MAURYAN PERIOD

(322 BCE – 185 BCE)

 INTRODUCTION
•The Mauryan Empire was the first most powerful Indian
empire to bring the entire Indian subcontinent under a
single rule.
•The Mauryan empire under Chandragupta Maurya spread
its boundaries into Central Asia and Persia.
•Expansion of Mauryan Empire: Chandragupta Maurya
was succeeded by his son Bindusara in 298 BC who
expanded the kingdom over most of present-day India,
except Kalinga.
•Mauryan Dynasty under Ashoka: Bindusara's kingdom
was inherited by his son Ashoka the Great in 274 B.C.
•Kalinga Invasion: During the invasion of Kalinga,
Ashoka renounced bloodshed and adopted the policy of
Ahimsa and adopted Buddhism.
•In 321 BC, Chandragupta Maurya, with the help
of Chanakya (author of Arthashasthra) founded
the Mauryan dynasty after overthrowing Nanda Dynasty.
 MAURYAN
ARCHITECTURE
• Mauryan architecture can be
divided into Court Art and Popular
Art.
• MAURYAN COURT: Implies
architectural works (in the form
of pillars, stupas and palaces)
commissioned by Mauryan rulers
for political as well as religious
reasons.
 MAURYAN
PALACES
•Palaces: Greek
historian , Megasthenes, described the palaces
of the Mauryan empire as one of the greatest
creations of mankind and Chinese traveller Fa
Hien called Mauryan palaces as god gifted
monuments.
•Persian Influence: The palace of
Chandragupta Maurya was inspired by
the Achaemenid palaces at Persepolis in Iran.
•Material Used: Wood was the principal
building material used during the Mauryan
Empire
•Examples: The Mauryan capital
at Pataliputra, Ashoka’s palace at Kumrahar,
Chandragupta Maurya’s palace.
 ASHOKA
PILLARS
Pillars: Ashoka pillars, (usually made of chunar
sandstone), as a symbol of the state, assumed a great
significance in the entire Mauryan Empire.

•Objective: The main objective was to disseminate

the Buddhist ideology and court orders in the entire
Mauryan empire.
•Language: While most Ashoka pillar edicts were
in Pali and Prakrit language, few were written in Greek or
Aramaic language also.
•Architecture: Mauryan pillars mainly comprise of four
parts:
Shaft: A long shaft formed the base and was made up of a
single piece of stone or monolith.
•Capital: On top of shaft lay the capital, which was either
lotus-shaped or bell-shaped.
•Abacus: Above the capital, there was a circular or
rectangular base known as the abacus.
•Capital Figure: All the capital figures (usually animals
like a bull, lion, elephant, etc) are vigorous and carved
standing on a square or circular abacus.
 Rampurva Bull Pillar

•Polished Stones and Motifs: Both

Maurya and Achaemenian pillars, used
polished stones and have certain common
sculpture motifs such as the lotus.
•Proclamations: Maurya’s idea of
inscribing proclamations (related to
Buddhist teachings and court orders) on
pillars has its origin in Persian pillars.
•Third Person: Inscriptions of both
empires begin in the third person and then
move to the first person.
 Differences with Persian (Achaemenian)
Pillars
•The Capital Figure: It was absent in Mauryan
pillars of the Kumhrar hall whereas pillars at
Persepolis have the elaborate capital figures.
•The Shape and Ornamentation: The shape of
Mauryan lotus is different from the Persian pillar.
•Pillar Surface: Most of the Persian pillars have a
fluted/ ridged surface while the Mauryan pillars
have a smooth surface.
•Architectural Scheme: The Achaemenid pillars
were generally part of some larger architectural
scheme, and bit complex and complicated, while
the Ashokan pillars were simple and independent
freestanding monuments.
•Shaft: Unlike Mauryan shafts which are built of
monolith (single piece of stone),
Persian/Achaemenian shafts were built of separate
segments of stones (aggregated one above the
other).
 STUPAS
Stupa: Stupas were burial mounds prevalent in
India from the vedic period.
•Architecture: Stupas consist of a cylindrical
drum with a circular Anda and a harmika and
a chhatra on the top.

•Anda: Hemispherical mound symbolic of the

mound of dirt used to cover Buddha’s remains
(in many stupas actual relics were used).
•Harmika: Square railing on top of the mound.
•Chhatra: Central pillar supporting a triple
umbrella form.
•Material Used: The core of the stupa was made
of unburnt brick while the outer surface was made
by using burnt bricks, which were then covered
with a thick layer of plaster and medhi and the
toran were decorated with wooden sculptures.
•The image shown here is of Sanchi Stupa in
Madhya Pradesh is the most famous of the
Ashokan stupas.
 CAVES
• Cave. Cave Architecture: During the Mauryan period, caves were generally used
as viharas, i.e. living quarters, by the Jain and Buddhist monks.
• Key Features: The caves during the Mauryan period were marked by a highly
polished finish of the interior walls and decorative gateways.
• Example: The seven caves (Satgarva) in the Makhdumpur region of Jainabad district,
Bihar, were created by Mauryan emperor Ashoka for the Ajivika Sect.
• Barabar Caves (4 caves): Karna Chaupar, Sudama Cave, Lamarshi (Lomas Rishi)
Cave, Vishwamitra (Vishva Zopri) Cave.
• Nagaragunja Caves (3 caves): In Bihar were formed during the time of Dasharath,
grandson of Ashoka , Gopi Cave, Bahayak Cave and Vedantika Cave.
 BARABAR
CAVES
• BARABAR CAVES-  The oldest dating
rock-cut caves from the times of the
Mauryans contains rare Hindu and
Buddhist scriptures. Containing four
caves - Karan Chaupar, Lomas Rishi,
Sudama, and Visvakarma - the caves are
said to have had a great influence on the
rock-cut architecture of the country.
• These Rock Cut Inscriptions is in the
name of “King Piyadasi ”for the Barabar
Group and “Devanampriya Dasaratha”for
the Nagarjuni group in 3rd century during
Mauryan Period
• Karan Chaupar Cave - It has a single rectangular room
with polished walls, the cave contains inscriptions dating
back to the 3rd Century BCE. The inscription, located at
the entrance to the cave, speaks of the Buddhist practice of
retirement (Vassavasa) during the monsoons. The
scriptures also suggest that this particular segment of the
Barabar Caves was reserved for Buddhist monks.

• Lomas Rishi Cave – Lomas Rishi cave consist of two

rooms.  The architecture used on the entrance door
characterise the form of the Chandrashala or the Chaitya
arch.  Interestingly, the Lomas Rishi cave has no
inscription of Ashoka due to it being incomplete. The form
was clearly a reproduction in stone of buildings in wood.
The site of this cave is close to the Falgu River. The Rock
cut cave is the form of Thatched Hut shape and the
ornamentation on the "curved architrave" consists of
carvings of elephants on their way to a stupa-like
structure.
• Sudama Cave - Close to the Lomas Rishi
cave, the Sudama cave has a chamber with a
mandap within it. The first cave of the series as
described by the inscriptions found on its
entrance, the ceiling of the cave is arched. The
interior walls of the place are unique and create
a mirror effect. Furthermore, the surface also
creates a long-lasting echo phenomenon. This
trait is evident in all of the four caves to favour
the melodies sung by the Buddhist monks.
• Visvakarma Cave - Also called the Viswa
Mitra, it is accessible through the steps of
Ashoka. Two rectangular rooms make up the
formation of the cave. The inscriptions at the
entrance dedicate this segment of the erection
to the Ajivikas. While the cave was consecrated
by the legendary King, it is the only cave in the
series not consisting of post-Ashoka
inscriptions. 
Sudama Cave Carving
 Nagarjuna Caves
• Gopi (Gopi-ka-Kubha, ) is a cave available by stepping up a
flight of megalithic steps. It has got the largest chamber in the
group. The cave contains several important inscriptions, some
of these testify that son of Ashoka – Dasaratha (reigned in 232
– 224 BC) – has devoted these caves to Ajivika – thus these
structures might be some 50 years younger than caves at
Barabar.
• Nagarjuna Caves (3 caves): In Bihar were formed during the
time of Dasharath, grandson of Ashoka , Gopi Cave, Bahayak
Cave and Vedantika Cave.
• The cave is 12.3 m long and 5.8 m wide, both ends of the
chamber are semi-circular. The roof is vaulted, up to 3.2 m
high. This cave has polished walls and floor – the famous
“Mauryan polish”.
• Vadathika Cave -The Vadathika Cave, also called Vadathi ka
Kubha is one of three caves found in the Nagarjuni Hill cluster
near the Barabar Caves in Bihar. 
• The Buddhists used these caves because there are the
Bodhimula and Klesa-kantara inscriptions found here.
• A Hindu king named Anantavarman, of Maukhari dynasty,
dedicated Hindu murti of Vaishnavism, Shaivism
and Shaktism in three of these caves in the 5th or 6th century.
 Sculptures
•They were objects of worship related
to all three religions – Jainism,
Hinduism, and Buddhism.
•The earliest mention of Yakshi can be
found in Silappadikaram, a Tamil text.
•The torso of the nude male figure
found at Lohanipur at Patna.
•Didargunj Yakshi was found at
Didargunj village at Patna.
•Two of the most famous sculptures of
the Mauryan period are those
of Yaksha and Yakshi.
Sanchi Stupa Carving Mahabodhi Carving
 SOURCES
• https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/mauryan-architect
ure-part-2

• https://www.wondermondo.com/nagarjuni-caves/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadathika_Cave_Inscription