Ancient History of the Deccan c2.5

c2.5

Such a study is very important, as it is the history of nine glorious centuries of this large country. The documents that we have concerning the Deccan of the ancient times enable us to conclude that all this period was one of high civilisation and historical celebrity. We shall see that during the epoch of Aśôka, the Deccan was not at all uncivilised. The art of writing was known a long time before it and the inscriptions of Aśôka were read and understood very well at that time. From a military point of view, the Deccan was never more powerful than at the time of Śâtakarṇis who, without doubt, succeeded many times in vanquishing the kings of the northern countries and annexing a part of their territories, From a sculptural point of view, the Deccan, like the North, was inspired by the Greek and Roman arts and the marbles of Amarâvatî can be compared to the sculptures of Gandhara. If now we consider the monuments, the Deccan is much superior to the North. If we compare the ancient monuments of Northern and Southern India we find that the North is relatively poor. In the Deccan there is a very large number of sculptured rocks at Udayagiri, Junnar, Ellora, Nâsik, Kaṇhêri etc. And speaking only of the chief of them, which are the monuments in the north that will bear comparison with the grand Chaitya at Kârli that is equal in its dimensions to the Gothic Cathedrals, or with the monasteries of Ajaṇṭâ with their marvellous painting? There is, it is true, the great Stûpa at Sâñchi, but this monument is in Bhilsa near Deccan; it may even be considered a monument of the Deccan, since its balustrade which is the cause of all its celebrity has been sculptured, as is evident from an inscription, by the workmen of one Śâtakarṇi, that is to say, a king of the Deccan. Writing the history of the Deccan therefore means writing the history of the most remarkable monuments of India.