Mauryan Architecture .pptx

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1. Mauryan Architecture Dr. Virag Sontakke

2. Introduction Comprises whole India Unified India Beginning of developed art and architecture Change of medium from wooden to Stone and Bricks Beginning of secular and religious architecture Spread of Buddhism through the architectural remains Western connections: Achaemenid Influence

3. Significant Architecture Palace: Pataliputra Fortification: Pataliputra Stupa Vihara

4. References Indica of Megasthenes Strabo Asokan Inscriptions Buddhist Texts : Jataka, Digha Nikaya , and Sumangalavilasini   Jain texts : Jaina Parishishta Parvan was written by Hemchandra , alpasutra by Acharya Bhadrabahu Kautilyas Arthshatra Puranas : Vishnu Puran Chinese Travelers

5. Pataliputra According to Megasthenes He called : Palibothra Pataliputra situated on the bank of Ganga Size of Pataliputra: 80 stadia (9.2 miles) in length and 15 stadia in breadth (1.7 miles) Shape: Parallelogram Royal Palace of Chandragupta was entirely made of timber Royal Palace was beautiful and magnificent like Susa and Ecbatna The Pillars of the palace were decorated with golden and silver birds Palace was situated at the heart of the city The palace was surrounded by parks, pasture grounds and shady grooves where peacocks were domesticated

6. Archaeological History of Pataliputra In 1912-13, D. B. Spooner excavated the area of Bulandibag and Kumrahar He found wooden beams which were running parallel to each other (length 350 ft) At Kumrahar Spooner exposed the Mauryan pillar hall He recovered 72 pillared hall The pillars were fixed on wooden platform and stone base He argues the Plan of Mauryan Palace was similar to palace of Persepolis The funds of the excavations sponsored by Sir Ratan Tata In 1955 again area was excavated by B.P. Sihna and 8 more pillars were found.

7. Mauryan Palace

8. Pillars once stood on a wooden platform and supported a wooden roof. Pillars are similar to an Ashokan pillar, smooth, polished and made of grey Chunar sandstone. The walls, doorways, and the sculptured designs are no human work. It show the extraordinary craftsmanship It was surrounded by the high walls with battlements, water ditches, bearing lotuses and plants. 80 pillared hall at Kumrahar

9. The site Kumhrar identified as palace of Maurya dynasty Here eighty stone pillars was found The pillars are arranged in 8 rows of 10 pillars each.  It is called as “ Assembly hall of 80 pillars ”. It is thought that the pillars sustained a wooden roof No surrounding walls, making it an open-air hall. Mauryan Palace ?

10. Fortification: According to Megasthenes Surrounded by wooden wall ( massive timber palisades) Pierced with loopholes for the discharge of arrows Had ditch in front for defense Ditch size: 600 feet breadth and 30 cubits in depths Ditch also received sewage of the city The wall crowned with 570 towers and 64 gates

11. Stupa

12. Stupa Stupa probably has a long tradition since Later Vaidik period Stupa prominently related to Buddhism After the demise of Buddha eight stupas were made Since then numerus stupas were constructed in Indian Subcontinent Stupas were generally erected upon the relics of great Gautama Also important places related to Buddha In Buddhism stupa emerged as symbol of Buddha Stupa means virtual presence of Buddha Architecture of Stupa shows further development from simple mud heap to elaborate stone decorations

13. Stupa Stupas were constructed over the relics of the Buddha The important stupa situated at Rajagriha , Kapilavastu , Vaishali, Ramagrama , Allakappa , Pava , Vethadipa , Pippalvina and Kushinagar. Stupas consist of a cylindrical drum with a circular anda Earlier stupas were made of mud Asoka change the mode from mud to brick and a harmika and a chatra on the top. Sometimes there were circumambulatory pathways and gateways. In many cases, additions were added in later centuries.

14. Stupa at Asokan period Hiuen Steng : 84000 stupa Stupa at Bairat , Rajasthan – 3rd century BCE; grand stupa with a circular mound and a circumambulatory path. Stupa at Sanchi, Vaishali, Sarnath, Taxila, Sopara

15. Plan of Stupa

16. Stupas at  Piparwaha  is some of the earliest surviving stupas.

17. Development of stupa Anda: hemispherical mound symbolic of the mound of dirt used to cover Buddha’s remains (in many stupas actual relics were used). Harmika: square railing on top of the mound. Chhatra : central pillar supporting a triple umbrella form.

18. Vihara

19. Vihara Vihara , early type of Buddhist monastery It generally  consist of an open court surrounded by open cells accessible through an entrance porch. Initially it was constructed by wood Subsequently, Bricks have been used for their constructions It is constructed to shelter the monks during the rainy season, In Monsoon it became difficult to travel.  Inside the Vihara a small stupa were established After Asoka, the rock-cut vihara have been made in western Deccan

20. Vihara

21. General Plan of Vihara: Later period

22. Rock-Cut Architecture

23. Rock-Cut Caves The Mauryan period saw the beginning of rock cut architecture The caves are located in the Nagarjuni and Barabar hills to the north of Bodhgaya. These caves are hollowed out from the living rock, later developing into what is called a Chaitya Hall. The Buddhist monks used the chaitya as their place of retreat Ashoka built three caves and gifted them to the Ajivikas , and in the neighbouring Nagarjuni hills, one of his successors, Dasharatha, did the same. Ashokan caves are unornamented and functional. Three caves in Barabar hills have dedicatory inscriptions of Ashoka and three in the Nagarjuni hills have inscriptions of his successor Dasaratha .

24. The  Barabar Caves  are the oldest surviving rock These caves are situated in the twin hills of Barabar (4 caves) and Nagarjuni (3 caves)  Inscriptions of Asoka and Dasaratha " dated to Maurya period The caves were constructed for Aajivikas Most caves at Barabar consist of two chambers, carved entirely out of granite. These caves are consist highly polished internal surface Barabar Caves Karan Chaupar , Lomas Rishi, Sudama and Visvakarma The  Barabar Caves 

25. Lomas Rishi Cave Lomus Rishi Cave at Barabar Hills near Gaya. The cave entrance is decorated with a semicircle chaitya arch. An elephant is carved in high relief on the chaitya. The interior hall of the cave is rectangular; it also has a circular chamber at the back. Ashoka patronised this cave for the Ajivika sect.

26. I nterior (floor and ceiling) of Lomas Rishi cave

27. Sudama  Cave, Interior

28. Sudama  Cav,

29. Lājinā Piyadasinā duvāḍasa -[ vasābhisitenā ] / [ iyaṁ Nigoha ]- kubhā di[ nā ājivikehi ] “King Priyadarsin , in the 12th year of his reign, this cave of Banyans was offered to the Ajivikas ”. —  Ashoka inscription of the cave of Sudama

30. Vivaskarma cave and a way

31. Pla n of Vivaskarma cave

32. "By King Priyadarsin , in the 12th year of his reign, this cave of Khalatika Mountain was offered to the Ajivikas . 

33. Caves of Nagarjuna Hills Nagarjuna Hills are located 35km north of Gaya, There are three caves excavated in the Nagarjuna Hills Vadathi -ka- Kubha : N orthside of the hill, located in a crevice, and devoted to Ajivika followers by Dasharatha Vapiya -ka- Kubha : O n the northside of the hill, also devoted to Ajivika followers by Dasharatha Gopi-ka- Kubha : On the southside of the hill, excavated by the king Dasharatha grandson of Ashoka, according to an inscription. Dasaratha (reigned in 232 – 224 BC) – has devoted these caves to Ajivika These structures are 50 years younger than caves at Barabar .

34. Gopika cave

35. Vapiyaka cave

36. Cave plans and location of the Pali inscription of Dasaratha Maurya,

37. Caves The exteriors of the caves are very plain. The interiors are polished to a high degree. The earliest of these caves is Sudama cave which contains an inscription dated to the 12th regnal year of Ashoka and Cave creation was subsequently continued by Dashrataha This cave is dedicated to the Ajivika sect. It consists of two chambers: (a) a rectangular ante-chamber with a barrel-vaulted roof, doorway with sloping jambs, (b) a separate circular cell at the end of the hall, with a hemispherical domed roof. The latter on the outside is a copy of thatched straw roof.

38. Rock-cut Architecture The rock-cut structures were closely associated with various religions and religious activities. In the beginning, remarkable Buddhist and Jain rock-cut structures were built in Bihar. Subsequently it spread to western Maharashtra. Caves belongs to Aajivaka : Buddhist: Chaitya, Vihara Jain: Temples Brahmanical: Temples

39. Conclusion Mauryan Architecture symbolises long tradition of the ancient India. It brings to the fore of the technique and engineering skill of the period. This period represented an important transition in Indian art from the use of wood to stone. Thus the art and architecture of the Mauryan Empire constitutes the culminating point of the progress of Indian art. Initiation of Rock -cut architecture in form of caves Structural stupa in mode of Bricks and stone Vedika Pillars Inscription This period gives the new dimensions to subsequent period in art and Architecture The architectural legacy of Mauryan period lasted for centuries

40. Thank You