Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates 鈥榬ule of the Sadas鈥� of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha鈥檚 life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
The rule of the Sadas
We do not get information of any ruling house after the fall of the Mauryas in the region and before the advent of the Sadas in the late 1st century B.C.E. However, some inscriptions and coins of the region provide the names of few local rulers reigning during 2nd-1st Century B.C.E. A granite upright contains an inscription of 碍耻尘腻谤补 Avatakama and another inscription on a limestone coping to 搁腻箩腻 Kum膩riya Sammaliya in early 叠谤腻丑尘墨 characters of 2nd-1st Century B.C.E[1]. They probably ruled the area when the central administration collapsed[2].
The inscription of 搁腻箩腻 Kum膩riya Sammaliya is as follows:-
Text:-
搁腻箩腻 Kum膩riya Samaliya parivesak膩nam unhisam[3].
Translation:-
Donation of a coping stone along with decoration by 搁腻箩腻 Kum膩riya Samaliya.
础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 (Dhara峁噄ko峁璦) identified with the ancient city of 艢r墨 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 retained its primal position during the time of the Sadas. The uninscribed and inscribed copper and lead coins of Sadas in late 1st Century B.C.E are found in the region. The Sadas shifted their capital from 碍补濒颈峁単补苍补驳补谤补 to 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补[4]. Coins of 础艣辞办补 Sada are found from Dhara峁噄ko峁璦. 艢颈惫补maka Sada, the son and successor of 础艣辞办补 Sada held his control over 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 -Dhara峁噄ko峁璦.
An inscription from 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 makes reference of 艢颈惫补maka Sada.
Text:-
谤腻苍辞 Siri Sivamaka Sadasa P膩niya gharika sa pa[5] 鈥�..
Translation:-
鈥︹�f the superintendent of water house of king Siri 艢颈惫补maka Sada. (Pl 31a)
However, the paleographic character of the record reveals close resemblance to those of V膩sish峁環墨putra 笔耻濒耻尘腻惫颈. Hence some scholars consider 艢颈惫补maka Sada as 艢颈惫补 Ska峁囜笉a S膩takar峁噄[6]. His name is inscribed on a coping carved with the story of Kavikum膩ra donated by superintendent of water houses.
During the rule of the Sadas, 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 enjoyed a superior status in political, economic and religious sphere and this pre-eminence continued during the time of the later 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Prasad P.R.K, 1991, 鈥楶re -厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 Phase at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨-Dhara峁噄ko峁璦鈥�, Op.cit, p 331.
[2]:
Subrahmanyam B, 2005, Jatakas in South Indian Art, Delhi, p 7.
[4]:
Prasad P.R.K, 1991, 鈥楶re-厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 Phase at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨-Dhara峁噄ko峁璦鈥�, Op.cit, p 333.
[5]:
Sivaramamurti C, 1956, 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 Sculpture in the Madras Government Museum, Madras, No. 72, p 291. Luders H, 1912, Op.cit, No. 1279, p 152.
[6]:
Dehejia Vidya, 1997, Discourse in Early Buddhist Art Visual Narratives of India, New Delhi, p 171.