Rock Cut Architecture

Pillars
Early Examples-Lomas Rishi
Caves
Orissan (Jain) monastic retreats
Hinayana Phase
Mahayana Phase
Brahmanical Phase
Ashoka’s Composite School

Free standing Pillars

Pillars
• Originally 30 were built in locations
– Sanctified by the Buddha
– As landmarks along he Pilgrims’ Route
connecting Buddhist Holy places
• Not isolated structures but part of
Buddhist settlements appearing along
with remains of stupas and other
buildings
Components of Ashokan Pillars

• Aesthetic properties
concentrated in design and
execution of capitals and
superstructure
• Most superstructures have
animal figures with
mythological meaning
Mauryan Capital 250 BC

Asoka Pillar 250 BC

Ashokan Pillar
Besnagar 150 BC

Udaygiri 400 AD
Square abacus Total height
23’8”
Made of
Melon shaped iron, weight
member – exceeding 6
precursor to vase tons
motif
Image of
Garuda
absent now
Campanifrom
capital

Iron Pillar, Delhi, 415

AD
 Lion device above abacus

Massive abacus
Sanchi, 425

Bell/campaniform capital
AD

Polygonal shaft
 Lion device above abacus

Massive abacus
Tigawa, 450

Vase shaped capital

Short, polygonal shaft

AD

Plain square pedestal or base

Buddhist School.....250BC
• Asoka ascended the throne of Magadha in
274BC
• He accepted the teaching of the Buddha
• Asoka inaugurated Buddhism as the state
religion in 255BC
• Spread of Buddhism accompanied by forms
and symbols that expressed Buddhist
teaching
Early Buddhist Art in India...
• Series of edicts inscribed on rocks
• Stupas
• Monolithic pillars
• Monolithic accessories to shrines
• Remains of a vast palace
• Group of rock cut chambers
• To keep for posterity a permanent
record of the establishment of the
Buddhist faith within his vast kingdom

...Edicts
• Edicts not very striking...so felt the need
to create memorials commemorative of
the Buddha...
...Stupa
s
• Stupas were not weather resistant
because they were made of brick and
therefore not “permanent”...Awareness
that other cultures were using stone

...Lofty, free standing

monolithic column

....Sanctuaries
Early Rock Cut Architecture
Barabar Hills, Bihar Karna Kaupar,
Sudama, Lomas
Rishi, Visvajhopri
Nagarjuna Hill
Sitamarhi
Barabar Hills
• Quarried out of large boulders of
quartzose gneiss
• Earliest examples in India of the rock-
cut method
• Exact copies in rock of earlier structures
in wood and thatch
Lomas Rishi...

...only example with

ornamental exterior
Finial derived from terra cota original

Curved roof of three flattened planks

Main rafters

Subsidiary rafters

Upper lunette with copy of wooden

lattice work

Lower lunette with procession of

elephants

Slightly inclined uprights 13’ high

Short tie rods for keeping

the roof in position
Lomas Rishi 3-d view...
Sudama...
Barrel vaulted hall, 11m x 6m x 4m
high

Ante-chamber ends in a separate

circular cell 6m in dia with
hemishperical domed roof 4m high
Overhanging thatch

Irregular perpendicular
grooves in imitation of
uprights of wood or
bamboo
– Orissan Group (Jain): Monastic retreat only without any chaitya
or stupa – semicircular arches with simple brackets – Study of
the Rani Gumpha, Udayagiri, Orissa.
– Hinayana Phase: Necessity of monasteries suitable for
congregational worship, forbiddance of worship of Buddha’s
image - leading to - Chaityagriha & Vihara hewn out of rock,
introduction of symbolic forms – translation of carpentry forms
into stones, horseshoe-arch-gable – Study of the Chaitya Hall,
Karli, Maharashtra.
– Mahayana Phase: Influence of Hinduism – introduction of image
– change in disposition of inner most cells of Vihara serving as
monastery as well as sanctuary – Study of the Ajanta Cave No.
19, Maharashtra.
– Final Phase (Brahminical): Gradual elaboration of interior from
primitive singular cell to isolated cell with ambulatory –
culmination in emulation of structural temple – Study of the
Kailasa Temples, Ellora, Maharashtra.
Orissan Group

Monastic retreats of the Jain Group

Rani Gumpha, Udaygiri, Orissa
Jain monastic retreats...150 BC
• Not Buddhist in origin but architectural and
decorative features suggest a connection with
Early Buddhist Rock Cut Architecture
• Objective was to provide a monastic retreat
• 35 large and small excavations, 16 in udaygiri
and 1 in Khandragiri
• Generic name for these developments is
“gumpha’ meaning cave
General Characteristics
• Carved into existing sandstone rock
face
• No regular plan but loose arrangement
of cells connected by paths
• Single celled to 3-4 celled or larger
configurations with porticoes and open
courtyards
• Double storied examples also exist
Rani Gumpha...Udaygiri
Rani Gumpha...1st century AD
Rani Gumpha...
Bhaja...
Bhaja...exterior
Bhaja...Interiors
Bhaja...Vihara