Eternal India Encyclopedia

ART

SCULPTURE

STONE SCULPTURE During the Mauryan dynasty, about fourth century B.C. we come across monuments of stone in the form of colossal yaksha images, of which the one from the village of Parkham, in Mathura district is the most significant. About two dozen gigantic statues have been discovered at various ancient centres like Mathura, Bharatpur, Pauraya near Gwalior, Rajghat near Varanasi, Kaushambi, Patna, Vidisa and further east at Sisupalagarh in Orissa. It is now generally agreed that these are images of yakshas and yakshinis, worshipped in very ancient times as deities of an important folk cult. Mauryan sculpture occupies a special place in the history of Indian art. Stone began to be used all over the country for both sculpture and architecture. Another important feature of Mauryan art is the bright polish imparted to the stone surface. During Emperor Ashoka's reign, monolithic stone pillars often 40 to 50 ft. high were adorned with animal motifs. The most important is the lion capital of the Sarnath pillar. This is made up of four parts: an inverted lotus covered with long petals, surmounted by a circular drum showing four chakras facing the four directions and after each an animal - a horse, a lion, an elephant and a bull. The yakshini figure found at Didarganj in Patna is another specimen. The most important sculptural remains of the post-Maury an period are the carvings on the rails and gateways of the great Buddhist sites at Bharhut, Gaya and Sanchi. At Bharut, the upright posts of the stupa railing are carved with yakshas and yakshinis. In all the Buddhist sculpture of this period the Buddha himself is never shown, but symbolized by such em- blems as a wheel, empty throne, a pair of footprints or a pipal tree. The Kushana period witnessed the flowering of the Mathura school of sculpture. The creation of the Buddha image was the greatest contribution of the Mathura artists. The important figures of this period are statues of Vema Kadphises and Kanishka, Parkhan yaksha, Maholi Bodhisattva etc. An independent figure of the goddess Lakshmi standing in the midst of lotuses is bf striking beauty. The Gandhara art specialized in

Two of the best examples of Gupta images are the standing Buddhas from Mathura. The seated Buddha delivering the first ser- mon at Sarnath is another masterpiece. Surrounded by a large halo, flanked by two small demigods, the Buddha sits majestically his fingers forming the dharmachakra mudra which indicates that he is preaching. His face is that of a young man, conveying the message that the world is full of sorrow, death and decay, but that it is possible to transcend these evils, and reach a state where age and grief no longer affect the mind, and where worldly pleasures are converted into inner serenity. Another school of sculpture existed in the region around Gwal- ior and Jhansi. The masterpiece is an image of the Sun god Surya from Gwalior. There is also the 9th C. "Sanchi Torso" the delicately modelled body of a Bodhisattva with a jewelled collar and a scarf of antelope skin hanging over the left shoulder.

The rock sculpture show- ing the Varaha of Vishnu in the Udayagiri caves depicts Lord Vishnu res- cuing the earth from the depths of the ocean. An- other important sculpture is a lifesize image of Vishnu in the Mathura museum. Among the most magnificent sculptures is the image of Trimurthi Shiva at Elephanta island on the west coast. The three-headed bust of Siva, calm with the calm- ness of eternity is very impressive. The serene god is perhaps the best expression of the Hindu concept of divinity. The sculptures in the Elephanta caves are incomparable both in character and plastic quality.

Buddha and Bodhisattva images. At Bamian, Afghanistan are two colossal Buddha images, one of them 172 ft. high. The typical Gandharan head of the Bud- dha has adolescent features and wavy hair. In this it strongly resembles the Greek Apollo. The images are usually dressed in a robe which has deep, ridged folds - a robe exactly similar to the Ro- man toga. An important Gandharan sculpture

Among the Pallava sculptures is one showing Krishna lifting Govardhana, and the other depicting him in the scene of milking cow's both at Mahabalipuram. There is also a statue of Ardhanar- iswara. Another panel depicts Arjuna’s penance. The Pala school of sculpture flourished in Bihar and Bengal. Stone sculptures of the Pala school are found at Nalanda, Raja-

is the relief depicting the death of the Bud- dha. The figure of the Buddha lying on a couch occupies the centre of the panel from which emerge rows of figures. Sor- row is writ large on the faces of the mourners.

griha, Bodh Gaya, Rajasthan and Khichanga in Mayurbhanj.

The temples of Orissa have

profusely outer walls.They are loaded with rich sculpture comprising dancing male and female figures and decorative patterns of the most exquisite kind. The finest Orissa sculptures are those in the courtyard of the temple of the Sun at Konarak, where the horses and the scene of an ele- phant crushing a malefactor is unmatched and compares with ornamented