CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram (Tamil Nadu) has highly ornate execution. The temple consists of a sanctum without a circumambulatory path and halls or mandapas. The Airavatesvara temple, in the inscriptions known as Rajarajesvara temple, was built by Rajaraja II, of Kulottunga’s line, who ruled from 1146 to 1172 CE. The front mandapa known in the inscriptions as Rajagambhiran tirumandapam is unique as it is conceived as a chariot with wheels. This temple is reminiscent of the Melakkadambur temple built by Kulottunga I (1111 CE) and anticipates the giant wheel Konark temple at Orissa (1235-53 CE). It is one of the greatest monuments and the last Chola enterprise of this scale. The temple faces the east. There is an open court, a double-storeyed cloister with just a single entrance in the east. There was an outer enclosure but it has totally vanished. There is a Nandimandapa, and a Balipitha or platform for offerings. The main temple consists of a vimana, ardhamandapa, a transept, a closed large hall or mahamandapa and a mukhamandapa. Wheels of stone at regular intervals are suggestive of the divine chariot of Shiva. The pillars of this mandapa are highly ornate. The elevation of all the units is elegant with sculptures dominating the architecture. A number of sculptures from this temple are the masterpieces of Chola art. The labelled miniature friezes extolling the events that happened to the sixty-three (63) Tamil saints - Nayanamars are noteworthy and reflect the deep roots of Saivism in this region. The Airavatesvara temple complex itself has been entirely built at the same time with no later additional structures and remains in its original form. The Daivanayaki Amman shrine, built a little later, also stands in its original form within its own enclosure. The construction of a separate temple for Devi indicates the emergence of the Amman shrine as an essential component of the South Indian temple complex. The shrine is interesting from architectural, sculptural and cultic points of view. The temple shares with Airavatesvara the blend of Saiva and Sakta doctrines that were in vogue during these times. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp.299-309, UNESCO: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/250.

The Airavatesvara temple is on the southern bank of the Kaveri. Nemam was so called because it was considered a place most suitable for man’s conquest of his senses. It was a place where a thousand lingas placed round a big central linga had been installed. Hence it was called Niyamam Ayirattali (thousand shrines). The vestiges of this temple could be seen southwest of the Airavatesvara temple. One of the inscriptions on this temple relates to the twenty-fourth regnal year of Aditya I. The temple is built entirely of stone and the original shrine consisted of the sanctum sanctorum (garbagriha), the half-hall (ardhmandapa), and the sub shrines, enclosed by a compound wall with a gateway in the east. The crowning cupola (sikhara) has been fully renovated. Reference: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1966, pp.143-144.

The Aivar Kovil is a Panchayatana temple or a temple of five shrines. Once on a common plinth there must have been a central shrine surrounded by a narrow circumambulatory wall (prakara), with four subsidiary shrines on the sides. Each sub-shrine had a short balustraded flight of steps leading to them and one would approach the shrine either from the west or east. All the five sancta enshrine lingas of the Pandyan convention. This temple is an example of the Panchayatana temple style of Central and Eastern India, but, unfortunately, today only the basement and wreckage of a single temple survive. The few surviving sculptures such as Mahisamardini image, seated siddhas and apsaras follow Tondainadu style. The foundation of the temple possibly dates from the time of Irrukuvel chief, Marvan Pudi’s father Cattan Maravan (early ninth century CE). References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky 1963, pp. 200 – 202, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, p.28 and S.K.V. Rajan, 1980, p. 45.

Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra

The Ajanta caves, numbered sequentially from east to west - 1 to 30, are located in a great arc cut by the curving course of River Waghora. The numbering bears no relation to the order in which the caves were excavated. These caves are not natural but are carved out of the rock itself and quite likely based upon structural prototypes that are now non-existent. Five of these thirty caves– 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are chaitya-grihas (sanctuary) and the rest are sanghramas or viharas (monastery).

Ajanta had two distinct periods of patronage. The Earlier Buddhist phase took place between approximately 100 BCE and 100 CE. The austere Caves 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15A / 30 were excavated as community efforts during that period. The broken Cave 8 was long considered an earlier Buddhist school excavation because of its primitive character but it was actually undertaken at the very start of the Vakataka phase, in fact it is possibly the earliest excavated vihara (monastery) in the whole of India. After the Early Buddhism period, the site lay dormant for three centuries but the situation dramatically changed in the mid-fifth century, when a renaissance took place under the aegis of emperor Harisena of the Vakataka dynasty, a group of powerful patrons – local rulers of the Ajanta region and the feudatories from nearby, Asmakas patronized development of a cave.

During the Vakataka’s resurgence activity, the early Buddhist caves were reutilized and refurbished in different ways. In contrast to the shared donations of Early Buddhist phases, during the Vakataka phase, each cave was the exclusive offering of a single important donor. From 462 CE on, activity burgeoned for half a decade and at least twenty Vakataka caves were started in that period. However by 468 CE the neighboring Asmakas were threatening the stability of the region with their territorial ambitions. As a result, Upendragupta, the local feudatory ruler, ordered work to be stopped on all caves except the royal caves. This was the period of Recession. The political situation worsened and by 472 CE work on these royal caves was abandoned too. War must have flared in the region at this point for the site’s patronage was now totally cut off for a few years in the early 470s. Apparently many artists migrated north to work on the contemporaneous Bagh caves during this period for that region was under the secure rule of Harisenas’s viceroy. This is the period of Hiatus. In 475 CE, the Asmakas became the feudatory lords of the region and the Asmaka phase begun. Ajanta’s new florescence was however short-lived. In 477 CE, with emperor Harisena’s death, political turbulence began. All ongoing excavation programs were abandoned during 478 CE when Harisena’s son Sarvasena III succeeded and the patrons focused on getting the main Buddha images completed and dedicated. During the period of disruption all old programs were abandoned and the Asmakas withdrew support to prepare for overthrowing the Vakatakas. For a brief period 479 - 80 CE, the monks still living at Ajanta took advantage of the disruption at the site by donating intrusive Buddhas to earn merit. This eruption of intrusive piety was also short-lived for the funds sustaining these modest offerings soon ran out and the last remaining artists moved away. Monks continued living in a few of the caves for a few years. After 480 CE, not a single image was ever made again at the site.

The site combines painting, sculpture and architecture and extends in time from early Buddhist aniconic phase through the later period. The paintings in the Ajanta caves are primarily Jatakamala scenes that describe the previous births of the Buddha. The compositions from these fables are not represented horizontally like a frieze, but show scenes spreading in all directions. The ceilings are also painted with decorative motifs. The rock-cut sculptures are also noteworthy. The Ajanta Caves were built in a period when both the Buddha and the Hindu gods were simultaneously revered in Indian culture.

References:

• Debala Mitra, Ajanta, 1964.
• Walter Spink, Ajanta: A Brief History and Guide, 1990.
• Walter Spink, Volume 18/5 Ajanta: History and Development: Cave By Cave, 2007.

Ajitgarh mutiny memorial , Delhi