17 September 2022

MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

Q1. Write a short note on Buddhist art in the Pala Period. (250 Words)

Paper & Topic: GS I Indian Culture

 Model Answer:

Introduction:

• The Pala dynasty ruled from 8^thcentury to 12^th century CE in the regions comprising Bihar and Bengal.
• The development of art which had been in a full-fledged manner during the Mauryas and Guptas was further carried out by Palas.
• Distinctive achievements of Palas are seen in the arts of architecture, sculpture, terracotta, painting and wall painting.

Body:

Main features of Pala art:

Architecture:

• Various mahaviharas,Stupas ,chaityas,temples and forts were constructed.
• Most of the architecture was religious with the first two hundred years dominated by Buddhist art and the last two hundred years by Hindu art.
• Among the various mahaviharas, Nalanda, vikramashila, somapura, Traikutaka, Devikot, Pandita, Jagaddala vihara are notable.
• Planned residential buildings for monks were made.
• A large number of manuscripts on palm-leaf relating to the Buddhist themes were written and illustrated with the images of Buddhist deities at these centreswhich also had workshops for the casting of bronze images.
• Somapura mahavihara at Paharpur, a creation of Dharmapala is one of the largest Buddhist vihara in Indian sub-continent, its architectural plan had influenced the architecture of countries like Myanmar and Indonesia.

Temples:

• The temples are known to express the local vanga style.
• The ninth century siddheshvara mahadeva temple in Baraker shows a tall curving shikara crowned by a large amalaka and is an example of the early pala style.
• The rock cave temple at Kahalgaon (9^thcentury)shows the gabled vault roof characteristic of the South Indian architecture.

Terracotta:

• Artistic and beautiful forms of terracotta were developed during the pala period.
• This art was developed for the purpose of decoration.
• Under this form of art such statues are made on walls which depict scenes from the religious and general life styles.
• The terracotta plaques recovered from paharpur amply demonstrate the excellence of the art in the pala period.

Painting:

• The earliest examples of miniature painting in India exist in the form of illustrations to the religious texts on Buddhism executed under the Palas of the eastern India.
• There are two forms of painting manuscripts and wall painting.
• Manuscripts were written on palm leaves .In these paintings scenes of life of Buddha and several god and goddess of Mahayana sects are depicted.
• The impact of tantricism on these paintings are easily visible.
• Red, blue, black and white colours are used a primary colours
• Pala painting is characterized by sinuous line, delicate and nervous lines ,sensuous elegance, linear and decorative accent and subdued tones of colour.
• It is naturalistic style which resembles the ideal forms of contemporary bronze and stone sculpture and reflects some feeling of classical art of Ajanta with sensuous bias of art of Eastern India.
• Wall painting has been found in Saradh and Sarai sthal in Nalanda district.
• At the bottom of the platform made of granite stone flowers of geometric shapes, images of animals and humans are found.

Pala sculpture:

• The Gupta tradition of sculptural art attained a new height under the patronage of Pala rulers.
• The art incorporated lot of local characteristics in Bengal under the Palas and it continued right up to the end of 12^th
• The sculptures of stones and bronze were constructed in largenumbers mostly in monastic sites of nalanda,Bodh Gaya etc
• Most of the sculptures drew their inspiration from Buddhism.
• Apart from Buddha sculptures of gods and goddess of Hindu Dharmalike surya, Vishnu, Ganesh etc were constructed.
• The finest sculptures include a female bust ,two standing Avalokiteshwara images from Nalanda
• Buddhist sculptures is characterized by a prominent and elaborately carved black slab and lotus seat frequently supported by lions.
• Generally only frontal parts of the body have been shown in the sculptures. The front as highly detailed and decorated.
• Due to influence of tantrism the sculptures of god were given different touches like that of female, animal etc.
• Bronze casting was an important feature of pala sculptures.
• Also present examples of artistic beauty carved out of stone sculptures.
• These are made of black basalt stones .
• The pala style is marked by slim and graceful figures, elaborate jewellery and conventional decoration
• The main features of pala sculptures is their free flowing movement.
• Almost all figures are of similar sizes and were carved out of grayish or white spotted sandstone.
• Somapura Mahavihara, a World Heritage Site, was built by Dharmapala

 Conclusion:

Reasons for sudden ending:

• The Pala art came to a sudden end after the destruction of the Buddhist monasteries at the hands of Muslim invaders in the first half of the 13th century.
• Some of the monks and artists escaped and fled to Nepal, which helped in reinforcing the existing art traditions there.
• Ramapala was the last strong Pala ruler. After his death, a rebellion broke out in Kamarupa during his son Kumarapala’s reign.
• So due to rebellions art was not focussed much.

Q2. Write a short note on Rashtrakuta Art and Architecture? (250 Words)

Paper & Topic: GS I  Indian Culture

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• The Rashtrakutas contributed much to the architectural heritage of the Deccan.
• Percy Brownsays that the Kailash temple is “an illustration of one of those rare occasions when men’s minds, hearts and hands work in unison towards the consummation of a supreme ideal”.
• The Rashtrakuta contributions to art and architecture are reflected in the splendid rock-cut cave temples at Ellora and Elephanta, areas also occupied by Jain monks, located in present-day Maharashtra.
• The most extensive and sumptuous of the Rashtrakuta works at Ellora is their creation of the monolithic Kailasanath Temple and Dashavatar Cave architecture.

Body:

Kailashanatha Temple:

• As per the historical records, it was built by the 8th century Rashtrakuta King Krishna I between the year 756 and 773 AD.
• Cave 16, known as the Kailasha temple, is a particularly notable cave temple in India as a result of its size, architecture and having been entirely carved out of a single rock.
• It is modelled along similar lines to other Hindu temples with:
• a gateway,
• an assembly hall,
• a multi-storey main temple surrounded by numerous shrines laid out according to the square principle,
• an integrated space for circumambulation,
• a garbha-grihya (sanctum sanctorum) wherein resides the linga-yoni, and a spire-shaped like Mount Kailash – all carved from one rock.
• Other shrines carved from the same rock are dedicated to Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, the ten avatars of Vishnu, Vedic gods and goddesses including Indra, Agni, Vayu, Surya and Usha, as well as non-Vedic deities like Ganesha, Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu), Annapurna, Durga and others.
• It has a three-tiered sikhara or tower resembling the sikhara of the Mamallapuram rathas.
• In the interior of the temple there is a pillared hall which has sixteen square pillars.
• The Kailasa temple is an architectural marvel with it beautiful sculptures.
• The sculpture of the Goddess Durga is shown as slaying the Buffalo demon.
• In another sculpture Ravana was making attempts to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Siva.
• The scenes of Ramayana were also depicted on the walls.
• The general characteristics of the Kailasa temple are more Dravidian.
• Kailasha temple is considered a highly notable example of temple construction from 1st millennium Indian history, and was called, by Carmel Berkson, “a wonder of the world” among rock-cut monuments.

Dashavatara Cave:

• Cave 15, Dashavatara Cave is one of the finest at Ellora.
• The two storeyed temple contains mesmerising Shiva Nataraja and a Shiva emerging from Lingam while Vishnu and Brahma pay homage.

Features of Dashavatara Caves:

• It has cells and a layout plan that are similar to Buddhist Caves.
• It also indicates presence of non-Buddhist features, such as a Nrtya Mandapaat its entrance.
• Hindu temple housed in Cave 15 has an open court with a free-standing monolithic mandapa at the middle and a two-storeyed excavated temple at the rear.
• Large sculptural panels between the wall columns on the upper floor illustrate a wide range of themes, including the ten avatars of Vishnu.
• finest relief of this cave is the one depicting the death of Hiranyakashipu, where Vishnu in man-lion (Narasimha) form, emerges from a pillar to lay a fatal hand upon his shoulder.
• Other reliefs in Cave 15 include the Gangadhara, marriage of Shiva and Parvati, Tripurantika of Shakti tradition, Markendeya, Garuda, aspects of life, Nandi in mandapa, dancing Shiva, Andhakasura, Govardhanadhari, Gajendravarada and others.
• Panels are arranged in dyads, which displays “cooperative but also antagonistic energy” with a mutuality of power transference.

Conclusion:

Art historians consider the Kailasnatha temple and Dashavatara caves as an unrivalled work of rock architecture, a monument that has always excited and astonished travellers.