THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

ONLY NCERT
SUMMARY NOTES
THEMES IN INDIAN
HISTORY PART III

FOR PRELIMS 2024

Contact->>> @Yogesh1908

Follow US ->>>https://t.me/Dnyanias

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 1

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

CHAPTER 4. THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS CULTURAL

DEVELOPMENTS (C. 600 BCE -600 CE)

Stupas

Sacred Places and Chaityas:

 People historically regarded certain places as sacred, often due to unique natural
features like special trees, rocks, or sites of awe-inspiring beauty.

Chaityas in Buddhist Tradition:

 Buddhist literature mentions chaityas, which were sites with small shrines attached
to them.
 These sites played a significant role in the development of Buddhist ideas and
practices.

Buddha-Associated Sacred Places:

 Buddhist literature describes places associated with the life of the Buddha, such as
Lumbini (his birthplace), Bodh Gaya (enlightenment), Sarnath (first sermon), and
Kusinagara (attainment of nibbana).

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 2

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

Evolution of Sacredness:

 Over time, each of these places associated with the Buddha's life became
increasingly regarded as sacred.

Asoka's Contribution:

 Around 200 years after the Buddha, Emperor Asoka erected a pillar at Lumbini,
marking his visit to the birthplace of the Buddha.
 Asoka's actions contributed to the recognition and sanctification of these places in
the Buddhist tradition.

Why were stupas built

Stupas and Sacredness:

 Stupas were mounds regarded as sacred, and they were associated with Buddhism.
 Relics of the Buddha, such as his bodily remains or objects used by him, were buried
in these stupas.
 The tradition of erecting stupas may have predated Buddhism but became closely
associated with it.

UPSC 2023

Answer: B (The tradition of erecting stupas may have predated Buddhism)

Veneration of Stupas:

 Stupas were venerated as emblems of both the Buddha and Buddhism due to the
sacred relics they contained.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 3

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

Asoka's Contribution:

 According to the Buddhist text Ashokavadana, Emperor Asoka played a significant

role in the spread of stupas.
 He distributed portions of the Buddha's relics to important towns and ordered the
construction of stupas over them.

Stupas by the Second Century BCE:

 By the second century BCE, several stupas, including those at Bharhut, Sanchi, and
Sarnath, had been built.

Purpose of Stupas:

 Stupas served as places of veneration and pilgrimage for Buddhists, encapsulating

the sanctity associated with the Buddha and his teachings.

How were stupas built

Financing Stupas:

 Donations for building and decorating stupas were recorded in inscriptions found on
the railings and pillars of these structures.
 Various contributors included kings like the Satavahanas, guilds such as the ivory
workers' guild (which financed part of a gateway at Sanchi), and individual men and
women.

Diverse Donors:

 Donations were made by a diverse range of individuals, including women and men.
 These donors often mentioned their names, places of origin, occupations, and names
of their relatives in the inscriptions.

Monastic Contributions:

 Monastic communities, including bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns), also

contributed towards the construction of stupas.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 4

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

The structure of the stupa

Picture Credit: NCERT

Evolution of the Stupa:

 The stupa originated as a simple semi-circular mound of earth called "anda."

 Over time, it evolved into a more complex structure, combining round and square
shapes.

Key Components:

Anda: The initial mound.

 Harmika: A balcony-like structure above the anda, representing the abode of the
gods.
 Yashti: A mast arising from the harmika.
 Chhatri: An umbrella often surmounting the yashti.
 Railing: Surrounding the mound, separating the sacred space from the secular world.

Orientation and Entrance:

 Worshippers entered through the eastern gateway.

 They walked around the mound in a clockwise direction, keeping the mound on their
right, imitating the sun's course through the sky.

Decoration and Carvings:

 Early stupas, like those at Sanchi and Bharhut, were plain, with richly carved stone
railings and elaborate gateways.
 Later stupas, such as those at Amaravati and Shahji-ki-Dheri in Peshawar (Pakistan),
featured elaborately carved mounds with niches and sculptures.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 5

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

“Discovering” Stupas The Fate of Amaravati and Sanchi

Picture Credit: NCERT

Rediscovery of Amaravati:

 In 1796, the ruins of the stupa at Amaravati were accidentally discovered by a local
raja who intended to build a temple.
 Believing there might be hidden treasure in the apparent hill, he started using the
stones from the site.

Colin Mackenzie's Visit (1796):

 British official Colin Mackenzie visited Amaravati in 1796 and documented several
sculptures, but his reports were never published.

Walter Elliot's Discovery (1854):

 In 1854, Walter Elliot, the commissioner of Guntur, visited Amaravati, collected

sculpture panels (Elliot marbles), and concluded that Amaravati was one of the
grandest Buddhist stupas ever built.

Removal of Sculptures (1850s):

 By the 1850s, slabs from Amaravati were being transported to various locations,
including the Asiatic Society of Bengal at Calcutta, the India Office in Madras, and
London. British administrators often adorned their gardens with these sculptures.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 6

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

H.H. Cole's Concerns:

 Archaeologist H.H. Cole expressed dismay at the looting of original works of ancient
art from Amaravati.
 He advocated for in situ preservation, believing that museums should have
facsimiles, while originals should remain at their discovery sites.

Fate of Amaravati:

 Despite Cole's concerns, Amaravati suffered from continuous removal of sculptures.

The neglect of in situ preservation resulted in the decline of the site.
 Today, the once-magnificent Buddhist stupa at Amaravati exists as a small,
insignificant mound, stripped of its former grandeur.

Sanchi's Preservation:

 Sanchi, discovered in 1818, had three standing gateways and a well-preserved

mound. Despite suggestions to relocate one of the gateways to Paris or London,
various factors, including a growing awareness of the value of preservation,
contributed to keeping Sanchi intact.

Comparison:

 Amaravati's fate highlights the consequences of early discoveries before scholars

fully grasped the importance of preserving artifacts in their original context.
 In contrast, Sanchi's survival can be attributed to better-informed decisions and
changing attitudes towards cultural preservation.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 7

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

Sculpture

Picture Credit: NCERT

Sculpture and Stories: The Vessantara Jataka

Widespread Removal of Sculptures:

 Sculptures from stupas were transported to Europe, driven by the perception of

their beauty and value.

Comparing Sculpture to Storytelling:

 Analogous to wandering storytellers with scrolls, sculptures told stories visually. Art
historians carefully analyzed these sculptures to uncover their meanings.
 The sculpture appears to depict a rural scene with thatched huts and trees.

Identification as Vessantara Jataka:

 Art historians specializing in Sanchi identified the scene as part of the Vessantara
Jataka, a Buddhist tale.

The Vessantara Jataka:

 The Vessantara Jataka narrates the story of a generous prince, Vessantara, who
selflessly gave away everything to a Brahmana. Subsequently, he, along with his wife
and children, retreated to the forest.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 8

THEMES IN IDNIAN HISTORY PART III

Historical Interpretation:

 Art historians interpret the sculpture by drawing connections to the Vessantara

Jataka. This analytical approach involves comparing visual representations with
textual evidence.

Meaningful Visual Narratives:

 Sculptures served as a form of visual storytelling, conveying narratives, morals, and

cultural tales. The stories depicted in stone provided a visual counterpart to the
textual traditions.

Interdisciplinary Analysis:

 Understanding the meaning of sculptures often involves interdisciplinary analysis,

combining insights from art history, literature, and cultural contexts.

ONLY NCERT CONTENT NOTHING ELSE Page 9