Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c4.20

c4.20

Chapter IX (b), Buddhist Rock-cut Architecture of Western India, as produced in the Hīnayāna phase, is described with reference to the *Chaitya* halls and *Vihāras*. A new identification of the scenes at Bhājā is proposed as their depicting king Māndhātā visiting the Uttarakuru country and not the figures of Indra and Sūrya. The description of the chaitya-halls at Bhājā, Kondāne, Pītalkhorā, Ajantā, Bedsā, Nāsik, Junnār, Karle, Kanherī is given in a detailed manner showing that the movement of rock-excavation enjoyed vide extension in space and time and that it was preceded by similar wooden architecture on a grand scale.