Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.18

c13.18

As examples of existing monasteries we have several groups; viz. (i) the Vihāra Caves in Magadha in Barabar hills; (ii) the Vihāra Caves at Orissa in Udaigiri and Khaṇḍagiri hills, which were excavated for Jaina monks; (iii) Vihāra Caves in Western India at Nasik, Ajanta, Bhaja and other places, mostly attached to the Chaitya halls as at Bedsa, Pittalkhora, Kondane, Karle and Junnar. One of the oldest Vihāras is that attached to the Chaitya at Bhaja. It is five-celled (pañcha-garbha), three of which have single stone-beds and one is double-bedded. The central hall, is 33ft. in length with two long stone benches at either ends. At present this hall is open in front but originally it might have been closed by a wooden screen like the Chaitya hall by its side. Both the Monastery and the Chaitya hall belong to early 2nd century B. C. Both are indeed part of one design. The conjoined Chaitya and Vihāra occurs only at Bhaja, or at a very late date at Dhamnar. The Vihāra and Chaitya Caves at Bedsa are placed a very little apart from each other. The exceptional thing about the Bedsa Vihāra is that it is apsidal in form like the Chaitya. Perhaps there architects making their first experiments of excavating a rock for the purpose of a Vihāra thought that it should resemble a Chaitya.