Indian Art and Architecture Post-Mauryan Rule

Exploring the Indian Art and Architecture: From the second century BCE onwards, various rulers established their control over the vast Mauryan Empire: The Shungas, Kanvas, Kushanas and Guptas in the north and parts of central India; the Satvahanas, Ikshavakus, Abhiras, Vakatakas in southern and western India. Examples of the finest sculptures are found at Vidisha, Bharhut (Madhya Pradesh), Bodhgaya (Bihar), Jaggayyapeta (Andhra Pradesh), Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Khandagiri-Udayagiri (Odisha), Bhaja near Pune and Pavani near Nagpur (Maharashtra).

Bharhut Sculptures: A Journey Through Indian Art and Architecture in the North

• Bharhut Sculptures 
  • Tall Size: Bharhut Sculptures, an integral part of Indian Art and Architecture, stand tall like the images of Yaksha and Yakhshini in the Mauryan period, modeling of the sculptural volume is in low relief maintaining linearity. 
    • In the relief panels depicting narratives, the illusion of three-dimensionality is shown with a tilted perspective.
  • Evolution of Characteristics in Indian Art and Architecture: At Bharhut, narrative panels are shown with fewer characters but as time progresses, apart from the main character in the story, others also start appearing in the picture space.
  • Artistic Description in Indian Art and Architecture: At times more than one event at one geographical place is clubbed in the picture space or only a single main event is depicted in the pictorial space. 
    • Availability of the space is utilized to the maximum by the sculptors.

• Evolution of Form: Sculptural Dynamics in Indian Art and Architecture at Bharhut 
  • Pictures: Folded hands in the narratives as well as single figures of the Yakshas and Yakshinis are shown flat clinging to the chest. 
    • But in some cases, especially in later times, the hands are shown with the natural projection against the chest. 
  • Carving: Due to shallow carving of the picture surface, projection of hands and feet was not possible, hence, the folded hands and awkward position of the feet. 
  • Appearance: There is a general stiffness in the body and arms. But gradually, such visual appearance was modified by making images with deep carvings, pronounced volume and a very naturalistic representation of human and animal bodies. 
    • For Example, Sculptures at Bharhut, Bodhgaya, Sanchi Stupa-2, and Jagayyapetta are good examples.

• Pictorial Narratives of Jataka Stories 
  • Use of Pictorial Language: Narrative reliefs at Bharhut show how artisans used the pictorial language very effectively to communicate stories.  
  • Jatak Narration: The depiction of a Jataka story is very simple—narrated by clubbing the events according to the geographical location of the story like the depiction of Ruru Jataka where the Bodhisattva deer is rescuing a man on his back. 
    • The other event in the same picture frame depicts the King standing with his army and about to shoot an arrow at the deer, and the man who was rescued by the deer is also shown along with the king pointing a finger at the deer.
• Characteristic Feature in Indian Art and Architecture: One main characteristic in all the male images of the first–second centuries BCE is the knotted headgear.
  • • In many sculptures, it is very consistent. 
• Queen Mayadevi’s Jatak: One such Jataka story is also shown as Queen Mayadevi’s (mother of Siddhartha Gautam) dream, with a descending elephant. 
  • • The queen is shown reclining on the bed whereas an elephant is shown on the top heading towards the womb of Queen Mayadevi. 
• Depiction: Such Jataka stories became part of stupa decoration. 
• Regional Variation: Interestingly, with the rise in the construction of stupas in various parts of the country, regional stylistic variations also began to emerge. 
• Some of the sculptures found at Bharhut are displayed in the Indian Museum, Kolkata.

Sculptural Evolution: Sanchi’s Noteworthy Contribution to Indian Art and Architecture 

• The next phase of sculptural development , noteworthy in the realm of Indian Art and Architecture, unfolded at Sanchi, Mathura, and Vengi in Andhra Pradesh (Guntur District) and is noteworthy.

Sculptural Mastery at Sanchi: Advancements in Indian Art and Architecture

• The stupa at Sanchi has an upper as well as lower pradakshina patha or circumambulatory path. 
• It has four beautifully decorated toranas, a testament to the magnificence of Indian Art and Architecture, depicting various events from the life of the Buddha and the Jatakas.
• Depiction of posture gets naturalistic and there is no stiffness in the body. 
  • Heads have a considerable projection in the picture space. Rigidity in the contours gets reduced and images are given movement. 
  • The narration gets elaborated. 
• Carving techniques appear more advanced than Bharhut. 
  • Symbols continue to be used representing the Buddha. 

Sanchi’s Narrative Riches: Understanding Artistic Mastery in Indian Art and Architecture

• Elaborative Structure: At Sanchi Stupa, narratives get more elaborated; however, the depiction of the dream episode remains very simple showing the reclining image of the queen and the elephant at the top.
• Narration: The historical narratives such as the siege of Kushinara, Buddha’s visit to Kapilavastu, visit of Ashoka to the Ramgrama Stupa are carved with considerable details.  
• In Mathura, images of this period bear the same quality but are different in the depiction of facial characteristics.

Schools of Sculpture: Mathura, Sarnath, and Gandhara

• Mathura, Sarnath and Gandhara were three schools of sculpture.

Evolution of Sculptural Schools: Dynamics in Indian Art and Architecture from the First to Sixth Centuries CE 

• First century CE onwards: Gandhara (now in Pakistan), Mathura in northern India and Vengi in Andhra Pradesh emerged as important centres of art production.
• Second century CE: Images in Mathura got sensual, rotundity increased, and they became fleshier. 
• Fourth century CE: In the late fourth century CE, the massiveness and fleshiness is reduced further and the flesh becomes more tightened, the volume of the drapery also gets reduced.
• Fifth and sixth centuries CE: The drapery is integrated into the sculptural mass and marks a significant phase in Indian Art and Architecture. In this period, two important schools of sculpture in northern India are worth noting. 

• • The traditional center, Mathura, remained the main art production site whereas Sarnath and Kosambi also emerged as important centres of art production. 
  • Comparison: Many Buddha images in Sarnath have plain transparent drapery covering both shoulders, and the halo around the head has very little ornamentation whereas the Mathura Buddha images continue to depict folds of the drapery in the Buddha images and the halo around the head is profusely decorated. 
  • Among the important stupa sites outside the Gangetic Valley is Devnimori in Gujarat. 

Confluence of Sculptural Traditions in Mathura, Gandhara, and Beyond in Indian Art and Architecture

• Human Form: Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in Mathura and Gandhara. 
• Confluence of Traditions in Indian Art and Architecture: The sculptural tradition in Gandhara had the confluence of Bactria, Parthia and the local Gandhara tradition.
• Local Strong Tradition: The local sculptural tradition at Mathura became so strong that the tradition spread to other parts of northern India. 
• Example: The best example in this regard is the stupa sculptures found at Sanghol in the Punjab.

Diverse Features in Mathura Sculpture, Blending Buddha, Jain Tirthankars, and Hindu Deities  

• Buddha Image: The Buddha image at Mathura is modeled on the lines of earlier Yaksha images whereas in Gandhara it has Hellenistic features. 
  • Early Jain Teerthankar images and portraits of kings, especially the headless Kanishka are also found in Mathura.
• Cultural Fusion in Indian Art and Architecture: Images of Vaishnava (mainly Vishnu and his various forms) and Shaiva (mainly the lingas and mukhalingas) faiths are also found at Mathura but Buddhist images are found in large numbers. 
  • It may be noted that the images of Vishnu and Shiva are represented by their ayudhas (weapons). 
• Description: There is boldness in carving the large images, the volume of the images is projected out of the picture plane, the faces are round and smiling, and heaviness in the sculptural volume is reduced to relaxed flesh. 
  • They are clearly visible and they cover the left shoulder. 
  • Images of the Buddha, Yakshas, Yakshinis, Shaivite and Vaishnavite deities and portrait statues are profusely sculpted.

Temple Emergence: Shaping Brahmanical Devotion in Indian Art and Architecture

• Stupa Construction: While the construction of stupas continued, Brahmanical temples and images of gods also started being constructed. 
  • Often temples were decorated with the images of gods. 
• Puranic Myths: Myths mentioned in the Puranas became part of the narrative representation of the Brahmanical religion. 
  • Each temple had a principal image of a god.
• Kinds: The shrines of the temples were of three kinds: 
  • Sandhara type (without pradikshinapatha), 
  • Nirandhara type (with pradakshina patha), and 
  • Sarvatobhadra (which can be accessed from all sides). 

• Important Sites: Some of the important temple sites of this period are Deogarh in Uttar Pradesh, Eran, Nachna-Kuthara and Udayagiri near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh. 
• Structuring: These temples, integral to Indian Art and Architecture, are simple structures consisting of a veranda, a hall and a shrine at the rear. 
• Among the important stupa sites outside the Gangetic Valley is Devnimori in Gujarat. 
  • In the subsequent centuries, sculptures had little variations while slender images with transparent drapery remained a dominant aesthetic sensibility.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Indian Art and Architecture beautifully unfold a rich tapestry of sculptural traditions, blending diverse influences and narratives. From the majestic stupas to the ornate temples, this legacy showcases the enduring creativity of ancient India.