Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates 鈥楻egion Beyond The Coastal Lines (1): Dhulikatta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.
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Region Beyond The Coastal Lines (1): Dhulika峁弓a
[Location: Dhulika峁弓a (Peddapalli Taluk, Karimnagar District)]
Dhulika峁弓a lies outside the 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� valley. It is a small village in the Peddapalli Taluk of the Karimnagar district. This historical site was an important centre of Buddhism in ancient Andhra. The most significant structure of the site is the 蝉迟奴辫补 which can be assigned to the 2nd century B.C.E. Investigations have revealed that the construction of the 蝉迟奴辫补 took place in two phases-pre 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 and 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 period.
The 蝉迟奴辫补 had a soild drum placed on a square platform. The square platform served the purpose of the 辫谤补诲补办峁峁嘺辫补迟丑补 as in Bha峁弓iprolu 蝉迟奴辫补. The dome (补峁囜笉补) was raised several times to increase the height of the 蝉迟奴辫补 and give a hemispherical shape to the 蝉迟奴辫补. At the top of the dome is a square brick cell probably indicating the existence of a 丑补谤尘颈办腻. Fragments of chhatra have been recovered from the site. The drum is provided with four 腻测补办补 惫别诲颈办腻蝉 at four cardinal directions.
The dome is decorated with a number of sculptures. Among them mention may be made of two beautiful depictions of 狈腻驳补 Muchilinda under a pipal tree protecting the feet of the Master. The beautiful depiction of mythical animals is seen on reliefs from the region (PL 12a). In the next phase the 蝉迟奴辫补 was enlarged by adding a second tyre to the drum. In addition to it four 腻测补办补 platforms were added. The drum was encased by carved limestone slabs. Here Buddha is symbolically represented by Buddhapada, Dharmachakra and the 蝉迟奴辫补. Absence of anthropomorphic representation of the Master leads to the assumption that the site was not influenced by Mahayana Buddhism.
Dhulika峁弓a was on the trade route connecting Paithan with 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 and hence the architecture and sculpture closely resembles the art of 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨. It is believed by scholars that the sculptures in low relief belong to the early phase of the Buddhist art[1].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Das.D Jithendra, Op. cit, pp 52-54