Art and Architecture-
Division of Mauryan art and architecture
It is divided as follows-
A.Court art
It is the initiative of King or court itself
It includes-
- Pillars.
- Stupas.
- Palaces.
B.Popular art-
It is an initiative of Individual artist
It includes-
- Caves.
- Pottery.
- Sculptures.
These court and popular art are discussed as below-
1.Royal palace-
Pataliputra -
- According to Megasthenes, the city of Pataliputra was about fifteen kilometers long, two and a half kilometres in width, and was surrounded by a moat that measured about two hundred meters wide and fifteen meters deep.
- Excavations carried out by Spooner and Waddell have brought to light remains of huge wooden buildings at “Bulandibagh” and “Kumrahar”, both near Patna.
- At Bulandibagh remains of ahuge wooden stockade and fortification walls have been unearthed.
- The remains of one of the buildings, an 80 pillared hall at Kumrahar are of particular significance.
- Out of 80 stone columns, that once stood on a wooden platform and supported a wooden roof
2.Mauryan Pillars-
A.Features of mauryan pillars-
- Mauryan pillars are free standing, tall, well proportionate, with tapering shafts and monolithic in nature.
- They are made of sandstone which was quarried at Chunar.
- The pillars have a lustrous polish.
- They do not have a base.
- The capital is joined to the tapering end of the shaft with a cylindrical bolt.
- Abacuses are decorated with stylised lotuses.
Objective-
- The main objective was to disseminate the Buddhist ideology and court orders in the entire Mauryan empire.
Language-
- While most Ashoka pillar edicts were in Pali and Prakrit language, few were written in Greek or Aramaic language also.
Architecture-
- Mauryan pillars mainly comprise of four parts:
Shaft-
- A long shaft formed the base and was made up of a single piece of stone or monolith.
Capital-
- On top of shaft lay the capital, which was either lotus-shaped or bell-shaped.
Abacus-
- Above the capital, there was a circular or rectangular base known as the abacus.
Capital Figure-
- All the capital figures (usually animals like a bull, lion, elephant, etc) are vigorous and carved standing on a square or circular abacus
B.Difference between Mauryan pillars and Achamenian pillars-
The tradition of constructing pillars is very old and it may be observed that erection of pillars was prevalent in the Achamenian empire as well. But the Mauryan pillars are different from the Achamenian pillars.
- The Achaemenid pillars were generally part of some larger architectural scheme, composed of much too many component parts looking complex and complicated. While the Ashokan columns were intended to produce the effect of an independent freestanding monument.
- The Mauryan pillars are rock-cut pillars thus displaying the carver's skills, whereas the Achaemenian pillars are constructed in pieces by a mason.
- The outer shaft of Mauryan pillar is smooth nut Persian pillars have grooves.
- Bell is present only at the top in Mauryan pillar but it is at both top and bottom in Persian pillars
C.Division of Mauryan pillars -
1.The columns that carry Ashokan edicts -
These includes pillars at-
- DelhiMirat.
- Allahabad.
- Lauriya-Araraj.
- Lauriya-Nandangarh.
- Rampurva (with lion capital).
- Delhi-Topara.
- Sankisya.
- Sanchi and Sarnath
2.The non-edict bearing columns include
- Rampurva (with a bull capital).
- BasarhBakhira (with a single lion capital).
Columns bearing dedicatory inscriptions have been found at Rummendei and Nigali Sagar.
3.Minor Pillar Edicts
- These contain inscriptions recording their dedication, as well as the Schism Edicts and the Queen's Edict.
- They were inscribed around the 13th year of Ashoka's reign.
Some of them are as follows-
- Sanchi pillar.
- Sarnath pillar.
- Allahabad pillar (Queen Edict, and also Major Pillar Edicts).
- Lumbini (Rummindei), was erected by Ashoka where Buddha was born.
- Nigali Sagar (or Nigliva), near Lumbini, Rupandehi district, Nepal (originally near the Buddha Konakarnana stupa)
4.Major Pillar Edicts(Total-7)
Asoka's 7 Major Pillar Edicts have been found at-
- Kausambhi (Allahabad).
- Topra (now Delhi).
- Meerut (now Delhi).
- Lauriya-Araraj.
- Lauriya-Nandangarh.
- Rampurva (Champaran).
- The Delhi-Topra pillar.
All the pillars are monoliths i.e. carved out of from stone.
Language of major pillar edicts-
- Only one language was used on the pillars: Prakrit in the Brahmi script.
- A few derived inscriptions were made on rock in Aramaic, in areas of Afghanistan.
- The edicts are composed in non-standardized and archaic forms of Prakrit.
These pillar edicts include:
Major Pillar Edict I-
- Asoka’s principle of protection of the people.
Major Pillar Edict II-
- Defines dhamma as a minimum of sins, many virtues, compassion, liberality, truthfulness and purity.
Major Pillar Edict III-
- Preach to avoid practices of harshness, cruelty, anger, pride and other sins among the subjects.
Major Pillar Edict IV-
- Prescribe duties and responsibilities of Rajukas, who would go every five years to different parts of empire to spread Dhamma
Major Pillar Edict V-
- A list of animals and birds which should not be killed on certain days, and another list of animals which have not to be killed at all occasions.
- Describes the release of 25 prisoners by Asoka.
Major Pillar Edict VI-
- It discuss about Dhamma Policy
VII. Major Pillar Edict VII-
- Works done by Asoka for Dhamma Policy.
- He says that all sects desire both self-control and purity of mind.
Lion Capital Sarnath-
- The Lion Capital discovered more than a hundred years ago at Sarnath, near Varanasi, is generally referred to as Sarnath Lion Capital.
- This is one of the finest examples of sculpture from the Mauryan period. Built in commemoration of the historical event of the first sermon or the Dhammachakra-pravartana by the Buddha at Sarnath, the capital was built by Ashok
The capital originally consisted of five component parts-
- Shaft (which is broken in many parts now).
- A lotus bell base.
- A drum on the bell base with four animals proceeding clockwise.
- The figures of four majestic addorsed lions.
- The crowning element, Dharamchakra, a large wheel, was also a part of this pillar
The capital without the crowning wheel and the lotus base has been adopted as the National Emblem of Independent India.
- The abacus has the depiction of a chakra (wheel) having twenty-four spokes in all the four directions and a bull, a horse, an elephant and a lion-BHEL- between every chakra is finely carved.
- The motif of the chakra becomes significant as a representation of the Dhammachkra in the entire Buddhist art.
- Each animal figure, despite sticking to the surface, is voluminous, its posture creating movement in the circular abacus.
- The circular abacus is supported by an inverted lotus capital.
- Each petal of the lotus is sculpted keeping in mind its density.
- The lower portion has curved planes neatly carved
Bull Capital , Rampurva
- Bull capital Rampurva is now in Presidential Palace.
- It is a mixture of Persian and Indian elements.
- The lotus capital is entirely formalistic.
- It is made up of light coffee coloured sandstone.
- The motifs on the abacus are beautiful decorative elements like the rosette, palmette and the acanthus ornaments, none of them Indian.
3.Chaitya, Vihara and Stupas-
Stupa, vihara and chaitya are part of Buddhist and Jaina monastic complexes but the largest number belongs to the Buddhist religion.
A.Viharas -
- They were the residences of the monks.
The following are the general features of the Viharas :
- They have a square or oblong hall in the centre.
- The hall is preceded in front by a pillared veranda.
- A number of small square cells are provided.
- The cells and halls are usually provided with raised benches for the use of monk.
B.Chaityas -
- They were prayer halls and most of them were with stupas.
The general features of the Chaityas are :
- They have a long rectangular hall ending in a semi-circle at the rear end.
- This long hall is internally divided into a nave, an apse and two side aisles.
- The aisles are separdted from the nave by two rows of pillars.
- The hall has a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The doorway is usually placed facing the votive Stupa.
- The facade has a horse-shoe shaped window called the chaitya window.
C.Stupas-
- One of the examples of the structure of a stupa in the third century BCE is at Bairat in Rajasthan.
- The great stupa at Sanchiwas built with bricks during the time of Ashoka and later it was covered with stone and many new additions were made.
Part of Stupa-
Anda-
- It is a hemispherical mound symbolic of the mound of dirt used to cover Buddha’s remains (in many stupas actual relics were used).
Harmika-
- It is a square railing on top of the mound.
Chhatra-
- It is a central pillar supporting a triple umbrella form.
- A wooden rod (Yashti) was placed in its'middle and the bottom of the rod was fixed on the top of the Stupa
Torana-
- The entrance gate.
- The Jataka stories, were depicted on the railings and torans of the stupas.
- Mainly synoptic narrative, continuous narrative and episodic narrative are used in the pictorial tradition
Many stupas like those at Sanchi , Sarnath and possibly Amaravati Stupa were originally built as brick and masonry mounds during the reign of Ashoka.
Most were renovated many times, which leaves us with hardly a clue of the original structures.
Monolithic Railing at Sarnath-
- A polished fragment of a monolithic railing at Sarnath is assigned to the Mauryan period.
- It is made of polished Chunar sand stone. It compares well with the Bharhut railing.
- It is copied from wooden contemporary originals.
Its parts-
- The plinth or the ‘alambana’.
- The uprights or the ‘stambhas’.
- The horizontal bars or the ‘suchis’.
4.Rock Caves and other architecture of mauryans-
Dhauli Elephant-
- At Dhauli (Bhubaneshwara, Odisha), there is a rock sculpture of the front part of an elephant.
- His right front leg is slightly tilted and the left one slightly bent, suggesting forward movement
Nagarjuni and Barabar caves-
- The caves are located in the Nagarjuni and Barabar hills to the north of Bodhgaya.
- Three caves in Barabar hills have dedicatory inscriptions of Ashoka and three in the Nagarjuni hills have inscriptions of his successor Dasaratha.
- The earliest of these caves is Sudama cave which contains an inscription dated to the 12th regnal year of Ashoka and is dedicated to the Ajivika sect.
Barabar Caves (4 caves)-
- Karna Chaupar, Sudama Cave, Lamarshi (Lomas Rishi) Cave, Vishwamitra (Vishva Zopri) Cave
Nagaragunja Caves (3 caves)-
- In Bihar were formed during the time of Dasharath, grandson of Ashoka , Gopi Cave, Bahayak Cave and Vedantika Cave
Chronologically the latest and architecturally the best specimen is the Lomas Rishi cave
Lomas Rishi cave-
- An inscription proves that this was excavated for the Ajivika sect in the time of Ashoka himself.
- Over the doorway is depicted a chaitya or a gavaksha arch with a carved finial. There are two bands of relief carvings; the upper one has a lattice work design and the lower one has a finely carved frieze showing elephants approaching stupas.
At both ends of the frieze is a makara (a mythical crocodile)
Ajivika sect
- Ajivika, an ascetic sect that emerged in India about the same time as Buddhism and Jainism and that lasted until the 14th century.
- the name may mean “following the ascetic way of life.”
- It was founded by Goshala Maskariputra.
- Ajivika sect is based on the philosophy that the affairs of the entire universe were ordered by a cosmic force called niyati (Sanskrit: “rule” or “destiny”) that determined all events, including an individual’s fate.
5.Mauryan Sculptures -
- The popular art in Maurya period is represented by images of Yakshas and Yakshinis.
- Yaksha refer to the nature-spirits, usually benevolent also known as fertility spirits.
- A yakshini Is the female counterpart of the male Yaksha.
- Large statues of Yakshas and Yakshinis are found at many places like Patna, Vidisha and Mathura
- They are mostly in the standing position.
Some of them are-
Didargunj Yakshini
Yaksha, Parkham, Mathura
Didargunj Yakshini
- It is a life-size standing image of a Yakshini holding a chauri (flywhisk).
- It is Kept in Patna Museum.
- The chauri is held in the right hand whereas the left hand is broken.
- The image shows sophistication in the treatment of form and medium.
- The face has round, fleshy cheeks, while the neck is relatively small in proportion.
- The eyes, nose and lips are sharp.
- Folds of muscles are properly rendered.
- The necklace beads are in full round, hanging to the belly.
- The lower garment has been rendered with great care.
- Every fold of the garment on the legs is shown by protruding lines clinging to the legs, which also create a somewhat transparent effect
- Thick bell-ornaments adorn the feet
Yaksha, Parkham, Mathura
- A colossal standing figure of a man cut in the round, 7 feet in height from head to foot and 2 feet broad across the shoulders.
- The statue is made of grey sandstone, and still retains many traces of having been highly polished.
- Both arms being broken off just below the shoulder
6.Mauryan Coins-
- The coins issued by the Mauryans are mostly silver and a few copper pieces of metal in various shapes, sizes and weights and which have one or more symbols punched on them.
- The most common symbols are the elephant, the tree in railing symbol and the mountain.
- These symbols are said to have either represented the Royal insignia or the symbol of the local guild that struck the coin
7.Mauryan Pottery-
- The pottery associated with the Mauryan period consists of many types of ware.
- But the most highly developed technique is seen in a special type of pottery known as the Northern Black Polished Ware (NBP).
- The NBP ware is made of finely levigated alluvial clay, which when seen in section is usually of a grey and sometimes of a red hue.
- It has a brilliantly burnished dressing of the quality of a glaze which ranges from a jet black to a deep grey or a metallic steel blue
Edicts/Inscription of Ashokan period-
- The most significant source for the Mauryan period is undoubtedly the inscriptions of Ashoka.
- Ashoka’s inscriptions mark the beginning of Indian epigraphy
It is divided as follows-
1) Fourteen Rock Edicts or Major Rock Edicts (REs)
2) Two ‘Separate’ Rock Edicts or ‘Kalinga’ Rock Edicts
3) Minor Rock Edicts (MREs)
4) Seven Pillar Edicts or Major Pillar Edicts (PEs)
5) Minor Pillar Edict (MPE)
6) Rock Edict from Bairat (Rajasthan)
7) Inscriptions engraved on the Barabar hills close to Gaya, Bihar
8) Miniature Inscription
Out of these -4) Seven Pillar Edicts or Major Pillar Edicts (PEs) and 5) Minor Pillar Edict (MPE) are already discussed
1) Fourteen Rock Edicts or Major Rock Edicts (REs)
Rock Edict I
- Prohibits animal slaughter. Bans festive gatherings and killings of animals.
Major Rock Edict II
- Provides for care for man and animals, describes recipients as the Chola, Pandyas, Satyapura and Cheras Kingdoms of South India, and the Greek king Antiochus II and his neighbours
Major Rock Edict III
- It gave detail about Generosity to Brahmans. Issued after 12 years of Asoka’s coronation.
- It says that the Yuktas (subordinate officers) and Pradesikas (district Heads) along with Rajukas (Rural officers) shall go to the all areas of kingdom every five years and spread the Dhamma Policy of Asoka.
Major Rock Edict IV
- Dhammaghosa is ideal to the mankind and not the Bherighosa.
- Impact of Dhamma on society.
Major Rock Edict V
- Concerns about the policy towards slaves.
- He mentions in this rock edict "Every Human is my child". Appointment of Dhammamahamatras is mentioned in this edict.
Major Rock Edict VI
- Talks about welfare measures.
Major Rock Edict VII
- Requests tolerance for all religions
Major Rock Edict VIII
- Describes Asoka’s first Dhamma Yatra to Bodhgaya & Bodhi Tree.
Major Rock Edict IX
- Condemns popular ceremonies. Stress in ceremonies of Dhamma.
Major Rock Edict X
- Condemns the desire for fame and glory. Stresses on popularity of Dhamma.
Major Rock Edict XI
- Elaborates Dhamma
Major Rock Edict XII
- Directed and determined request for tolerance among different religious sects.
Major Rock Edict XIII
- It is the largest inscription from the edict.
- It talks about the Ashoka's victory over Kalinga and also mentions about the high number of casualties in that war.
- It also mentions the victory of Dhamma in south India among the Cholas and Pandyas, as far as Ceylon.
- This edict was also written in Greek (probably together with all the other Major Rock Edicts I-XIV originally) in the Kandahar Greek Edict of Ashoka (first portion recovered).
Major Rock Edict XIV
- Describes engraving of inscriptions in different parts of country.
2) Two ‘Separate’ Rock Edicts or ‘Kalinga’ Rock Edicts
- They are found at Dhauli in Puri district of Odissa and at Jogda in Ganjam district of Andhra Pradesh.
- They were made around 256 BC.
- These contain those behavioral instructions of Ashoka to his men, which were to be put in practice for people, after winning Kalinga and nearby areas
3) Minor Rock Edicts (MREs)
- At present there are eighteen places where we find minor rock edicts.
- These are usually in sets of two, rarely in three.
- The Minor Rock Edicts were written quite early in the reign of Ashoka, from the 11th year of his reign at the earliest.
- The technical quality of the engraving of the inscriptions is generally very poor.
Location-
- They are located throughout the Indian subcontinent.
- Location- In Panguraria, Maski, Palkigundu Gavimath , Bahapur/ Srinivaspuri, Bairat, Ahraura, Gujarra, Sasaram, Rajula Mandagiri , Yerragudi , Udegolam , Nittur, Brahmagiri, Siddapur, Jatinga-Rameshwara etc.
4) Seven Pillar Edicts or Major Pillar Edicts (PEs) -Already discussed
5) Minor Pillar Edict (MPE) -Already discussed
6)Rock Edict from Bhabru/Bairat (Rajasthan)
- Bhabru Edicts is situated at second hill at Bairat, Rajasthan.
- Bhabru Edicts is a Minor Rock Edicts.
- It was discovered in front of the Bairat Temple, which is possibly the oldest free-standing temple in India.
- The Edict is now located in the Museum of The Asiatic Society, Calcutta and hence called as "Calcutta-Bairat inscription". It is also known as Bhabru Edic.
- Ashoka has been mentioned as ‘Priyadarshi ’ in Bhabru inscription
7) Inscriptions engraved on the Barabar hills close to Gaya, Bihar
- 19 Kilometer from Gaya of Bihar, there are four Caves in Barabar mountain. Out of them, in three caves, his inscriptions are engraved, which tell that these Caves have been dedicated to the Bhikshus of Aajivik faith.
- These inscriptions might have been done around 257-250 BC.
8) Miniature Inscriptions
Two Miniature Inscriptions-
- They have been called miniature I and miniature II
- Possibly, they were engraved in 258 or 250 BC. First one throws light on Ashoka’s personal life and second one tells us about religious summary
Miniature Pillar Inscriptions-
- These inscriptions are found on pillars of Allahabad, Sanchi and Sarnath. These give information on the potential threats from the split in the math
Facts about Ashokan inscription-
Languages-
- In the eastern part of the empire, the Magadhi language in Brahmi script is used. (Magadhi is the dialect of Prakrit found in Magadha).
- In western parts of the Mauryan Empire, Prakrit in Kharoshti script is used.
- Major Rock Edict XIII contains an extract in Greek and Aramaic as well.
- Kandhar incription is Bilingual Rock Inscription, also known as the Kandahar Edict of Ashoka and less commonly as the Chehel Zina Edict, is an inscription in the Greek and Aramaic languages.
- In The Gujarra Rock Edict (Datia district, Madhya Pradesh) mentions Ashoka as 'Devanampiya Piyadasi Asokaraja'.
- In Maski Rock Edict Asoka was named in person and not by his usual title devanapriya.
- Tivara, the son of Ashoka and Karuvaki, is the only of Ashoka's sons to be mentioned by name in the inscriptions