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

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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

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Chand OVdIli

Banavas

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.

(Vaijayant

00 50 0100

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Pl. I Map of Buddhist stipa sites in South India

P1. 2 Relief of Birth of the Buddha, from Sannathi

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Pl. 3 Relief showing the Buddha's throne and footprints and the Bodhi tree, from Sannathi

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M . Mr !!!il'

Pl.4 Stupa basement of dressed limestone, Sannathi

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Pl. 5

Relief showing buffalo and horse, from Sannathi

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. .... . . ... . .

Pl. 6 Stupa sculptures piled up to make a modern roofless shrine, Sannathi

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.... P1. 7 Broken Ayaka pillar with inscription, from Sannathi

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P1. 8a Ayaka pillar with inscription of Ndganikd, from Sannathi

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BREIT; "AN ?7-g-,S-or N JOE Ak Jw ni- 1 U7 Mk W.

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P1. 8b Details of Ayaka pillar

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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

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Pl. 11

Relief showing a lady playing a horn-

shapedmmusical instrument, from Sannathi

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Pl. I2 Relief showing a lady looking into a mirror, from Sannathi

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Pl. 13 Relief showing a bullock cart and driver, from Sannathi

. . . . . . . . . . es ........... . . . . . .....

A118 00 14 A&A

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Pl. 14 Relief showing a Ndga, from Sannathi

MKIN I'lam/1

hill I em n V-Ix.e M.

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61

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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

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Pl. 17 Part of relic container (?) From Sannathi

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wo" got IN" W, W - I, $ Ott, M: W.0 VIM.

AOR "

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P1. 18 Part of Ayaka pillar with inscription of Sulasasa, from Sannathi

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Pl. 19 Inscription of Ndganika on an Ayaka pillar, Sannathi

I"WA ZIC OF

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UP. llwv.

9i

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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

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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

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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