Mauryan art is classified based on the initiative

It represented an important transition in Indian art from the use of wood and clay to stone

1. Court Art – State Initiative
   1. Pillars
   2. Stupas
2. Popular Art – Individual Initiative
   1. Caves
   2. Sculpture
   3. Pottery

Court Art

Pillars

• Capital crowned by Animal Figures – Bull, Lion & Elephant
• Different types of Abacus – Round, rectangular, square
• Abacus – Buddhists Edicts Inscribed in Abacus and sometimes in the shaft
• Capital Base – Bell or inverted lotus-shaped – Achaemenian/Persian/Iranian influence
• Shaft/Pillar – Highly Polished – Achaemenian/Persian/Iranian Influence
• Freestanding
• Monolithic
• Chunar(place in Bihar) sandstone

Purpose of Pillars

1. Symbol of State
2. To declare Victory
3. To spread moral ideas

Difference between Mauryan and Achaemanian Pillars

Imp Pillars

Sarnath Pillar – Lion Capital

• Emblem of GOI
• Four roaring Lion
• Abacus – Round + 4 dharma chakra or wheels of law + alternating with Elephant, Bull, Horse, Lion

Bull Capital – Rampura (Bihar)

• Mixture of Persian and Indian Elements
• Abacus – Non-Indian = motifs of rosette, palmette, acanthus ornaments

Stupas

• Structure covering the relics of Buddha and other Buddha related things
• Concept of stupa started during Vedic period
• After Buddha died 9 stupas were constructed – 8 over relics and 1 over the pot in which the relics where kept
• But during Ashoka’s time, the relics were dug out and further divided to construct new stupas
• Maximum stupas were constructed by Asoka – 84,000

Structure of Stupa

• Chhatri – 3 Chhatras – represents Triratna
  • Buddha – (enlightened)
  • Dharma – (doctrine)
  • Sangha – (order)
• Anda – hemispherical dome
• Vedika – Railings to pradhakshinapath
• Medhi – circular base with the enclosed walls or Vedika
  • For Circumambulation – Pradakshinapath
• Torana – Ornamental Gateway
• Sculptures engraved in Torana and Medhi
• Core of stupa – unburned bricks
• Outer surface – burnt bricks with lime plaster

Imp. Stupas

1. Bodhgaya Stupa (BH) – Buddha attained enlightenment
2. Sanchi Stupa (MP) – Depicts 4 events of Buddha – birth, enlightenment, Dharmachakrapravartana(1st sermon), Mahaparinirvan( nirvana after death ) – carving of shalabhanjika yakshi
3. Amravati Stupa (AP) – White Marble – Jataka Stories
4. Bharhut Stupa (MP) – carving of yaksha & yakshini
5. Nagarjunakonda Stupa (AP) – Buddha entering womb in the form of white elephant and his birth
6. Piprahawa Stupa (UP) – Oldest surviving stupa

Popular Art

Caves

• Begining of rock-cut architecture – other rock-cut architectures include temples, sculptures like Dhauli or elephant …etc
• Features
  • Polished interior of caves
  • Ornamental Gateways
• 7 sister Caves – earliest caves by Ashoka
  • Barabar Caves in Barabar Hills – 4 caves – older
    • karan Chaupar
    • Lomas Rishi
    • Sudama
    • Visva Zopri
  • Nagarajuni Caves – smaller and new
    • Gopi-ka-kuha
    • Vadhiti-ka-kuba
• Vapiya-ka-kubha