EARLY BUDDHIST ROCK CUT ARCHITECTURE

ANURDDHA BADARA WANNINAYAKE MA ARHCAEOLOGY

INTRODUCTON

The early rock cut caves of India excavated in to the hills and valleys of western ghats, are all Buddhist monasteries. each sites consists of one or more chaityas- chapels for congregational worship and several viharas which were residential halls for the monks. Rock cut architecture developed in the India during the period of Maurya in Bihar( 250 BC).Number of Buddhist complexes were excavated in this period onward(2nd C.BC). The main centre for the early rock cut caves monuments were clustered in western India(Maharashtra) in the numerical and stylistic basis.

CHRONOLOGY On the basis of inscriptions , architectural style, style of sculpture these caves were put in particular chronological period and these are as follows: Kondivte100 C BC Nansur...70 C BC Bhaja..90 to 70 C BC Kondane90 to 70 C BC Pitalkhora III 90 to 70 C BC Ajanta X ..90 to 70 C BC Ajanta IX .70 to 50 C BC Aurangabad IV 70 to 50 C BC Nasik..70 to 45 C BC Bedsa .50 to 30 C BC Karla 50 to 70 C AD Kuda 140 to 150 C AD Junnar(Tuljaleni) ....100 to 125 C AD Junnar (Buddhaleni)50 to 70 C AD Lenyadri90 to 100 C AD Bhimasankar110 to 150 C AD Kanheri150 to 180 C AD Shivaneri.110 to 150 C AD

DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY BUDDHIST ROCK CUT ARCHITECTURE WESTERN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE OF ROCK CUT CAVES ARE INFLUENCED BY LOMAS RISI AND SUDAMA CAVES PLANS WHICH WAS EXCAVATED AROUND 250 C.BC. IN BARABARA HILLS IN BIHAR DURING MAURYAN PERIOD. THIS ROCK CUT CAITYA CONSIST OF A RECTANGULAR CHAMBER AND SMALLER CIRCULAR ROOM BEYOND WITH A DOMED ROOF. THE INNER CHAMBER HAVING STHUPA FOR WORSHIP. AT THE ENTARENCE SEMI CIRCULAR

SUDAMA CAVE PLAN

LOMAS RISI CAVE PLA

SUDAMA AND LOMAS RISI CAVES AT BARABAR BIHAR FAADE OF LOMAS RISI CAVE TEMPLE

2ND CENTURY B.C.

COMMON ARCHITECTURAL AND STYLISTIC FEATURES

Kondivte Bhaja Pitalkhora Kondane Ajanta cave NO.IX Ajanta cave NO.X Used minimal sculptural and decoration, typical of these Buddhist architecture. The caitya hall is apsidal in the plan. Faade is wooden. Apsidal hall is consisted with vaulted roof with wooden ribs on roof. Hall is dividing by slanted pillars the most dominant element of the rock cut faade is horse shoe shaped caitya arch. Pillars are plain octagonal without capital. The raw of pillars divided hall into central hall and side aisles.

Kondivte Ajanta no. X

Ajanta IX

Pitalkhora

BHAJA

In western India early Buddhist caves found at Bhaja, which is typical early phase of Buddhist architecture and it provides the closest copy of wooden prototype in the detailing of the facade and interior. The chitya hall is apsidal in the plane. Same plane found at Ajanta cave No. 10, Pitalkhora this apsidal hall is consisted with vaulted roof with

HALL IS DIVIDED BY SLANTED PILLARS THE MOST DOMINANT ELEMENT OF THE ROCK CUT FACADE IS HORSE SHOE SHAPED CHAITYA ARCH. THE FACADE IS CARVED MAINLY WITH SIMPLE MOTIF OF A RAILING, PLAIN CUT OUT BRACKETS, YAKSHI AND A COUPLE. FACADE IS WOODEN. THE NUMEROUS PINHALES IN THE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAVE INDICATES A LAND OF WOODEN ADDITION. THE PILLARS ARE PLAIN OCTAGONAL WITHOUT CAPITAL. THE STUPA IS CONSISTED A SIMPLE DRUM AND ANDA.

FIRST CENYURY B.C

Kondane At Kondane chaitya caves have same plane of early caves as apsidal hall at Bhaja. Only difference found in the faade. Below the chaitya arch sculpture is depicted, which indicates characteristic of 1st C BC. It is a figure of yaksha , also have the panels of dancing men and women. Gracefull figures reveal the artists mastery over his craft and emphasis on the essential plan of the body suggest a phase as advance as the Sanchi gate ways. Chaitya

Two large caves Both caves has apsidal plans One is caitya hall and other one is vihara griha Caitya hall has been elaborated by the addition of the verandah and cells. Verandah is wider than the interior of the cave. The pillar retain octagonal, topped by bell shaped capitals with animal horse, bull, elephant with human riders. The upper half consist of a large horse shoe shaped caitya arch. The two side walls of the verandah are carved with

BEDSA

1ST CENTURY A.D.

Karla cave Around start of 1st century A.D. subsequent development found at Karla. The cave itself is one of the largest Buddhist excavation. Here a stone screen is added to enclosed verandah with lion capital pillar as carved as Mauryan. Verandah is parallel to the Bedsa. But greater symmetry found here than Bedsa. In Karla there are three doors in verandah. Bedsa walls un sculptured but at Karla large mithun couples flank the doorways.

In contrast to the Bedsa verandah a row of approximately life size elephant is carved as it supporting the entire super structure on the two end walls in a manner reminiscent of the elephant plinth at Pitalkhora. The sculptures of highly advanced characters and some of the finest examples of the sculptures craft. pillars have base with three tier pedestal and octagonal shaft capped bell with amalaka within a square frame above. The top most carries the capital. The top most carries the capital. The capital is two pare of elephant with male and female riders on them.In these figures there is an amazing sense of propotion. The stupa has a drum in two terraces both crowned by a railing. Over the stupa is seen an original wooden umbrella(chatra).

2nd 3rd CENTURY A.D.

Next important phase of development is plan of caitya is that the flat roof rectangular quadrangular caitya hall. This became most prominent and standared designed in period of 2nd -3rd C.A.D. According to the Dr. Dhavalikars interpretation this is development phase of late hinayana period.

The general trend visible during the period of the early Buddhist caves is a development from shallow relief sculpture with an emphasis on surface decoration to a truly sculptural style of deeper relief with simplified details. These rock cut caitya caves developed from simple architectural style to compound or complicated and decorative large vihara complex. Developed from apsidal caitya hall with slanting pillars, wooden ribs and wooden faade; to the apsidal hall with verandah and stone faade; to the quadrangular flat roof caitya hall. In time space 500 to 600 years i.e. IInd century B.C. to IInd-IIIrd centuries A.D.

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