The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c9.s3.t5: Arts
The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c9.s3.t5
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Arts
v1.c9.s3.t5.1
Similarly there is not much direct evidence on the state of the arts, of industry, and of trade, though there is every indication that these were, speaking generally, to be found all over the country in a fairly advanced and prosperous condition. Of the excellence attained in architecture and sculpture during the period we can form a reasonably good idea from the stone monuments which have survived intact to this day, and the inscriptions give us the names of the donors and artists whose co-operation raised these forms of beauty which still astonish and please the traveller and student from other lands and cultures. The architect who built the Lokeśvara (now Virūpāksha) temple was called Śrī Guṇḍan Anivāritāchāri; he was dubbed Tribhuvanāchāri for the excellent work he did in the construction of the temple, and he was able to procure for the superior artisans (binnāṇigal) of his class exemptions from some imposts, though not from fines for wrongs committed by them. Among the other titles borne by this celebrated architect are some which indicate that he had a great part in the planning of several cities—*aneka pura-vāstu-pitāmahan*—and in the construction of palaces, vehicles, thrones, and furniture, *vāstu-prāsāda-yān-āsana-śayana-maṇimakuṭa-ratna-chūḍāmaṇi*.¹ In fact he was so eminent as to become known as *temkana diśeya sūtradhāri*, i.e. the architect of the southern region. He must have been responsible also, directly or indirectly, for the decorative sculptures in the Virūpāksha temple which depict scenes from the *Rāmāyaṇa* and also bear inscriptions designed to identify the persons and situations there depicted.² The Paṭṭadakal pillar inscription of the time of Kīrtti-varman II mentions three generations of another line of architects and sculptors (*rūpas*) who belonged to the Śāṇḍilya *gotra*, viz. Śivavarddhamān, his son Śiva and his son Śubhadeva, who also seem to have had a hand in the erection and decoration of the famous temples of this city.³
v1.c9.s3.t5.2
¹ IA, x, 164-5.
v1.c9.s3.t5.3
² Ibid., p. 168.
v1.c9.s3.t5.4
³ EI, iii, 5.
Cites (2)
- Vālmīkirāmāyaṇa — Vālmīki, Sanskrit
- Pattadakal pillar inscription (No. CVI) — Kannada