45KERALA CALLINGJanuary 2008

Dr S. Hemachandran

Buddhism, now almost defunctin India as an organisedinstitutional religion has left itsvestiges scattered all over theland in what are now archaeologicalremnants. Buddhism was introduced inKerala by missionaries sent by Asoka theGreat who was the first Indian emperorto become a convert to Buddhism. Thefirst historical evidence about Kerala isfound in the inscriptions of Asoka whocited four kingdoms viz. Coda (Cola),Pada, (Pandya), Ketala Puto(Keralaputra), Satiya Puto (Satyaputra) inthe south of his empire. Keralaputra ismentioned in the rock edict II and Girnarof Asoka. The Buddhist imagesdiscovered from the coastal district ofSouth Kerala manifest the influence ofBuddhism in the state.

The region between the districts ofKollam and Alappuzha had preserved tothe posterity a number of beautiful stoneimages of Sree Buddha likeMaruturkulangara, Bharanikkavu (nearMavelikkara), Mavelikkara andAmbalappuzha. The place names in theregion like, Karthikappalli,Karunagappalli, Mainagappalli and thepresence of Kavus are the evidences of aglorious past of the Budha Culture in thisregion (Palli is the reminiscence of theword Pallichantham ie. donation ofproperties to the communities except theHindu religion. for example Jewthappalli,Christian Palli and Muslim Palli. Thepresence of Buddha vestiges are alsofound in other regions in Kerala likeKodungallur (Mathilakom premises andat Kottappuram). Wayanad etc. CertainRock-cut temples are also attributed toBuddhism.

The stone images of Buddha foundin the region around Kartikappalli talukclearly indicate the prevalence of the faithof Sakys simha in all these parts and verylikely that these images represent at leastas many temples of Buddha in as manyplaces. T.A. Gopinatha Rao, the wellknown Epigraphist suggest that the AyKing Vikramaditya Varaguna who ruledin the third quarter of the 8th centuryhand granted landed properties to thetemple of Srimulavasam which he arguesthat situated in the above said regionwhich had been evoked by the turbulentsea in course of time.

The most illustrious sculpture ofBuddha found in Kerala is

Carvingthe Buddha

Karumadikuttan, in Karumadi nearAmbalappuzha. The image (a portion ofhead and chest is lost) is in yogasana withushnisha and jwala on the head and tracesof uthariya (upper cloth). The Buddhaimage discovered from Mavelikkara isnearly 3 feet in height and belongs to 9thcentury AD. The ushnisha and jwala andthe upper cloth worn in the upavitafashion is rendered sumptuously by thegifted hands of the sculptor. It is nowpreserved inside a chaitya like structure atMavelikkara junction.

Seated Buddha representation was apopular mode of depiction of Buddha.The figure of Buddha at Bharanikkavunear Mavelikkara is also in a seatedposture. The many folded upper clothpassing over the left shoulder and lyingflat on the chest is carved naively andelegantly. There is also a protuberance(ushnisha) at the top. The total height ofthe sculpture including pedestal is two

M O N U M E N T

feet and is in a good state ofpreservation.

Another image of Buddha wasdiscovered from the village ofMaruthurkulangara inKarunagappally. The sculpture has noprotuberance on the head. Thediaphanousness of the carved uppercloth is superlative and worthmentioning. The image is now kept inthe garden of Krishnapuram Palace.

During the recent explorationconducted near Kottappuram by theDepartment of Archaeology we haveencountered a headless sculpture ofseated Buddha. It is now kept at theDirectorate of Archaeology,Thiruvananthapuram. Buddhismgradually faded away and completelydisappeared from Kerala of Hinduism.But the grandeur of this religious faithis treasured in glorious relics they haveleft behind in this small land strip.

Seated Buddharepresentation was apopular mode of depictionof Buddha. The figure ofBuddha at Bharanikkavunear Mavelikkara is also ina seated posture. The manyfolded upper cloth passingover the left shoulder andlying flat on the chest iscarved naively andelegantly.