Stupas

The term Stupa is widely used by Buddhists. Stupa is a Sanskrit word that means “pile-up” or mound. Therefore, Stupa is an earthen mound heaped over the remains of dead. In that sense, it is a burial monument.

Features –

• The Stupa structure of pre-Common Era was composed of a hemispherical dome called anda. 

• The dome was erected on a low platform of stone. 

• It was surmounted by a kiosk with railing called Harmika. 

• It was further crowned by three discs (Chatras) of reducing sizes, the smallest being on the top. 

• The Chatras were mounted on a supporting mast called Yasti. A circumambulatory path called Pradaksinapatha encircles the Stupa. 

• It was meant to undertake sacred circumambulation on the ground level. The entire complex was then fenced by a railing called Vedika. 

• Examples: Stupa architecture of Andhra Pradesh, Stupas of Amrawati and Nagarjunikonda, both on river Krishna, have box like projections on all the four cardinal directions of the Stupa. 

Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh)

• It features an upper and lower Pradakshinapatha. 
• It showcases four beautifully decorated Toranas depicting events from Buddha’s life and the Jataka tales. 
• The stupa’s figure compositions display high relief with naturalistic postures and prominent projection of heads
• The stupa’s foundation was most likely set by Ashoka.

Amravati Stupa (Andhra Pradesh)

• Its surfaces were carved in the Bharhut style, but some characteristics of the Mathura and Gandhara sculptures were also adopted. 
• It has carved panels narrating the story of the life of Buddha.
• Limestone with a white marble finish was utilised in the building.

Rock Cut Caves

The rock-cut caves of Barabar and Nagarjuni hills, along with the Swarna Bhandar cave in Rajgir, Bihar, are among the oldest in India and date back to the Mauryan period. 

• The Barabar and Nagarjuni caves were dedicated to the Ajivika sect founded by Gopala, a contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira. 
• Lomas Rishi cave, an early example, replicates unknown wooden architecture using grooved rafters and curved frames and finials, screens and low-relief sculptural decorations. 
• an Age also witnessed the Buddhist rock-cut architecture.

Chaityas-Grihas and Viharas

The Chaitya-Grihas and the Viharas are two major types of the Buddhist rock cut architecture. 

Though the process required much skill and patience, the technique involved in creating rock-cut architecture was simple. 

• The chaityas belonging to the period from 2nd century BCE to around 50 BCE do not depict Buddha in human form, rather he was represented by symbols alone. 

• These symbols were associated with the life of Buddha himself, like stupa, Vajrasana (his seat of meditation), Pipal Tree or Bodhi Vriksha, feet, turban, etc.

• While some of the main rock-cut caves of the Mahayanists are Cave nos. 19 and 26 at Ajanta and the Vishwakarma cave no.10 at Ellora, the main Hinayanist rock-cut caves are at Bhaja, Kondane, etc

Viharas

Vihara, etymologically meaning ‘dwelling place’ was meant for the Buddhist monks. 

• The rock-cut vihara comprises of a central hall for worship and a few cells around it for the monks to live in. The square or rectangular hall is entered through a rock-cut doorway and a pillared verandah.

• Hinayanist viharas are majorly found in the Western Ghats, at sites like Ajanta and Ellora. 

• Hinayana viharas also include those at Bedsa, Kondane and Pitalkhora, and cave no. 3, 8 and 15 at Nasik. The highly decorated facades, i.e., frontals as well as sculptural panels and friezes are the noteworthy elements of these viharas.

Nalanda University: 

An ancient mahavihara in India, known from Xuan Zang’s writings, founded in the 5th century CE by Kumargupta I.Sirpur In Chhattisgarh: It is an early-Odisha style structure from the 550–800 era that has both Hindu and Buddhist shrines.

Ellora caves

• Cave number 15 of Ellora belongs to the period of Rashtrakuta Dantidurga.

• Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are mostly represented in this cave in many forms. This two-story building features a sizable courtyard where a monolithic Nandi mandapa is located.

• Great Kailasa temple of Cave 16 at Ellora was carved under the direction of Krsna I (CE 757-83), the successor of Dantidurga. 

• The Kailasa temple is a magnificent example of rock-cut architecture. It is a huge temple complex with walled compound. It consists of the entrance gateway (mukha- mandapa), the oblong (gopuram) with barrel-vault (sikhara), Nandi Madapa and Garbha- grha. The temple is west facing and rests on a raised rectangular platform in east-west direction.

• The history of rock cut architecture at Ellora is older than the arrival of the Rashtrakutas. Cave number 1 to 10 and Cave 21 belong to the period of the Kalacuris of Mahismati.

Ajanta Caves

• They are collection of 29 rock-cut caves near the Waghora River in Maharashtra, developed between 200 BCE and 650 CE with Vakataka dynasty patronage for Buddhism.

Elephanta Caves

• These Caves in Mumbai date back to the eighth century AD. The three-faced figure of Shiva is a masterpiece, along with depictions of Ravana shaking Kailasa, Shiva and Parvati’s marriage, the Tandava dance, and Ardhanariswara.