Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.3

c13.3

The other nucleus of this great architectural movement was at Śūrpāraka (modern Sopara near Bombay) which was the biggest seaport and emporium of trade on the western sea coast or what was then known as the Śoṇaparānta country. Its rich merchants became patrons of Buddhism and dedicated their wealth on rock excavations to serve as *Chaitya* halls and monasteries for the dwelling of monks. There is a tradition preserved in the *Divyāvadāna* of the sea merchant Pūrṇa that he had become a disciple of the Buddha and being the friend of the king of the place, persuaded him to extend an invitation to the Buddha to come to Śūrpāraka which he accepted. The Buddha may not have himself visited the Koṅkaṇa country but there seems to be some truth in the tradition that the Śoṇaparānta being a turbulent country found a place in the mind of Aśoka. The famous seaport was chosen as a site for his Fourteen Rock-edicts and it appears that since that time rock excavations commenced in this locality which gradually took the form of a widespread movement which later extended within a radius of two hundred miles and counted about twelve hundred excavations.