BUDDHIST, JAIN, AND HINDU ART
(3RD century B.C to 8th
Century A.D)
Chandragupta Maurya (332-289 B.C) was the founder of the glorious Maurya dynasty as well as the first great empire of Bharat, with its
capital at Patliputra. His early life is not so much known. He got his surname
Maurya from his mother Mura Devi. His prime minister and guru Chanakya was a
great Brahmin scholar also known as Kautilya. After a reign of 24 years.
Chandragupta decided to give up his worldly life so he handed over the throne
of the mighty empire to his son Bindusara in 295 B.C. But the Mauryan Art
actually owed its development to the reign of his son Ashoka. Ashoka not only
emerged as the most famous king of the Mauryan dynasty but is also regarded as the
greatest king of India.
The most important event
of Ashoka’s reign was his against Kalinga (Modern Orrisa) in 269 B.C. which
proved to be a turning point in his life. His conversion to Buddhism was
brought about by a Buddhist monk named Upagupta. He visited all the important
places related to Buddha’s life. He used his vast resources to spread this
religion and ordered to construct monuments in the honor of Bhagwan Buddha. In
this connection, a large number of monasteries, also called Vihara & Stupas,
were built throughout the country. He also issued many edicts. Edicts were
royal commands or orders given by Ashoka himself. Through these edicts were
engraved on the flat views on religion, Government, and Dhamma. These edicts
were engraved in the flat surface of rocks, on the polished stone pillars, and
in caves. The most important sculptural remains of crowning animal figures
inscribed on the monolithic pillars of Ashoka.
Hence it can be said that Mauryan art is closely
related to religion.
The Mauryan Empire gradually disintegrated after
Ashoka. The last king Brihadratha was killed by his commander-in-chief
Pushyamitra Sunga in 185 B.C. Afterward, Pushyamitra declared himself as the
king of the empire. He founded the Sunga dynasty, which ruled for a period of more than a hundred years (185-73 B.C). The Sunga rulers were also great lovers of Art and
Literature. The sculptural remains of this period can be seen on the stone
vedikas, torans of Sanchi stupa no-2, Bharhut, and Bodh Gaya.
Chinese Turkistan was the original home of Kushan
tribes. At the beginning of the first century A.D. Kadphises-1, chief of the
Kushan tribe captured large territories and founded a new dynasty. Kanishka was
the greatest of all the Kushan rulers in India. He is remembered not only as a
great conqueror but also as a great patron of art, literature, and Buddhism. He
gave liberal grants for the construction of monasteries, stupas, statues, and other
monuments in the various parts of the empire.
Under the patronage of the Kushan rulers one phase of
art centered at Gandhara while the other flourished around Mathura and Sarnath.
The most important contribution of Gandhara art was the creation of Buddha
images. The term ‘Gandhara art’ brings to mind a mixture of Hellenistic and
Buddhist forms. This art developed from the first century B.C. and continued
till the fifth century A.D. The early Gandhara School preferred stone, suited
for the carving. Their subjects were Jatakas and the story of Buddha. The
Hellenistic character in art soon became more Indianised as the artists tried
to reconcile Greek and local ideas to create an art suitable to the Buddhist
religion.
The art of Mathura carried on the early tradition found at Bharhut and
Sanchi. The headless statue of Kanishka is a creditable creation of the Mathura
school of art. It is early to identify statues, belonging to the Mathura school
since all are carved in the red-spotted sandstone.
Chandragupta Maurya (332-289 B.C) was the founder of the glorious Maurya dynasty as well as the first great empire of Bharat, with its capital at Patliputra. His early life is not so much known. He got his surname Maurya from his mother Mura Devi. His prime minister and guru Chanakya was a great Brahmin scholar also known as Kautilya. After a reign of 24 years. Chandragupta decided to give up his worldly life so he handed over the throne of the mighty empire to his son Bindusara in 295 B.C. But the Mauryan Art actually owed its development to the reign of his son Ashoka. Ashoka not only emerged as the most famous king of the Mauryan dynasty but is also regarded as the greatest king of India.
The most important event of Ashoka’s reign was his against Kalinga (Modern Orrisa) in 269 B.C. which proved to be a turning point in his life. His conversion to Buddhism was brought about by a Buddhist monk named Upagupta. He visited all the important places related to Buddha’s life. He used his vast resources to spread this religion and ordered to construct monuments in the honor of Bhagwan Buddha. In this connection, a large number of monasteries, also called Vihara & Stupas, were built throughout the country. He also issued many edicts. Edicts were royal commands or orders given by Ashoka himself. Through these edicts were engraved on the flat views on religion, Government, and Dhamma. These edicts were engraved in the flat surface of rocks, on the polished stone pillars, and in caves. The most important sculptural remains of crowning animal figures inscribed on the monolithic pillars of Ashoka.
The Mauryan Empire gradually disintegrated after Ashoka. The last king Brihadratha was killed by his commander-in-chief Pushyamitra Sunga in 185 B.C. Afterward, Pushyamitra declared himself as the king of the empire. He founded the Sunga dynasty, which ruled for a period of more than a hundred years (185-73 B.C). The Sunga rulers were also great lovers of Art and Literature. The sculptural remains of this period can be seen on the stone vedikas, torans of Sanchi stupa no-2, Bharhut, and Bodh Gaya.
Chinese Turkistan was the original home of Kushan tribes. At the beginning of the first century A.D. Kadphises-1, chief of the Kushan tribe captured large territories and founded a new dynasty. Kanishka was the greatest of all the Kushan rulers in India. He is remembered not only as a great conqueror but also as a great patron of art, literature, and Buddhism. He gave liberal grants for the construction of monasteries, stupas, statues, and other monuments in the various parts of the empire.
Under the patronage of the Kushan rulers one phase of art centered at Gandhara while the other flourished around Mathura and Sarnath. The most important contribution of Gandhara art was the creation of Buddha images. The term ‘Gandhara art’ brings to mind a mixture of Hellenistic and Buddhist forms. This art developed from the first century B.C. and continued till the fifth century A.D. The early Gandhara School preferred stone, suited for the carving. Their subjects were Jatakas and the story of Buddha. The Hellenistic character in art soon became more Indianised as the artists tried to reconcile Greek and local ideas to create an art suitable to the Buddhist religion.
The art of Mathura carried on the early tradition found at Bharhut and Sanchi. The headless statue of Kanishka is a creditable creation of the Mathura school of art. It is early to identify statues, belonging to the Mathura school since all are carved in the red-spotted sandstone.
BUDDHIST, JAIN, AND HINDU ART