Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

ARCHITECTURE

society, and by the end of the 12th A.D. the advent of iconoclastic Muslims here resulted in the destruction of important Buddhist and Hindu monuments. Yet a large corpus of sculpture and a few paintings have survived in black chlorite, stone, metal, bronze and wood. The basic tendency of sculptural style was toward increased elaboration of detail, complexity of iconography, stylisation of form and stiffening of body postures and facial features and detailing of surrounding elements at the expense of the prominence of the central figure. A number of monasteries and sites, such as the cruciform stupa at Baharpur in Bengal contains monumental en- trances. The temple rises in three tiers which were once decorated with 63 stone images. However, Hindu art remains of the late Pala period are also found. The structures (16th Century Bengal) display a rich variety, influenced by Islamic types, of Hindu art in the form of representa- tions of Surya, Uma, Ganga, Vishnu with slight iconographic vari- ations stylistically, while earlier works betray Gupta and post- Gupta style. Images from Vikramapura (12th), Paraspura, (early 12th), Palgiri (Bangladesh), and from Kurkihar in stone, bronze, and silver indicate superb craftsmanship. It also indicates that artists were producing religious images of great beauty. The tradition halted at a high point mainly due to cessation of patronage. ORISSA The art and architecture of Orissa form a distinct unit displaying styles from the Western Chalukyas and Andhra Pradesh. During the rule of the Somavamsis, the temple of Lakshmana in Siripur (late 6th and 7th C) was built. Of special interest is the shape and forms of the curvilinear sikhara, almost cylindrical in form with a low, heavy appearance, typical of early Orissa style. The clear division into horizontal stories (bhumis) with vertical sections made through candrasala decorations is seen. However, Orissa art becomes clear with the emergence of the Sailodbhavas (7th) and at Bhubaneswar (Tribhuvaneswar) a tradition of temple building for the next 700 years was initiated. The best preserved is the Parasu- rameswar temple (of the Pasupata sect) of 8th C A.D. consisting of a vimana and a mandapa. (In Orissan architecture specified names are given to every part of the temple and described in texts). In the vimana (curvilinear spire) at each of the 4 corners is a series of pro- jections that demarcate the sikhara into bhumis (horizontal levels) by means of bhumi amla (ribbed elements) at the corners. As Orissa architecture developed, this feature becomes elaborate and complicated, but essentially the classification remains constant. Like other temples, it is surrounded by a compound, delineating a sacred area. In contrast to the plain interior of the temple, the exterior of the deul (short, square tower) and jagmohan (adjoining mantapa) are embellished with architectural and decorative designs arranged within strict horizontal and vertical divisions. Each divi- sion and motif serve a specific purpose in the overall scheme of the monument. The Lingaraja temple at Bhubaneshwar is the culmination of the Orissan style of temple architecture, its soaring spires can be seen for miles. In its very elegant proportions it is one of the most refined examples of temple architecture in India. Built sometime in the 11th C it consisted of only the shrine tower and main hall. Later the banquet hall and dance hall were added. Vertically, the tower roof is divided into a central rib, an intermediary rib on either side and two corner ribs. The central rib is adorned with the 'bho' motif which is

architecture. by Krishnadevaraya but it remained incomplete after the fall of Vijayangar in 1565. The Queen's bath at Hampi is a blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. It has elaborate stucco work and projecting balconies. The Lotus Mahal which resembles the spread petals of the lotus is a blend of Hindu and Islamic motifs. These buildings reflect the catholicity of outlook of the Vijayanagar rulers, particularly Krishnadevaraya. The Pandyas built impressive temples, such as the rock-cut Vathivanikovil temple at Kalugumalai essentially a free standing building that was liberated from the surrounding matrix of rock so that it would have stood in a pit when completed — resembling the Kailasanatha at Ellora (which may be contemporary). Interesting are the major images on the uppermost tier of the temple super- structure with Uma-Mahesvara on the east, Dakshinamurthi Shiva on the south, Narasimha on the west and Brahma on the north. Siva in his Visapaharana murti is a gracious form when he swallowed a dreadful poison that threatened the world with destruction. The later Pandyas concentrated on building imposing gopurams . (gateway towers) which became the most important element of the temple complex. There was a shift in emphasis from the main vimana to the gopuram. The most famous and beautiful of these is the Minakshi temple complex at Madurai, the ancient Pandyan capital. The central shrine has a court completely covered up by gopuram entrances on the east and west. Three miles east of the temple is a stepped tank — the largest of its kind in southern India. The temple at Srirangam, a great centre of Vaishnavism, has seven concentric courts, each with gopurams in its walls. The gopurams are covered with sculptured figures. The temple at Chidambaram is dedicated to Shiva, Lord of Dance. There are four courts each with large gopurams. Scenes of the dance illustrating all 108 dance poses are in small panels arranged on the inner walls on either side of the gopuram entrance. THE CHOLAS The style of the Pallavas was developed further under the Cholas (10-12th Centuries). Their finest monuments are the Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur (Tanjore) by Raja Raja the Great and the temple at Gangaikondacolapuram, near Kumbakonam, built by his son and successor, Rajendra. The former has the loftiest- known vimana (200 ft high) topped by a sikhara stone believed to weigh 80 tons and said to have been hoisted after being dragged up on a ramp four miles long. Gangaikondacholapuram, now a deserted village near Kumbakonam, was once the Chola capital. It was built by Rajendra to commemorate his victories which extended Chola power up to the banks of the Ganges and his naval expeditions which occupied parts of Burma, Malaya and Sumatra. The vimana of the temple here though smaller than the one at Tanjavur sur- passes it in the quality, fineness and variety of its sculpture. From the eighth-twelfth centuries, the eastern region (equiva- lent to the modern states of Bihar, W.Bengal, Bangladesh) was host to artistic activity. In Bihar (derived from Vihara) where nu- merous Buddhist Viharas existed and pilgrims from China, South East Asia, Nepal, Tibet came during the Pala-Sena period, a major art school influenced Asia. Hinduism too reached a peak especially during 11-12th century A.D. The Palas were great patrons of Bud- dhism, but gradually they were over-shadowed by Hindu develop- ments due to complex sociological and cultural changes within the The construction was begun in 1513