Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c10.29

c10.29

From these remains it has been deduced that the arrangements of Asoka's palace at Pataliputra were inspired to some extent by those of the Achaemenids and that the grouping of the buildings within a walled enclosure corresponds in some respects to the complex of palaces at Persepolis, the pillared hall being in close agreement with the Hall of a Hundred Columns built by Xerxes. The mason's mark on the pillar seems to confirm the fact that Persians or Medes were employed in some of the work, and that the idea of the colossal supporting figures, or atlantes, bears some relation to the bas-reliefs representing figures supporting upper stories on their upraised arms in the tomb of Darius at Nakshi-i Rustam and the Throne Room at Persepolis Although only a few pieces of figures presumed to be atlantean have been recovered at Pataliputra, that the Mauryan craftsmen knew how to produce statues of heroic size is proved by several of these having been found in various parts of the country, including two large and sculpturesque Yakshas or *chauri* (fly-whisk) bearers excavated near Patna. It was probably figures of this kind that supported the wooden roof of Asoka's palace, for one of the upright bars of the Barhut gateway, executed at a slightly later date, displays a small model of a figure-pillar which has every appearance of having been copied from some traditional type. Atlantes and caryatid supports, as for instance the dwarf capital on the Sanchi gateway, and the pillar of the *chankrama* or sacred promenade at Budh Gaya, besides many later examples, all show that pillars of a similar nature were a favourite architectural device with the Indian builder. As to the facade of Asoka's palace some idea of this may be gained from a carved stone in the Mathura Museum, possibly dating from the first century A D. It depicts the frontage of an important building in two or more stories, each storey formed of a continuous arcade of horse-shoe archways with bays between. Each bay contains a hanging balcony supported on a pillar and the central doorway of the whole is evidently part of a large projecting portico.