The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c9.31

c9.31

The key to this question lies in the symbolism, which can be most conveniently reserved for a separate chapter. Here it is only necessary to mention one fact which goes far to show that the "Vishnu" shrine is as ancient as any other—viz. that miniature shrines of this type are constantly being dug up at Sarnath and other ancient Buddhist sites, side by side with the miniature stûpas which were the special symbols of the Buddhists and Jains. For reasons which are given below it is necessary to reject Professor Macdonell's theory¹ of the derivation of the sikhara from the stûpa, to which I subscribed previously.² The constructive principle was the same in both, but the symbolism of the stûpa was different.