Maurya and Shunga Art c10.6

c10.6

In the realm of architecture also Maurya court art failed to make any impress. The Mauryan palaces and the Pillared Hall brought into existence directly by the impetus and inspiration of Achaemenian architectural form and ideal do not seem to have captured the imagination of Indian builders and architects, and there is no evidence in later Indian art to show that such plans and designs were ever adopted. On the other hand the few rock-hewn ‘chaitya’-cells patronised by the Maurya monarchs show that they were exactly translated from wooden prototypes. The evidence of civil and religious architecture furnished by the early Indian reliefs of Barhut, Sanchi, Amaravati and other places also point to that conclusion. Here also the Indian style, form and tradition made itself felt.⁶⁷