Buddhist architecture in india
Post on 16-Apr-2017
Buddhist Architecture in India
Presented By:Riya Bagchi, Sumedha GuptaII Year- B,Vastu Kala AcademyBuddhist Architecture in IndiaHISTORY PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTIONThe places connected with the principal events of Buddhas life, namely birth (at Lumbini), enlightenment (at Bodh-gaya), first preaching (Sarnath) and decease (Kasia) are looked upon with great sanctity. To these were added four other places also intimately associated with his life (Shravasti, Sankasya, Rajgriha, Vaisali) which together formed the Ashthamahasthanas (eight holy places) celebrated alike in Buddhist lores and art forms.
The earliest Buddhist monuments in India are attributable to Ashoka (273-32 B.C.) who exerted his energies and the resources of his empire to the propagation of his empire. He is credited with the authorship of two principle buddhist architectural styles, viz., Pillars (Stambhas)Stupas.
Development of buddhist architectureEstablishment :Emperor AshokaPeriod: 3rd century BCPlace: South Asia
Emperor Ashoka inaugurated Buddhism as the state religion of his empire.The primitive Buddhism rejected any form of image worship and hence Buddhist Architecture began with the establishment of various symbols representing different aspects of Buddhas life, namely Stupas, Bodhi tree indicating enlightenment, Wheel of Law, as the first sermon as well as the corporeal vehicle of Buddha, and his footprints.
In India, early Buddhist art is accredited to be a product of the Ashokan School.
Significance of this school lies in the fact that India thence through Buddhism was in a position to dictate to the rest of Asia, its religion, its symbolism and its art.
Contributions by ashokan school The principal contributions made by this school to the art and architecture of that period are:
Series of edicts (inscribed on rocks)Number of stupasCertain monolithic pillarsSeveral monolithic accessories to shrinesRemains of a vast palace, &Group of rock-cut chambers.
Architectural HistoryFeatures of Buddhist architecture
The major features of this style are:Stupas (Topes)Stambhas (Lats)Chaityas (Caves)Vihaaras (Monastries)
Out of these, the prominent examples of Chaitya Hall and Viharas can be found in Rock-Cut Architecture. Even the Stupa can be found in certain Chaitya halls in a miniature form.
Although more often, they are of a bigger scale in an independent complex. In such cases they are encased in stone masonry.
Stupas (domes)DEFINITION: Dome-shaped structures used to house sacred relics of the monks and hence also known as Relic-shrines.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS: Earth materials covered with stones or bricks. The plan, elevation and the basic structure all derived from the circle.
Stambhas (pillars)The next development was the free standing monolithic columns erected over sites selected because of their sacred associations. They were basically stone objects.
DEFINITION: In the context Of Hindu Mythology,stambha, is believed to be a cosmic column.
DESIGN: A stambha consists of a circular column or shaft slightly tapering towards the summit (monolithic). On top of this shaft is the Persepolitan bell or the inverted lotus shaped base. Above this is the abacus on top of which rests the crowning sculpture. These three portions were carved out of a single stone (monolithic).
The famous iron pillar from the Gupta period is a fine specimen, withstanding exposure to rain & storm, yet remaining smooth and unrusted bearing testimony to the mastery of Indian metal-casting.
Chaityas (caves)The next significant development was the rock-cut architecture. Its earliest and most imp. Marvel was the Lomas Rishi Cave, at Barabar hills, Bihar.Derived from timber huts and wooden arch. of Vedic times.They were rectangular halls, with finely polished interior walls. There were a number of well proportioned pillars, generally around 35, and a semi-circular roof. Opposite one entrance stood a stupa. All the pillars have capitals on them, with carvings of a kneeling elephant mounted on bell-shaped bases.
Architecturally, chaityas show similarities to Roman Design concepts of columnsandarch. The monks built many structures which were carved out of a single massive rock, done with hammer and chisel, bare hands.
The chaityas were almost 40 meters long, 15 meters wide and 15 meters high.
DESIGN: The pillars had three parts: prop, which is the base which is buried into the ground; the shaft, the main body of the pillar which is polished and chiseled; and capital, the head of the pillar where figures of animals are carved. The Stupa at the end of the Chaitya Hall has an umbrella at the top. This Umbrella suggests association with Buddhism. There is a wooden facade, made out of teak wood. The facade makes it look as if the entire structure was resting on the back of an elephant with ivory tusks and metal ornaments.
The ascetic nature of early Buddhism and Jainism was well suited to living a life away from the cities, in natural caves and grottoes in the hillsides. In a circle of two hundred miles around modern Nasik, the rugged hills of the Western Ghats are naturally suited to the creation of living space in the hillside - with steep cliffs providing an ideal surface for carving in.
Vihaaras (MONASTRIES)They were the residential places of the Buddhist priest.The main hall was entered through a doorway, leading to an assembly hall, dining chambers and meditation cells.The walls depict figures of the buddhaThe columns were of 60 meters height and well-chiselled.
Typical Plan of a Vihaara
TemplesSince the same guild of artists worked for all the religions, there is hardly any difference in the treatment of the Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jain temples in a particular region at a given period.
The oldest existing temple is temple 17 at Sanchi, which is also the earliest known example of Gupta temple style. The only dcor was at the entrance present with bands of scrolls and pillars. This temple lays the logical foundation of temple architecture in North India, which developed in duecourse a shikhara over its basic form.
TheMahabodhi Templeis aBuddhist temple inBodh Gaya, marking the location where the Buddha, is said to have attainedenlightenment. Bodh Gaya is located about 96km fromPatna, Bihar. Next to the temple, on its western side, is the holyBodhi treeand the monastery there the Bodhimanda Vihara. The tallest tower is 55 metres (180ft) tall.
Holy Bodhi treeMahabodhi Temple
Bibliography INFORMATIONBook: The Great Ages of World Architecture by G.K. HiraskarWeb:http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/bot/pdf/bot_11_03_02.pdfwww.wikipedia.org (few definitions)