Download - Buddhist Monuments in Mysore
Buddhist Monuments in MysoreAuthor(s): M. SeshadriSource: Artibus Asiae, Vol. 34, No. 2/3 (1972), pp. 169-182Published by: Artibus Asiae PublishersStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3249646 .Accessed: 17/10/2011 13:22
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
Artibus Asiae Publishers is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Artibus Asiae.
http://www.jstor.org
M. SESHADRI
Director of Archeolog and Museums of the State of Mysore
BUDDHIST MONUMENTS IN MYSORE
Buddhist remains in the Mysore region, unlike Andhra Pradesh, have been so scarce, that
there is a general belief among some scholars that Jainism solely held its sway all through. However, Banavasi in the Shimoga District, Kadri on the outskirts of the City of Mangalore, and Brahmagiri in the Chitaldrug District with its famous rock-edicts of Adoka, have un- mistakable associations with Buddhism. It is the same with Maski, another provincial town of the Adokan period. But the actual monumental remains in all these places are not considerable. Perhaps excavations may uncover remains of Buddhist monuments particularly at Banavasi, a town of Maurya-Satavdhana times; and also at Kadri where the dying embers of Buddhism were fused into the Natha-panthi cult. Brahmagiri yielded a sadly ruined chaitya.
Fortunately the recent discovery of the magnificent Buddhist reliefs at Sannathi, 25 miles from Chittapur in the Gulbarga District, has thrown much new light on the history of Buddhism in Mysore.
Buddhist remains in Andhra Pradesh are so numerous (map) and remarkable that they constitute a class by themselves in the whole of South India (Pl. i). Amaravati, Nagdrjunakonda, Jagayyapeta, Bhattiprolu, and Ghantaill are names which excite our admiration. To these illustrious names, we now have to add Sannathi on the Bhimd, tributary of the upper Krishnd.
The Chandralamba temple at this place attracts a large number of pilgrims. Originally dedicated to Durgd, it may go back to the eighth or ninth centuries A.D. Within the precincts of this temple are found a number of relief slabs which covered the dome of the Buddhist stfipas that flourished during the period of rule of the Satavdhanas. One of them, depicts the birth of the Buddha (Plate 2). Another at the foot of the neem tree just outside the temple is a large slab with the throne, the footprints, and the Bodhi tree (Pl. 3). Also a number of reliefs have been used as steps for the bathing ghat near the temple.
Adding to the picturesqueness of the place in earlier times was a circular building ajoining the river. This has been completely rifled by the villagers, and only the circular basement of a stlipa now remains; the superstructure is almost entirely gone. From what is left, it is evident that dressed limestone set in mortar formed the dome in regular ashlar style, instead of brick (P1.4). The basement has still in situ some fascinating reliefs. One of them is remarkable for its galloping buffalo and winged horse (P1. 5). Other reliefs, portions of Ayaka pillars, and other architectural members of the lost building have been piled up in constructing a modern roofless enclosure around a figure of Mahi~sisuramardini, in the same field barely 5 o yards away (P1. 6).
Two Ayaka pillars with Prakrit inscriptions, probably belonging to the same monument, were found lying in the fields adjoining the river (P1.7). In a few other cases the tops of such pillars have finely carved relief panels (Pls. 8 a, b). The presence of these pillars at Sannathi is a point of similarity with the Buddhist monuments of Amarivati and Nagarjunakon<;da. They
169
were generally set up at the four cardinal points in groups of five, to symbolize the five chief events in the life of the Buddha: the Nativity, Renunciation, Enlightenment, First Preaching, and Entry into
Nirv.na. Typically Satavahana, these reliefs open up a new chapter in the art history of Karndtaka. They range in time from the first to third centuries, A.D., on the basis of stylistic evidence corroborated by the paleography of the inscriptions in Prakrit.
Some reliefs depict simply and elegantly domestic scenes in which men and women, chiefly of the rich and princely classes and flanked by flywhisk bearers, relax with the wine cup (Pls. 8 b, 9, io, ii). The headdresses of the men and the coiffures of the women, couples with their
heavy girdles and ornaments on ears, wrists, and ankles, remind us of Mathurd, Begram, and
early Amaravati. A specific point of similarity is the damaru-shaped ear ornament, familiar from one of the Yaksi figures from Mathurd, which appears on a broken female figure from Sannathi, and on the female attendant in the Nativity panel (Pls. z, 16).
Some of the slabs bear inscriptions, now under study, which give the names of donors who contributed these panels and other ornamental pieces to cover the Buddhist buildings. One such was a certain householder Sulasasa (Pl. 18). On one of the Ayaka pillars is found the name of the donor Girijatanaka, brother of Ndganika, a resident of Ahimarika (Pls. 8 a, 19). A broken
pillar mentions the dancer Govidasi, who was a member of the Buddhaireni group and paid for the construction of a compound wall, prikdra (Pl. zo). Another dancer whose name ap- pears is Aryadasi, daughter of Nadiyagudha.
There are many more fragmentary inscriptions on the relief slabs. Other interesting finds from the above-ground survey of the place are pieces of rouletted
(imitation) ware, crystal and carnelian beads, imitation Samian ware, shell bangles, terracotta
figurines of the Kondapur type, russet-coated Kaolin painted ware, and tile pieces---all indica- tive of a typical Sdtavdhana settlement
(PIs. z5, z6, z7). There are two huge mounds near the village. They are dome-like (and hemispherical) and
perhaps contain Buddhist stirpas. Excavation of these mounds may throw considerable light on the plan and the architecture of the Buddhist buildings and also on the history of Buddhism in Karndtaka. Since the site is going to be submerged, excavation is an urgent necessity.
Texts of Inscriptions:
Pls. 8 a, I9 Ahimarikiya Niganiklya Arikibhituna Girijatanakasa
P1. I8 Gahapatisa Sulasasa P1.
20 [Mi] putasa Hathilasanitiklya Budhasaniyinam muniliyanitiklya pakarayati yiya Govidasiya
Kiya nadiyaguda puthiya Ayadisiya nidiya Vidukiyiya mugidikiya
Pl.1. Sanagadevasa
P1.2z2 Rijimachasa Gagabakasa bhiriyiya Rijamachaya R~masiriya P1. 23 Mahiselakasa P1. 24 Yakhighariniya
170
Nasik *
NPait han
SJunnar
P,83y.Ghantc
ad
Bh dft p rol u
Chand OVdIli
Banavas
."V,
? ........... . . ........ .....
.
(Vaijayant
00 50 0100
•, .
avl lavdt
Pl. I Map of Buddhist stipa sites in South India
P1. 2 Relief of Birth of the Buddha, from Sannathi
eel ell UZI
77-
too. 7 7
ZOE!
IV
*4
4 4
JQ
... ....... NMY 4,4 ??:
Pl. 3 Relief showing the Buddha's throne and footprints and the Bodhi tree, from Sannathi
71!
M . Mr !!!il'
Pl.4 Stupa basement of dressed limestone, Sannathi
wk
Pl. 5
Relief showing buffalo and horse, from Sannathi
MCI
N4 41C
. A.
. .... . . ... . .
Pl. 6 Stupa sculptures piled up to make a modern roofless shrine, Sannathi
Pt g 10
I-
Y?75-,
. .. ...... ... . . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . .
...... .. . # MMI, . .. . ...... . ..... .. ...
gg . ... .... ......... . . .. .. ........
.... P1. 7 Broken Ayaka pillar with inscription, from Sannathi
I-n
ts
LAI
kMl
0-0
P1. 8a Ayaka pillar with inscription of Ndganikd, from Sannathi
h Al ig wom
0, a K? gh
BREIT; "AN ?7-g-,S-or N JOE Ak Jw ni- 1 U7 Mk W.
?,z
4?
0%, 'es ml ?.i ME N 'Qr 7? 'T ME IR4 N e., NN6 a
M?Q "'y Wz- %y IZ V:7, w WN JM? X,
W 'E" At NX It-Alk"N" ,I M IWO 0 ti 0 '0*4
g
In
-.7
wo,
OF
17
?M?W
INOMM", w IS
qmsa
"WINANI
Nw 4 70 "gi,:0"?" N
5IN mpq m.. E- :Z
P1. 8b Details of Ayaka pillar
......... . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
OR ? . . . . . . . . ....
............. ............. ........... ...........
e.'. A::
..... ..... - - aw
.. . .. .. ... Lw .. . .. ..... pA, AN 'j j.:'
Pl. Io Relief showing Siddhartha in his garden (?) From Sannathi
Pl. 9 Slab with scenes from the life of Prince Siddhartha (?) Above, the prince with his wife (?); below the Departure (?) From Sannathi
-0 Awmal
%F77 W V AMC&-
V197 4?:
loge", I XK nw, Im
All I e t 4% "tk
01- V4
. AO r1l of. ?W:7:
IN
to".. I
I?A c
4.
cnwo
Ao.
Pl. 11
Relief showing a lady playing a horn-
shapedmmusical instrument, from Sannathi
..... . . . . . .
M-W
IV
.4k
Aj
Pl. I2 Relief showing a lady looking into a mirror, from Sannathi
a
4 ON mp
am
Ilk g "Ol 10 MIN
L
16 all. -M?
Alt
MIN ??F 6.
RMSOM M M N % ?m M? m INN
Mm A Z wo
NNOMM" All 11001? -W? IRA
% gig' son WE
Pl. 13 Relief showing a bullock cart and driver, from Sannathi
. . . . . . . . . . es ........... . . . . . .....
A118 00 14 A&A
SOMME low VO :, NW OR
gg' '. Nw!
N
SEE MUNK MEN
ENNA Boom
1 1011:
"OEM
I \,RON& W -rag;
Off, ROO IN
"Etc H gym, All, I Ns-15= g?, 146 eM. . .. ... . .. ABA,
Pl. 14 Relief showing a Ndga, from Sannathi
MKIN I'lam/1
hill I em n V-Ix.e M.
Ow VIM
M.-
61
MCI.
A's ... .......
RON& gp? -rgg 7; tn'
MW::01; Ow i
W r-4 ?x ? All El IME I'M0 MEN
P1. 15Ty Relief with lion, formerly decorating the anda of a stipa, Sannathi
44.
. .. . .......
Pl. 16 Fragmentary sculpture showing female with damaru shaped earrings, from Sannathi
hw ? WARA?
!!jjjjjjjjjjjg?,,
Mor RM, :1.? 7 xe, All,
IM/ Wel Mlm sm
.... . ...... d
Sw- Yo
pii?
?i wl
Pl. 17 Part of relic container (?) From Sannathi
Will Z ??x,,:? A
wo" got IN" W, W - I, $ Ott, M: W.0 VIM.
AOR "
41 xN Ail
M, u kme
Aw 2"" NASA M.
M." OM
:7. mgx
g,
NOW
."Ot
i&ir
44,
. .......... ... ........... ....
gg
W
Irl wt ve
A.f . ...... ... Awx
x? N,
P1. 18 Part of Ayaka pillar with inscription of Sulasasa, from Sannathi
wx Iw 4w W.-I...
V.0, J,
A
k
C.
AM.
11M,
r Q ?r,
OF ?wlv` AML? Ar.
om Opp,
JS 4: 'Aw pQI YIM. 1.w / wt??!aorrm/
7f
Jv 400 - mr.
v C-??r
M1, Z 7. 0A
Pl. 19 Inscription of Ndganika on an Ayaka pillar, Sannathi
I"WA ZIC OF
?'Z
UP. llwv.
9i
'VE IMMLL 4:4,
Jl; fo. -%,4
1 . . W v
I'M
S:i
gob
P1. 20 Inscription of Govidasi on a Ayaka pillar. Sannathi
:JAiii~ iiiiiiii!
Al
Iiiiiiiiiiiiii f ie. iiiiiiiiiiii >
kiiiiiii*40 46iiii
Pl. 2 Inscription of Ndgadeva, from Sannathi
4w 4's, It "IF Ir t A
It
-------- - - --- ----
Pl. 22 Inscribed label from Sannathi
D? e..": IN M.1a, A WIN AAX
51%?
-R? KIM, M AMX.M,
low 4-;L On 90 M- "k
n gp
v
Ny I., v
... . .. . ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... ......... Pl. 23 Inscribed label from Sannathi
71" 7w i?. A, 1w m 'K. Till "o AN JW Ale v ?W/V
qe.
j
!A4 ? It V A
,VW I A
.,fA rill, go% z V? pq WA If
?w e n', /* 'k ?l vo A., . ... ...... AMI/
ME-, M/m/maw"mmoffsomm"w: MIN
Pl. 24 Inscribed label from Sannathi
` 2-1
NE, no 103
n?
Pl. 25 Sdtavdhana bead, bangle fragments, and potsherds; pieces of rouletted ware and russet-coated ware, from Sannathi
:..::......:.. .....
Pl. 26 Imitation Samian potsherds, and Sktavdhana
tile fragments from Sannathi
... . ......
.........
XW
......... . . . . . vAr
Pl. 27 Typical Sdtavdhana clay figurines, from Sannathi