Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c40.5

c40.5

The undercurrent of Buddhism which runs throughout the religious system of the country during its entire history originated at an early date. It is recorded that in the third century B.C the Mauryan emperor of India, Asoka, made a pilgrimage into the valley of Nepal, and commemorated this event by the foundation of innumerable stupas as a token of his success in bringing the inhabitants into the Buddhist fold. After the passage of considerably over two thousand years it is believed that two of these monuments may be identified, one forming the central feature of the temple of Shwayambhu Nath, and the other known as the Bodhnath, both situated in the neighbourhood of the existing capital of Katmandu The main shape of these stupas is of the orthodox semiglobal form, but in each instance this spherical body is surmounted by a large finial of unusual design and imaginative treatment, no other Buddhist superstructure bearing any resemblance to it. Primarily derived from the conventional three-fold umbrella, which in a somewhat fantastic but identifiable form still crowns the entire scheme, the steeple-shaped structure below this is in thirteen diminishing tiers, symbolizing the thirteen Buddhist heavens. But it is the design of the cubical base supporting this "steeple," corresponding to the *harmika* in the Indian examples, that presents the most striking appearance For on each of its four gilded sides is embossed a face in metal and ivory with a large pair of human eyes Such an innovation produces as startling and almost mesmeric effect, the eyes following the course of the pilgrim in a mysterious manner as he circumambulates the base of the sacred memorial. Some have attributed this evice on the harmika to a certain aspect of sunworship, recalling the motif known as the *suraj-mukh* or "sun-face," of Indian temples, but more probably the eyes looking so searchingly into space are an outward sign of the "All Seeing One" (Plate CXLII & CXLI).