Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s2: Stūpa Architecture
Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s2
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Stūpa Architecture
c13.s2.1
The Stūpa monument had been developed in its most elaborate form at Bharhut and Sanchi. The Mathura architects inherited the same structural traditions but of their monumental Stūpas with cylindrical drum and dome and *harmikā* no example has been preserved. We, however, know that there were an early Śuṅga Stūpa and a second Kushāṇa Stūpa built by the Jainas at Kāṅkālī ṭīlā. There was also a Buddhist Stūpa built in the time of Huvishka and another at the site of Bhūteśvara. The Stūpas were demolished but a large number of railing pillars, cross-bars and copings have been preserved. From them we know that the size of the gateways, of the horizontal architraves and of the upright posts was much reduced at Mathura. There is only one bigger example (J I) of a railing upright and of a couple of Śuṅga cross-bars which have been found; the one showing an elephant with riders in a medallion and the other with beautiful head wearing a conspicuous head-dress. [Fig. 128].
c13.s2.2
With respect to the earlier Stūpas at Mathura we read in the life of Yuan Chwang: In the kingdom of Mathura there are still to be seen the Stūpas in which were deposited of old the relics of the holy disciples of Śākyamuni, viz. Śāriputra, Mudgalāyana, Pūrṇa-Maitrāyaṇīputra, Upāli, Ānanda, Rāhula and Mañjuśrī. On the yearly festivals, the religious assemble in crowds at these Stūpas, and make their several offerings at the one which is the object of their devotion. The followers of Abhidharma offer to Śāriputra, and those who practise contemplation (*dhyāna*) to Mudgalāyana, those who adhere to the Sūtras pay their homage to Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra. Those who study the Vinaya honour Upāli, religious women honour Ānanda, those who have not yet fully instructed (catechumens) honour Rāhula; those who study the Mahāyāna honour all the Bodhisattvas. Five or six *li*, i. e. about a mile and a quarter to the east of the town is a monastery on the hill said to have been built by the venerable Upagupta. His nails and beard are preserved there as relics.” These seven Stūpas with the exception of that of Rāhula, are the same as those noted by Fa-hian in the fourth century A. D. We know from the *Aṅguttara Nikāya* that Śāriputra, the foremost of the highly wise, Mahā Moggallāna, the foremost of the possessors of miraculous powers, Puṇṇa Mantaniputra, the foremost of the preachers of Dhamma, Rāhula, the foremost of the students, Ānanda, the foremost of the vastly learned, and Upāli, the foremost of the masters of Vinaya, were the most proficient disciples of the Buddha in subjects noted against them and their names can be reconised in Huen-Tsang’s list of saint’s whose Stūpas existed at Mathura from *days of old* with relics of the above worthies enshrined in them from a remote antiquity. What that period could possibly have been when Stūpas were raised over the relics of these great teachers? It seems but reasonable to suppose that it should have been the age of Aśoka when Mathura was fitly honoured by the construction of a number of holy Stūpas. Nor need the mention of Mañjuśrī disturb us, for Huen-Tsang is careful enough to associate the Mahāyānists with the worship of the Stūpa of Mañjuśrī and the other Bodhisattvas, who were thus isolated from the gallery of older patriarchs being worshipped by their respective followers.
c13.s2.3
Not a single one of these early Stūpas has been traced at Mathura, but the remaining sculptures offer firm proof that Buddhist and Jaina Stūpas existed at Mathura during Śunga times. The Stūpa was a raised tumulus enshrining relics of the holy patriarchs and was girdled by triple Vedikās, one on the ground, the next in the middle and the third one on the flat top which supported the harmikā or mansion of gods.
c13.s2.4
A few of these Stūpas are illustrated in several bas-reliefs three of which are worth mentioning. The earliest one is hemispherical at the base and has a decreasing diameter towards the elongated top, ornamented with a circular ground railing, two intermediate railings, and a harmikā with a railing and a chhatra. This is being worshipped by Suparṇas and Kinnaras, and perhaps represents the earliest Stūpa built by Jainas at Mathura which may be identified with the Deva-nirmita Stūpa, and may be placed about the beginning of the second century B.C. [Fig. 129]. The next stage is shown by the Stūpa carved on the Loṇaśobhikā Āyāgapaṭṭa, and assignable to the first century A. D. It consists of a staircase leading to the first high terrace, the ground balustrade with a high gateway having all the details of a typical toraṇa, viz. bracket śālabhañjikās, three architraves, small uprights etc., path of circumambulation, the elongated drum and dome ornamented with two intermediate railings instead of one and the third railing round the harmikā. [Fig. 130]. The upright pillars carved with a number of lotuses and animals inside medallions belonged to the railing, known as padmavaravedikā of the first Stūpa, whereas the upright posts carved with female śālabhañjikā figures in alto-relievo formed part of the second Stūpa built in early Kushāṇa times. Besides these two Jaina Stūpas we have a specimen of a Buddhist Stūpa at Mathura carved on an architrave (M 3). It shows an elongated structural building with several storeys marked by vedikās, which is similar to the Stūpas in the Gandhara country of the Kushāṇa age. [Fig. 131].
c13.s2.5
In the present state of our knowledge we may draw attention only to discreet members forming part of the railings and gateways. The most appropriate architectural element in the hands of Mathura sculptors were the railing pillars on the decoration of which they spent their highest skill and a perfection of plastic art not attained at any time before and after. Of the toraṇa specimens of Śunga times are two pillars with animal capital with a lintel carved on the two faces with scenes of Stūpa worship (mentioned above) by Suparṇas and Kinnaras offering garlands and householders riding in procession. (J 535 Lucknow Museum). There are also two toraṇa-śālabhañjikā figures carved on the two sides which were fixed as brackets bonding together the upright posts and the lowermost horizontal beam. Their drapery and ornaments as also the frontal carving mark them out as typical Śuṅga specimens. Several of the *toraṇa* examples show the spiral *makara* ornament as seen at Bharhut. The general style of sculptures, fondness for depicting Jātaka scenes, the zest for portraying standing female figures on the upright posts and the several details of ornamentation like the battlement motif, indicate that the artisans at Mathura were inspired by the Bharhut prototypes. It is gratifying to see that the repertoire on which they worked at Mathura was a comprehensive one welcoming as many motifs as they could from many sources.