Sunga Art
Sunga Art
• The Mauryas were succeeded by the Sungas and later ruled for 112 years from
about 185 B.C. to 73 B.C.
• During this period the stupa emerged as the central focus of the Buddhist
worship.
• Stupas were the hemispherical structures erected by the Buddhists over the
remains of the Buddha or any Buddhist sage. The structure is continuously
enclosed by an ornate railing (vedika) punctuated by elaborately carved gateways
(torana) in the four cardinal points.
• Stupas were built in honour of the Buddhas.
• A stupa was also specifically built to remind Buddhists the invisible presence of
Buddha and his Dharma.
• The stupa had originally been constructed to place Buddha’s relics and it
eventually became the ultimate symbol of Buddha’s Parinirvana,
Bharhut Stupa
Bharhut Stupa
• Nothing is now visible of the celebrated stupa at this Buddhist site other
than a shallow depression in the ground. Bricks and sandstone fragments
are strewn all around. The remains of the sandstone railing pillar and
gateways that surrounded the stupa have all been removed. They are
mostly displayed in the Bharhut gallery at the Indian Museum, Calcutta.
The Bharhut railings have made the Sunga period immortal.
• Bharhut is famous for the ruins of a Buddhist stupa discovered there by
Major General Alexander Cunningham in 1873. The stupa was probably
begun in the time of Ashoka. It was originally built of brick and it was
enlarged during the 2nd century BC, when a surrounding stone railing
with entrances on the four cardinal points was constructed.
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• Several folk and popular deities are found on the railings of Bharhut
stupa. These have been named as Yaksha, Yakshi, Devata, Naga etc.
Sirima Devata stands straight on the railing post with right hand raised
up, Sudarshana mounts on a fish-tailed crocodile, Chulukoka tramples
an elephant.
• Chhanda bends the branch of a tree and probably a winged deer is seen
below the feet (Figure 1). She is identified as identifies her with the
Shalabhanjika- a beautiful woman.
• Bhrahut sculptures are known for the wonderful depiction of nature.
The large undulating lotus creepers or the meanders issuing from the
full vase, bushes, trees, plants, birds, animals etc. have been exquisitely
rendered in abundance.
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• The full-blown lotus and lotus creeper are very popular. Thus, both flora and
fauna have been rendered in superb form by the sculptor of Bharhut.
• Some sculptural represents are described below:
• Queen Maya’s Dream’ is a famous relief done on the railing of the Bharhut
stupa (Figure 2). The dream of queen Maya is an excellent example of the
narrative scenes in relief depicted at Bharhut. Before birth of Buddha his
mother Maya Devi saw a dream in which a divine white elephant descended
from the heaven and entered her womb. The queen sleeps on a couch with her
right hand. A lamp with high stand burns towards her feet. Two attendants
seated on cushion seem half asleep while the third one has her hands folded in
adoration. The divine elephant approaches her from above. A water pot and
lamp are depicted nearby queen’s bed. Each figure of the medallion is carved
in detail.
Queen Maya’s Dream
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