2. ORIGIN
• In the Vedic period ,due to cast system there are discrimination in the society.
• Materialism is became more popular.
• Buddhism came to introduce to live the simplest form of life.
• Gautam buddha give his teaching to the people.
• Some of the teaching of buddha include “THE EIGHT FOLD PATH”
• Buddhism became most popular in Ashoka Empire.
3.
4. ARCHITECTURE DURING BUDDHISM
• Architecture developed in these forms during Buddha Period:
1. Edicts inscribed on the rocks.
2. Stupas
3. Monolithic pillars
4. Monolithic accessories to shrines
5. Castles and palaces
6. Rock cut chambers
7. Buddhist monasteries
6. MONOLITHIC PILLARS
• These pillars were became popular in Ashoka’s time .
• These pillars are made of single stone carving into a pillar shaft and capital.
• Whole pillar is made up red sand stone.
• The shaft is circular in section and tapering towards top.
• 40-50 ft in length [shaft]
• Capital is further divided into 3 parts
1. Inverted lotus / bell
2. Base pedestal
3. Animal and animal with dharma-chakra
7. INVERTED LOTUS / BELL
BASE PEDESTAL
ANIMAL & ANIMAL WITH DHARMA CHAKRA
8. STUPAS
• Symbol of simplicity, unlike other heavily ornamented structure.
• It is a hemispherical dome like structure use in Buddhism.
• The purpose was to store the relic of the Buddha and Buddhist saints.
• As the relic was of some important person, they started to pray.
• All stupas prior to Ashoka’s period were destroyed.
• Ashoka built around 84 thousand stupas in his kingship.
• Sanchi Stupa is one of the best example of Stupas.
• Stupas is just the advance version of Chaitya.
9. ARCHITECTURE OF A STUPA [SANCHI STUPA]
ELEMENT FEATURE OF THE ELEMENT
TORANAS Entrance Gateway to the Stupa
ANDA The Hemispherical Shell Dome
CHAATRI Top Aesthetic Element
HARMIKA Square fence to the Chhatri
MEDHI The Plinth for the Upper Path.
PRADAKSHINA PATHS Upper & Lower Path to do “Parikrama”
VEDIKA The side Railing to the Path
11. CHAITYA & VIHARAS
CHAITYA
• Chaitya is a rock cut chamber, rectangular in shape having a curve ending.
• It has a Stupa at the end of the hall.
• The hall is use to pray at Stupa.
• It was use prior to the Stupas, Stupa is basically the advance version of chaitya.
VIHARAS
• It is also rock cut chamber.
• Most of the time it is square in plan.
• It has some cells connected to the main pillared hall.
• The cells are used for resting place for Buddhist monks who was travelling.
