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Buddhist Architecture

The document discusses the influence of Emperor Asoka on Buddhist art and architecture in India, marking the establishment of Buddhism as the state religion and the emergence of the Asokan School. It highlights significant contributions such as edicts, stupas, monolithic pillars, and the beginning of rock-cut architecture. Additionally, it categorizes Buddhist architecture into three main types: stupas, chaitya halls, and viharas, while providing a timeline of key periods in Indian history.

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15 views13 pages

Buddhist Architecture

The document discusses the influence of Emperor Asoka on Buddhist art and architecture in India, marking the establishment of Buddhism as the state religion and the emergence of the Asokan School. It highlights significant contributions such as edicts, stupas, monolithic pillars, and the beginning of rock-cut architecture. Additionally, it categorizes Buddhist architecture into three main types: stupas, chaitya halls, and viharas, while providing a timeline of key periods in Indian history.

Uploaded by

navyasharma3093
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Indian Architecture

- Buddhist Art & Architecture


Asoka & the Buddhist School
◼ Asoka, the third Mauryan ruler of Magadha who
ascended the throne in 274 B.C. inaugurated
Buddhism as the state religion of the
country.

◼ With this change in the religious system of India,


also came a marked advance in the arts.
Asoka & the Buddhist School (contd.)

◼ In India, early Buddhist art is accredited to be


a product of the Asokan 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.
Principal contributions
made by this school to art & architecture of that time

◼ Series of edicts (inscribed on rocks)


◼ Number of stupas
◼ Certain monolithic pillars
◼ Several monolithic accessories to shrines
◼ Remains of a vast palace, &
◼ Group of rock-cut chambers.
◼ Emperor Asoka got carved his famous edicts
on the living rocks,

◼ Raised in many parts of his empire circular


tumuli of bricks, sacred mounds
commemorative of the Buddha “the stupas”.

◼ Since the stupa was subject to


disintragration owing to the rigours of
the climate, it became necessary to seek
for some more lasting method of
achieving this purpose.
Beginning of the Rock-Cut Architecture
◼ The next significant
development was the
rock-cut
architecture.
◼ Its earliest and most imp.
Marvel was the Lomas
Rishi Cave, at Barabar
hills, Bihar.
◼ It belonged to a sect –
‘Ajivikas’.
◼ Derived from timber
huts and wooden arch. of
Vedic times.
Resorting to stone
◼ This gave rise to several free-standing
monolithic columns, erected on sites
selected because of their sacred associations.
◼ They were sculptured stone objects.
◼ Other monolithic elements include railings, finials of
stupa – in the form of umbrellas, lion thrones,
colossal figures, etc.
◼ The dev. of stonework introduced by Asoka shows
Greek, Persian and at times Egyptian influence
also.
Main Types of Buddhist Religious Architecture in India
◼ The principal three categories of Buddhist Arch. May be –
The Stupa,
the Chaitya Halls, and
the Viharas.
▪ 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.
Time – line of periods in Indian History:
Indus Valley Period Kshtrapa Period
26th -18th cent. BC 1st to 4th cent. AD

Vedic Period Gupta period


20th -5th cent. BC 5th cent. AD

Buddhist Period Maitraka Period


6th cent. -2nd cent. BC 6th to 9th cent. AD

Sungas and Andhras Solanki Period Siddharth (Buddha) was born in 566 BC.
Chandragupta Maurya – 324 to 313 BC
2nd cent. BC 10th to 13th cent. AD Ashok – 272 to 232 BC

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