Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.4

c13.4

A cave in the hill was originally called *kubhā* or *guhā* or *ghara*, all three terms being found in the inscriptions. A cell was known as *apavaraka* (Pkt. *ovaraka*, *ovavaraka*) or *gharbha* (*gabha*, *gabbha*). The excavation work was known *Selakamma* and the master-stone masons as *Sela-vaḍḍhaki*. The master-architects were also known as *Mahāsilā-kammāntika* (*Mahāśilā-karmāntika*) or *Mahā-rūpakāraka*. The work of stone carving of figure sculptures was *Sela-rūpa-kamma* (*Śaila-rūpa-karma*). The cutting of living rock was the main item of work in this kind of architecture and therefore a rock-excavation, mainly a *Chaitya* hall, began to be called *Kirti* from the root *Kri* -to excavate, and the large opening now known as *Chaitya*-window was known in ancient times as *Kirtimukha*, literally an opening to the *Kirti* or excavated cave-hall. The pillar in front of the cave became known as *Kirtistambha* (also *Chaitya-skambha*). We actually have freestanding lofty pillars in front of the *Chaitya*-hall at Karle and Kanheri. The cutting or scooping of the rock commenced with the boring into the façade of the intended *Sela-ghara*. The façade (*gharmukha*) consisted of two parts, a large opening above, now called *Chaitya* window, and a lower solid screen pierced by three doors, one in the centre to give access to the central *maṇḍapa* or nave (*nābhi*) and the two side ones to the two aisles (*pradakṣiṇāpatha*). As the work proceeded the opening was widened and the debris from inside was thrown outside through that opening. The hollowed out *maṇḍapa* of the interior was literally given the name of *Kirti* and the big opening with which the cuttting commenced *Kirtimukha*, which also served the purpose of admitting light and air. Such cave excavations are also mentioned as *leṇa* (Sans : *Layaṇa*). They were either monastery (*Vihāra*) or *Chaitya* halls. The latter consisted of a round apse containing the solid stone *Stūpa* or *Chaitya*, a main hall supported on pillars and on its two sides an aisle or path of circumambulation (*Pradakṣiṇāpatha*). This passage was separated from the central hall by a row of pillars on which the vaulted roof of the whole excavation was supported. [Fig. 110]. A problem to be solved for these monastic establishments was the supply of water. For this water was trained to descend from the high hill top in front of the cells (*garbha-dvāra*) and stored there in a deep water cistern (*Pānīya-poḍhi*, *Pānīya Bhājana* or *Pānīya ghara*), as found in the form of an elaborate system of inter-connected canals, aqueducts (*Paṇāḍi*) at Kanheri.