The ancient and medieval architecture of India: a study of Indo-Aryan civilisation

THE KArLE

CHAITYA-HOUSE

75

Silpa-sistras, they are

"Vishnu-necked."'

The bases are

Lakshmi's jars

of plenty. Instead of

the lionswhich crown

the capitals

of the pillars outside,each

Vedic altar here

is a

thronefor

twopairsofDevasmounted

uponkneeling

elephants

(PI.

XX). Theyareremarkablefor

provingwhat

ahighdegree

of

excellenceIndiansculpturehad

reachedbefore

theenervating

Graeco-Roman influence

manifested itself in

Indian Buddhist

architecture. There

is not much in

the whole range of

Gandh^ran

art to be placed in the

same classwith this

and

some

of the Sanchi sculptures for

spontaneity and

freedom

in

design, fine expression,

andbold technique.

The seven octagonal

pillarsbehindthe chaitya

areplain,

withoutcaps orbases.

The chaityaitself is also

withoutany

sculptureddecoration,

but it must be

remembered that fresco

painting

onagroundoffinewhiteplaster,

togetherwithpainted

banners hangingfrom thewoodenribs

fitted in theroof,

gave

arichglowofcolour

to thewholeofthe interipr. The

lower

portion ofthe

wooden tee, orpyramid of umbrellas

(Vishnu's

tree), placed upon the Vedic altar on the top of the chaitya,

stillremains. Theundersideofeach umbrellawas

carvedwith

a lotus flower

;

the symbolism of the teebeing

analogousto

thatofVishnu'sstandard

describedabove

(pp.

62-3).

Obviouslythevaulted roof, nearly semicircularin section

butstiltedatthespringing, with itswooden ribs,werederived

from

thebambu-and-mat

chhai of the Bengalivillagechaitya-

house. Though there are striking

resemblances

with regard

to planning and general arrangements between these great

Buddhist

temples and the

Gothic cathedrals of Europe, it is

impossibletodrawanyusefulcomparisons

betweenthem.

The

technical

problems

which confronted the Indian craftsmen in

carvingthese chaitya-housesout

ofthelivingrockweretotally

differentfromthose

withwhichtheGothic

buildershadtodeal

:

^

Or

"

Sangha-necked,"asBuddhist

craftsmenwouldhavecalledthem.