The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c19.11

c19.11

The dynastic history of Drâvida in the seventh century is mostly concerned with the constant wars between the Pallava kings and the Chalukyan rulers of the Dekhan who had succeeded the Andhras about a century previously. The Chalukyans seem to have been of Rajput origin. Both Ajantâ and Ellora were situated in their dominions. The most powerful of Chalukyan kings was Pulakêsin II, whom Harsha of Thanesar, *circa* A.D. 620, endeavoured to subdue; but after a severe repulse he was constrained to leave him undisputed master of the Dekhan. Hiuen Tsang was also a visitor at Pulakêsin's Court at Nâsik, and another record of his reign remains in a fragmentary painting in the first monastic hall at Ajantâ, which is believed to represent the reception of an embassy which Khushrû II of Persia sent to the Indian king.¹ It is impossible to follow Mr. Vincent Smith in the inference he draws from the painting of this event by Indian artists that "it proves, or goes a long way towards proving, that the Ajantâ school of pictorial art was derived directly from Aryan culture, indeed, seems to have gathered new strength from its transplantation into southern soil; just as Hellenic culture, when it was decadent in the land of its birth, acquired new vigour in Italy. Sankarâchârya, who relighted the torch of Vedic philosophy in the asrams of the north, and Râmanûja, the exponent of Vaishnavism, were born there. When Northern India was being overrun by the Muhammadan invaders, the south remained the bulwark of Aryan institutions for several centuries, and many of the most important records of Aryan polity and culture are found there.