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

CHAPTER

IX

THE EVOLUTION

OF INDIAN

FINE ART AND ITS INFLUENCE

ON

TEMPLE BUILDING—

THE GANDHARAN SCHOOL THE

PHILOSOPHY OF INDIAN

TEMPLE BUILDING INDIAN

ARCHES—THE TEMPLE OF

MARTAND

In the preceding chapters I have endeavoured to trace the

evolution of Indo-Aryan templearchitecture from its founda-

tionin theancientvillage communities, and to showthe true

relationship between the branch of Indian religion, called in

Europe

"

Buddhism,"andthe othertwobranchesofthesame

tree, Vaishnavismand Saivism. The further developmentof

Vishnuand Sivatemplesfrom simplevillageshrines intothe

great medieval cathedrals of India will be discussed in its

properchronological sequence. We must nowgobacktothe

lastcenturiesbeforetheChristianera,and mark thebeginning

ofanew movement which was destined to have a profound

influence upon thewhole art of Asia, and even upon thatof

Europe.

We have

seen in thegreatchaitya-houseof Karl^,

in the

monasteriesof

Nasik,and laterinthegateways

ofSancht,how

the dislike
of the Vedic philosophers for
anthropomorphic

symbolsof the Deity
actedupon the artof Hlnayana
Buddh-

ism. The Devas

—

the

bright nature-gods of

the early Rig-

Veda—sit upon their altars
on the mighty
pillars of the

Sangha to listen to
the inspired teaching
of the Buddha.

Brahmi, with his lovely

handmaiden the

Dawn—she whom

godsand demons
churnedfromthe cosmic
ocean arid gaveto