ASI finds Buddhist caves and temples

  • September 30, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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ASI finds Buddhist caves and temples

Subject: Culture

Context: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) finds Buddhist caves and temples in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.

Concept :

  • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) earlier this year discovered Buddhist caves and stupas, and Brahmi inscriptions, dating back to the 2nd century, and Hindu temples from the 9th-11th centuries, and possibly the world’s largest Varahasculpture also dating to the same period, at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
  • The Varaha sculpture is among the many monolithic sculptures of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu that were discovered by an ASI at the national park earlier this year.
  • The exploration took place 84 years after the last such effort in 1938.
  • The caves and some of their remains had ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and stone beds typical of Mahayana Buddhism sites.
  • This discovery brings the total number of caves found in Bandhavgarh to 76, as 50 are already in the records since the last survey.
  • The inscriptions (Brahmi texts dating to the 2nd – 5th centuries) discovered mention sites such as Mathura and Kaushambi, and Pavata, Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa. The kings they mention include Bhimsena, Pothasiri and Bhattadeva.
  • Some remains of the Gupta period, such as door jambs and carvings in caves, have also been found.

Buddhist Architecture

  • The founder of Buddhist art in India was the greatest Maurya ruler Ashoka. The Buddhist art is represented in the forms of the Stupas, the Viharas, the Chaityas, and the images of Buddha in various postures and the stories of his life engraved on the stone slabs.

Stupas

  • The older stupas were enlarged during the time period between Mauryas and Guptas
  • The famous amongst these are– Sanchi, Bharhut and Amaravati
  • Stupa has a cylindrical drum or a circular anda over which one can see harmika and chhatra. The circumambulatory path, Pradakshina path, is enclosed by railings called vedika.

Viharas

  • It was the ancient Indian term for a Buddhist monastery.
  • Originally, viharas were dwelling places used by wandering monks during the rainy season but eventually they evolved into centers of learning and Buddhist architecture through the donations of wealthy lay Buddhists.
  • Life in “Viharas” was codified early on. It is the object of a part of the Pali canon, the Vinaya Pitaka or “basket of monastic discipline.”
  • Typical large sites such as the Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad Caves, Karli Caves, and Kanheri Caves contain several vihara

Chaitya Architecture

  • It refers to a shrine, sanctuary, temple or prayer hall in Indian religions.
  • Most early examples of chaitya that survive are Indian rock-cut architecture
  • Chaityas have a gigantic hall with high vaulted roof, with a lot of sculpture work on the pillars and the entrance
  • The largest Chaitya-Griha among all Buddhist monuments in India is the Karle caves.
  • Many Chaityas show a stupa at the back. Chaityas were carved either as rectangular halls or apsidal vault-roof or apsidal vault pillarless halls
ASI finds Buddhist caves and temples Culture