Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c17.32

c17.32

At this time when the building art was largely in a state of indetermination, seeking direction, it is only natural that certain structures were produced which it is not easy to classify. One of these at least is of sufficient interest to deserve reference. This example, probably dating from the fifth century, consists of the remains of a pillared portico in the Mukandwara Pass of Kotah State, and is composed of immense blocks, suggesting such a giant handling of stone that only its precise cutting and fine carving save it from being characterised as cyclopean. While there is something not unattractive in the ingenuous chamfering which breaks up the mass of the pillar shafts—a decorative treatment remotely related to the Buddhist railing pillar—the fabric in its entirety has a definitely archaic flavour, recalling that massive strength and dexterous simplicity of the "sturdy Dorians" in Greek architecture. It shows little knowledge of construction, the only problem solved being that of placing one stone on another, the first step in the art of masonry building. Yet this method was typical of the Gupta style, when it was the practice to employ blocks of stone much larger than the relatively small size of the building justified But economy of material, without loss of strength and stability, is a matter of experience, which was yet to be gained. The stones in the Gupta shrines are, as a rule, well cut with the surfaces finely dressed, but there was no mortar, all the masonry being of the dry order. An experiment in jointing stonework, however, was made in the construction of the Deogarh temple, as here the blocks were held together with iron dowels.