade route resulted in prosperity of mercantile class.
Buddhist monks were enjoying the patronage of state and mercantile class.
Over a period of 100 years, number of richly patterned stucco painted and
even gilded shrines and monasteries doted the Gandhara countryside.
MONASTERY OF TAKHT E BAHI
Impressive, schematically planned.
50 ft. (15.2 mt.) high elongated boat keel profiled stupa rested on a 20 ft wide
square platform, set within a 45 ft. (13.7mt.) X 55 ft. ( 16.7 mt.) quadrangle
along the periphery of which were subsidiary chapels housing the
Bodhisattvas of Mahayana creed.
Roofs of cells surrounding chapels: dome derived from the shape of rural
beehive hut, barrel vault derived from chaitya hall
Built in stone, roof shapes were achieved by corbelling rather than true
arching.
Stone masonry covered with thick layer of lime plaster relieved with stuccodecoration.
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Central axis of
stupa court leads to
familiar monastery
with series of cells
around quadrangle.
In between the
stupa court & the
monastery court is
an open terrace
adorned with small
chapels & votivestupas.
Around the well knit
plan of the central
area, other
haphazardly
situated ancillary
structures are
assembly hall,
refectory, vestment
chambers.1. COURT OF STUPA 2. MONASTERIES 3. ASSEMBLY HALL 4. REFRACTORY
5. VESTMENT CHAMBERS
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ALI MASJID STUPA
Better preserved in Khyber Pass, decorative
scheme of Gandhara stupas.
Stucco frieze applied to the base of the drum is
a series of chaitya arches supported onCorinthian pilasters.
Each niche being filled with a Grecian version
of the different aspects of the defied Buddha of
Mahayana.
Stupa: domical structure transformed to
elongated vertical structure.
Traditional white dome: not matching with hilly
terrain
Bell shaped stupa stood out against the
countryside.
Vertical umbrella (chattra) & harmika at the top
gradually came to dominate the entire
composition, often becoming higher than the
brick & plaster mound.
Not a very pleasing composition
BUDDHIST BUILDER ELONGATED
STUPA IN TO A VERTICAL
MONUMENT SO THAT IT WOULD
BE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE
GENTLY ROLLING GANDHARA
STYLE.
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May be, builders wanted a taller building.
PROTOTYPE OF PAGODA
Passion for verticality culminated in a tower built by
Kanishka.
Only ruins of bases are existing.
A veritable Buddhist wonder of the world
Shun Yat Sen, a Chinese pilgrim of 6th century
testifies:
1. Timber tower , 628 ft (190.7 mt.) high
2. 13 receding storey
3. Tower was surmounted by iron pinnacles, adorned
with copper gilt umbrellas
4. Rested on massive 285 ft (86 mt.) sq. brick platform
5. Destroyed by attack of lightening
6. Before destruction, Chinese pilgrim carried
descriptions of edifice to their homeland.
7. Design developed under genius carpenters, familiarpagoda of China
PLATFORM IN THE GREEK
TRADITION BECAME THEBASE OVER WHICH
STUPAS WITH AN
ELONGATED UMBRELLA
WERE PLANTED. THIS
ACCENT ON HEIGHT
CULMINATED IN THE
DESIGN OF THE FAMOUS
CHINESE PAGODAS.
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MAHAYANA SCHOOL OF MATHURA
Mathura, centrally situated city of Kushana empire
Buddhist & Jaina architectural activity
Indigenous building style, inspired by art of Sanchi & Bharhut Spiritual content of Mauryan School
Fa Hien, contemporary Chinese pilgrim, saw over a score of monasteries
inhabited by 300 monks
A number of stupas & towers
Unfortunately, demolished by iconoclastic zeal of later invaders
END OF KUSHANA DYNASTY
Long & prosperous reign, came to an end in 162 AD after the death of
Kanishka
Sons Vanishka & Hanishka remained patrons of Buddhism
Empire threatened from west by newly rising & powerful Persian Dynasty of
Sassanians
Trans Indus region passed under Persian dominance & was cut from
mainstream history for some time.
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