BUDDHIST ROCK CUT ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

The Rock-cut structures present the most spectacular piece of ancient Indian art specimen. Most of the rock-cut
structures were related to various religious communities. In the beginning, remarkable Buddhist and Jain monuments
were produced in areas such as Bihar in the east and Maharashtra in the west. Numerous caves were excavated by
the Buddhist monks for prayer and residence purposes. The best examples of this are Chaityas and monasteries.
Inside these rock-cut structures monks carved windows and balconies and gates in the shape of huge arch shaped
openings.
Rock-cut architecture occupies a very important place in the history of Indian Architecture. The rock-cut architecture
differs from traditional buildings in many ways. The rock-cut art is more similar to sculpture than architecture as
structures were produced by cutting out solid rocks. Some prominent rock-cut structures of ancient India are Chaityas,
Viharas, temples etc.
Buddhist architecture in Ancient India was a good combination of traditional structure and modern concepts of the
time. The principle contributions made by Buddhist architecture and art of the time were these six. (1) a series of
edics inscribed on the rock (2) a number of tumuli or stupa (3) certain monolithic pillars (4) several monolithic
accessories to shrine (5) the remains of vast palace (6) a group of rock cut chambers. 1 Among them that more
directly affected the course of art of building were the stupas.
Buddhist architecture nowadays can be seen through Stupa, Vihara & Chaitya gruha. Stambha and Caves
are also of great importance.

Chaityas And Viharas

Chaityas and Viharas are those rock-cut structures that were hewn out for Buddhist and Jain monks.
Chaityas were places of worship. Chaitya derived from Sanskrit word chita or a sacred spot.The traditional chaitya
was a grove of trees in the middle of which small tumuli of earth had been built up over the ashes or relics of the
Buddha 6. Buddhist monks instead of wandering and begging for alms started settling down around such chaityas.
Monks in viharas erected stupa along with viharas also called Chaitya Gruha. The plan consists of an apsidal ended
hall with closely spaced pillars at each side, forming aisles or ambulatories. A stupa shrine is placed in the apse,
farthest from the entrance. The roofs are semicircular in section and ribs represent the original timber members of the
prototypes are cut from the rock. The fascade normally contains above a low entrance portico, a horseshoe shaped
window filled with rock-cut or wooden tracery which admits light to the interior. whereas
Viharas were residence of monks. Vihara is a simple dwelling for monks and nuns. When it is raining outside. Buddha
prescribed five kinds of abodes for the monks. Viz Vihara ( monastery). Addhyyoga ( Pinneled house), Pasada ( Big
building), Hammiya ( Attic ) and Guha ( cave). The term Vihara was generally used in the sense of monastery.
The Buddhist and Jain monks usually stayed away from the towns therefore they developed Chaityas and Viharas in
the hillside. Most of the Chaityas and Viharas were constructed in western India. Some of the prominent places having
Chaityas and Viharas are Karle, Nashik, Bhaja and Kanheri. The rugged hills of the Western Ghats were naturally
suited to the creation of living space in the hillside.

Chaitya place of worship

monks

Vihara dwellings of

Karla Caves Architecture

Buddhist Karla Caves are one of the finest examples
of ancient rock cut caves to be found in India. The
magnificent hall that adorns the main cave reflects the
high degree of architectural skills of the artisans who
carved the caves on such a beautiful and difficult
hillside.
This complex of Buddhist caves are built on a hillside
and is one of the finest examples of ancient rock cut
caves. Great windows light up the interiors and they
have the large collection of Chaityas or halls. At the
entrance is a recently built temple, accompanied by a
pillar from the Buddhist period. The facade of the
temple has some carved temple screens, with railing
ornaments and human couples. Outer and inner
screens form an antechamber to the main cave. The panels of wooden doors and windows are exquisitely decorated
with intricate sculptures of couples embracing. At the central doorway there are sculptures of the Buddha preaching on
a lion supported throne along with magnificent carvings of three elephants. Fifteen pillars adorned with carvings of
elephants, men and women riding separate the narrow aisles from the central arch. The portico of karla caves is
carved in such a way so as to give it an appearance of finished wood and has a large horse shoe arch at the centre.
The Caves
Rock cut structures are one of the most
primitive forms of architecture and are found in
many places in India. The first rock cut temples
are a part of the Buddhist style of architecture,
which originated in India after the death of
Gautam Buddha the founder of Buddhism.
The large number of cave shrines abandoned at
various stages of construction gives us a hint on
how they were dug out. Caves were created in
groups to provide accommodation to workers as
there were not many resources in this very
small religious community.
The Karla Cave complex has a number of
Chaityas or prayer halls which have been
carved in a great precision were for
congregational worship which distinguishes
Buddhism from Hinduism. Similarly carved viharas were dwelling places of monks which consisted of cells cut into
walls around three sides of a hall. There are no images of Buddha but only symbolic descriptions. The caves had
arched entrances and precisely carved interiors.

Ajanta caves

Stupa
Word stupa is derived from the root stup, meaning to heap
and suggest the mound shape and method of construction
of these editices.
The initial function of a stupa was the veneration and safe
guarding at the relics of the Buddha. They evolved into
large hemispherical mounds with features such as
the Torna
- Gateway
the Vedica
- Fence like enclose
the Hermika
- A square platform with railings on the
top of the stupa.and Chatrayashti - The parasol or
canopy.
Sanchi, Barhut, Chaukhandi, Deorkothur, Dhamek
stupa at Sarnath, Vaishali, Nalanda, Rambhar are some
of the welknown stupas. Stupas show the diversities in shapes but unity in technique and purposes. The original
models for stupa were those raised in brick and stone. The well preserved early stupas at Sanchi and elsewhere show
that the drum and dome were constructed solidly and the capital and umbrella were later added as separate pieces in
stone. 3The forms of the later two items happen to be copies of wooden models, so it can be presumed that originally
these parts were in wood only.

Stambha
These are monumental pillars standing free without any structural function
with circular or octagonal shafts. Inscriptions were carved on the shafts.
The capital which was usually persepolitan in form was bell shaped and
crowned with animal supporters bearing the Buddhist chakra or wheel of
the law. The Ashoka pillar consists of four components : A lotus at the
base, a circular abacus carved with an elephant, a bull, a horse and a lion
separated from one another by a wheel and four lions set back to back over
the abacus. This capital is the emblem of the Republic of India.

Buddhist temple architecture

At the age of Mauryan emperor Ashoka the great the Mahabodhi

Temple was built in the form of vihara.

The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya (Buddhagaya), Bihar, since 7th

century.