Stupas 100211074024 Phpapp01
Stupas 100211074024 Phpapp01
Stupas 100211074024 Phpapp01
AND
VIHARAS
ORIGINS
A symbol to inspire aspiration and efforts in the religious life – the pursuit of
enlightenment
ELEMENTS
EVOLUTION
As Buddhism developed the stupa became more of a
general religious symbol, an object of worship. Less
emphasis was placed on the stupa as purely a site of
interment .
MANDALA
• Twenty-five of the rock-cut caves of Ajanta are viharas and are the
finest of monasteries. Four of the viharas belong to the 2nd century
BC. Later, other caves were excavated during the reign of the
Vakataka rulers who were the contemporaries of the Gupta Rulers.
Some of the most beautiful viharas belong to this period. The finest of
them. Cave 1, of the Mahayana type consists of a verandah, a hall,
groups of cells and a sanctuary. It has a decorated facade. The
portico is supported by exquisitely carved pillars. The columns have a
square base with figures of dwarfs and elaborately carved brackets
and capitals. Below the capital is a square abacus with finely carved
makara motifs. The walls and the ceilings of the cave contain the
most exquisite paintings.
Three Storeyed Vihara, Ellora
The viharas of Ellora dated 400 AD to 7th century AD are of one, two, and
three storeys and are the largest of the type. They contain sculptured
figures and belong to both Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism
CHAITYAS
•
• Hinayana rock architecture reaches the peak of excellence in the
splendid chaitya at Karle. An inscription in Karle mentions
Bhutapala, a banker to be the founder of the chaitya hall but later
scholars identify him with Devabhuti, the last of the Sunga rulers.
• The chaitya has a double-storeyed facade and has three doorways
in the lower part. It has an upper gallery over which there is the
usual arch. The walls of the vestibule to the chaitya hall are
decorated with sculptured figures of couples. The pillars separating
the central nave from the aisles have a pot base, an octagonal
shaft, inverted lotus capital with an abacus. The abacus has
exquisitely carved pairs of elephants kneeling down, each with a
couple in front and caparisoned horses with riders on them. The
stupa at the apse end is tall and cylindrical with two tiers of railings
around the drum. It is crowned by the original wooden chhatra.
The most perfect of this group of chaitya grihas is cave 19.
Excavated at the end of the 5th century AD it is similar to
the other chaityas in its plan and ribbed vaulted ceiling Facade, Cave 19, Ajanta
except for its single doorway and elaborate ornamentation.
It has a pillared portico in front leading into a courtyard with
the walls on either side heavily sculptured with figures. The
interior pillars are well decorated with cushion shaped
capitals. The corbel brackets are richly sculptured. The
drum of the central stupa is elongated and carved.
Projecting from the drum is an arched nasika or niche with
the figure of a standing Buddha carved in it. The rounded
dome of the stupa ~ is surmounted by a harmika and three
tiers of chhatras, diminishing in size and supported by
figures on four sides. On top of the chhatras and touching
the ceiling is another small stupa with a miniature harmika.
The facade of the cave is exquisitely carved. The chaitya-
window has figures of yakshas and richly carved, friezes
on either side. Two figures of standing Buddha flank the
entrance. The walls of the hall and the ceiling of the aisles
is richly painted with figures of Buddha, floral motifs,
animals and birds.