Post Mauryan

Art and Culture

By Dr Vipan Goyal
 Post Mauryan Art
• India after Mauryas was a not a very remarkable
period for political solidarity but it saw development
of Indian culture to a great extent.After the
successors of Ashoka failed to keep the empire
intact, various small kingdoms emerged in the face of
Indian subcontinent. The Mauryan Dynasty was soon
replaced by the Sunga dynasty.
 Post Mauryan India
• Northern Central Ruled by → Shungas, Kanvas, and
Guptas
• Western Southern Ruled by → Satavahanas,
Ikshavakus, Abhiras, Vakataks
• Marked the Re-emergence of main Bramhanical sects
such as the Vaishnavas and the Shaivas
 Caves
• Mainly three architectural types were executed (Western India –
200 BCE)

Apsidal Vault Roof Chaitya halls found at Ajanta, Pithalkhora, Bhaja

Apsidal Vault Roof pillar less hall found at Thana – Nadsur

Flat quadrangular hall with a circular chamber at back found at Kondivite

 In all the chaitya caves a stupa at the back is
common
Viharas consists of a veranda, a hall and cells
around the walls of the halls

Chaitya → Prayer Viharas → Residence /

hall for monks Resting place of monks
 Stupas
• A lower pradakshinapatha or circumbulatory path was added
along with the upper one at Stupa – 1 (Sanchi)
• All the four gateways were now carved with beautiful sculptures.
• Depiction of picture got naturalistic with no stiffness in the body
• Figure compositions became high in relief – filling up the entire
space
• Carving technique appeared more advanced
• Symbols continued to be used representing the Buddha
Stupas
 Sculptures (100 CE)
• The apex of the sculpture making is said to be found
in this period
• Imporatant centers – Gandhara (now in Pakistan),
Mathura in India and Vengi in Andhra Pradesh
• Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in
Mathura and Gandhara.
Gandhara School of art
Mathura School of art
Amravati School of art
 Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)
• North-western part of the Indian sub-continent – Buddhist
School (Mahayana)
• Mainly Greco Roman style – Buddha image was inspired by
Hellenistic realism, tempered by Persian, Scythian, and
Parthian models
• Buddha images resembled the portrayal of God Apollo –
Apollonian faces, hair in Greco-Roman style, draperies
arranged in style of a Roman
 Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)
• Carved Spiritual Buddha → represents calmness,
Bearded, Moustache, wearing ornaments, Wavy hair
(Greek), large forehead (Greek) → Bodhisattavas
position
• Buddha seated in position of yogi, having large ears
(Greek), Eyes half closed, Protuberance on his head
(signifies that Buddha knows all)
 Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)
• Owed its origin to Indo Greek
rulers, but real patrons were
shaka & kushanas esp. Kanishka
• Early School used bluish grey
sandstone & later school used
Mud and Stucco (lime plaster)
however marble was not used.
Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)
• Gandhara Art is shown making
four types of hand gestures and
this is a remarkable feature in
this art. The gestures are as
follows:
Abhayamudra: Dhyanamudra :
Don’t fear meditation
Dharmachakramudra: Bhumisparshamudra:
a preaching mudra Touching the earth
 Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)
• Sculptors constructed Buddhist images with anatomical
accuracy, spatial depth, and foreshortening.
• Depiction of Budhha in Sitting & Standing position with
great attention to body details
• Seated Buddha is always shown cross-legged in the
traditional Indian way. Buddha is seated on a lotus thron
• Attributes to tallest rock-cut statue of Lord Buddha –
Bamiyan (Afghanistan) – 3-4 century AD.
 Gandhara School: Themes
represented
• Buddha is depicted standing
frontally with one leg bent.
• Standing Budha, 1st to 2nd
century CE.
 Mathura School of Art (50 BC – 600 AD)
• Purely indigenous in nature, reaching its zenith under the
Kushanas, mainly Kanishka
• Drew inspiration from ancient Indian art of Bharhut and
Sanchi → Initially inspired by Yaksha Images
• Not limited to only the images of Buddha but also the
Jainas, Female deities & Hindu gods → Secular
• Established tradition of transforming Buddhist symbols into
human form
 Mathura School of Art (50 BC – 600 AD)
• Earliest sculptures of Buddha were made keeping the Yakshaprototype
in mind.
• Both sitting and standing posture of Buddha in delighted state, not
spiritual
• Buddha’s head and face Shaven, dress is tight; energetic body, face
reflects grace
• 1st to depict smile on the face of Buddha but less expressive than
Gandhar school
• The halo around the head of Buddha was profusely decorated which was
not the case in Ghandhar school
Sitting Buddha Standing Buddha
Sarvatobhadra Jain Yakshi Sculpture
• Buddha shown seated in Padmasana, Right hand in
AbhayMudra (Indicate reassurance) raised above
shoulder, Left hand on left thigh (reflect muscularity),
Protuberance on head.
• Buddha is seated on lion thron.
• The Sarvatobhadrika image of 4 Jain Jinas standing
back to back belongs to the Mathura school.
 Headless Kanishka
• Famous for headless
statue of Kanishka
• Material used was red
sandstone mainly with a
little use of terracotta
• Reached its peak during
the Gupta period
 Mathura School – Themes represented
• The Buddhist religion greatly flourished under the
patronage of Kushan emperors, and several images of the
Buddha and Bodhisattavas were produced after the
earlier Yaksha types.
• The first purely Indian Style art and sculptures were
produced here. Mathura Art is famous for its iconographic
traits – identification of particular deities based on the
postures, attributes, vehicles.
 Mathura School – Themes represented
• Common Facial Features – Oval/ Roundish faces,
open eyes, thick lips and sharp nose.
• Fleshy full-body figures in a number of postures.
Female figures are voluptuous, heavy round breasts,
narrow waist. Male figures are shown with a slight V
shape.
 i. Buddhism
• Buddha seen in
Abhaymudra with
one hand raised.
 ii. Jainism
• Mathura also becomes an important center
of Jainism. A new kind of worshipping
develops in this era – that of the
Ayagapattas.
• The Jains produced votive tablets
called ayagapattas that contain auspicious
marks of worship such as fish couple
or matsya yugala, the swatiska, etc.
 Jain Ayagapattas with a Tirthankara at the
middle.
 iii. Shaivism
• Various Shaiva images have
been found from the
region though their
numbers are limited.
 Chaturmukhalinga.
Karttikeya-Skanda
 iv. Vaishnavism
• Balarama is shown
with a snake
canopy .
• Sometimes he
carries a lion-staff
plough.
 v. Local Cults
• Naga Cult is very prominent. A lot of Naga
Temples have been found in/around this area.
 vi. Statue of Kanishka
• Last but not the least, we
have the statue of
Kanishka.
 Amaravati School of Art (200 BC -200AD)
• Flourished on banks of Krishna river (Andhra Pradesh)
• Main patrons – Satavahanas & Ikshvakus
• White Marble (limestone) was used in this art
• Site of largest Buddhiststupa of South India.
• Themes were Buddha’s life and Jatakas tales → Mainly
Buddhist
• Curly hairs of Buddha → A feature that is influenced by the
Greeks.
 Amaravati School of Art (200 BC -200AD)
• Sculptural composition is
more complex and
characterized by intense
emotions, bodies are shown
with three bents
(i.e. tribhanga)
• In this school, statues of
Kings, Princes, and Palaces
got prominence.
 II. Literature
Work Author Theme Patronage

He’s credited to have issued the 1stlong

inscription in chaste Sanskrit.
Rudradaman I It mentions the repairs he undertook to
Junagarh Rock improve the Sudershana Lake.
Rudradaman I
inscription from the Western
Kshatrapa Junagarh Rock also contains inscriptions
from Ashoka and Skandgupta (from the
Gupta Period almost 800 years later).
 II. Literature
Work Author Theme Patronage

Menander asked Nagasena many questions

related to philosophy and Buddhism, which
Milindapanho Nagasena together with Nagasena’s answers are Milinda
recorded in Milindapanho or the Questions of
Milinda.

Saundarananda, Buddhacharita is a complete lifecof Buddha

Buddhacharita, Ashvaghosh written in the form of Mahakavya. It is the first Kanishka
Vajrasuchi Buddist book written in Sanskrit.
 II. Literature
Work Author Theme

Extends Ayurveda and lays down the concept

Charaka-Samhita Charaka of balance of 3 doshas called Vata, Pitta and
Kapha.

Sushruta- Sushruta(Father of
He mentions more than 120 instruments
Samhita Surgery)
Junagarh Rock inscription
 Architecture
• Stupas
 The Sungas were great patrons of art and
architecture. They contributed to the expansion of
Bharut and Sanchi Stupas.
 Bharhut and Sanchi
Bharut Sanchi

100 BC is the accepted date for Bharut.

100 BC.
Slightly earlier than Sanchi and Ajanta.
Said to have been started by Ashoka but much of its
Time Period work has been done in the time of the Sungas. The
Said to have been started by Ashoka but
decorated gateways with lavish carvings were done
much of its work has been done in the
by Satavahanas.
time of the Sungas.

A very large complex 13-14km from Vidisha, the

Satna District of MP. Was on a major
capital of Mauryan Empire. Vidisha was a very
trade route from western coastal regions
Location important trading town. It was on the Dakshinapath
to Pataliputra.
– an offshoot of the Uttarapath, which connected
Taxila to Pataliputra and further east.
 Bharhut and Sanchi
Bharut Sanchi

There are 3 stupas

Stupa 1- The Great Stupa. Largest of them. It has 4
gates with Toranas.
Has been reconstructed in Indian
Stupa
Museum Calcutta Stupa 2 – This is the earliest stupa. Same time as
Bharut but simpler.

Stupa 3 –Has only 1 Torana.

 Bharut: Themes Represented
• Discovered by Cunninghum.
• Has been reconstructed in
Indian Museum Calcutta.
Stone Architecture.
Surrounded by Vedika roughly
3 feet.
• Only 1 Torana has been found
but it is suspected that there
would’ve been 4.
• As evident, the Vedika and Torana have beautiful carvings. They are 5
elements –
1. Visual narratives about the life of Buddha
 Buddha is represented in his iconic form – feet, bodhi tree,
dharmachakra, empty seat and not the human form (symbolizing the
Theravadin/ Hinayana Buddhism).
2. Jataka Kathas
 Jatakas Stories like the Kaka Jataka(Monoscenic), Ruru Jataka
3. Yakshas and Yakshis
 These gods of local cults start assimilating
into Buddhism. It is believed that Yakshis
were made through the contributions of
women.
4. Medallions
 There are also medallions like the one shown
here. They represent the sun god, various
bodhisattvas, etc.
 Sanchi
• Sanchi Complex has 3
stupas.
• Stupa No. 1 is the
largest and is called
the Great Stupa. It
has 4 gates with
Toranas. In the pic,
you see the Northern
Gate.
There are extensive carvings on the Torana. The
themes are similar to those of Bharut.
Stupa 2 – This is the earliest stupa.
Same time as Bharut but simpler.
Stupa 3 –Has only 1 Torana
 Heliodorus Pillar
• Stone column erected by
Heliodorus, Greek ambassador
to the court of
the Shungaking Bhagabhadra,
around 150BC
• In honor of Vasudeva.
Thank You