Temples In India-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKAthe first to commence the excavations ofthese caves and the famous chaitya-griha(Cave No. II), bearing an inscription of thetime of King Yajna-Sri SatakarniGautamiputra, (2nd century A.D.) is aproduction ‘of this school. The figures ofBuddha in various postures (Mudras) carvedin relief on the facade of this cave andelsewhere do not, however, form a part ofthe original scheme and are carved later,circa 5th century A.D. at the instance ofmonks of Mahayana faith. The Cave No.XI, popularly known as Darbar Cave andexcavated in circa 5th century A.D.represents a huge vihara for the corporateresidence and instruction of monks.The entire group consisting of more thanone hundred caves is one of the biggestmonastic settlements in India. They liescattered on different tiers of the hill insmall groups of three to five or more. Neatlycut steps leading from one group to anotherand provision of fine-rock-cut benches bythe side of the caves, provision of cisternsfor water-supply are some of thenoteworthy interesting features. Thesecaves contain numerous inscribed recordof considerable interest.A majority of these rock-cut cells followmore or less a standardised form of a singleor double room (Bhikshu-griha) invariablyfitted with a rock-cut bench and providedin front with a narrow verandah having apair of plain shafts of square or octagonaldesign. Cave No. 81 represents a typicalexample of this style.A number of others in the same plain stylemay range from 2nd to 4th century AD.Among others some are covered on theinside with sculptures of a later Mahayanatype and some have inscriptions of as lateTEMPLE INDIAas the middle of the 9th century AD.The most important one in the whole seriesis the great chaitya cave, Cave No. II. Onthe jamp of the entrance to the verandahis an inscription of Yajna-Sri-SatakarniGautamiputra I (2nd century AD.).This chaitya is 26.36 m. long and 12.12 m.wide from wall to wall and has 34 pillarsand the stupa. The bases and capitals ofthe pillars are like those in the Karle ChaityaCave. The stupa is very plain and nearly4.88 metres in diameter. The aisle acrossthe front is covered by a gallery under anarched window. At the end of the verandahare two colossal figures of Buddha. Thesculptures in front of the screen appearlike those at Karla but are rather betterexecuted. They are the best carved figuresin these caves. The style of the dress ofthese figures is of the Satavahana period.The verandah has two pillars in front andthe screen above them is carried up withfive openings above. On each side of thecourt is an attached pillar. On the top ofthat on the west side are four lions.The cave bearing the name of Maharaja orDarbar cave, which is the largest of theclass in the group, after the chaitya cavedescribed above, is the most interesting.It is not a vihara in the ordinary sense ofthe term. There are two inscriptions in thecave. The pillars of the verandah are plainoctagons. In the centre of the hall aretwo long rock-cut benches in the eastwestdirection. In the centre of the backwall is a chapel with a figure of Buddha.The caves Numbers 88 to 92 excavated inthe uppermost tier of the hill are remarkablefor the profusion of sculptures of Buddhaand his attendants and Avalokiteshwarassaving the people from ship-wreck, snake-131