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Formation of states and emergence of Mauryan empire

Formation of States
While Kashi (the region of Benaras) was initially important, Kosala (adjoining Kashi to the north east) and later Magadha (in south Bihar) were rivals for the strategic control of the Ganges Plain, since a large part of the early trade in the region was carried by river and was centered on river ports.

Magadha emerged victorious as the centre

of political activity in northern India:

Realised the potentialities of a large state controlling revenue, Controlled access to routes of the Ganges Delta Practiced rights to all wasteland

Preminence of Magadha
The capital of Magadha, at Rajgriha was an impressive city surrounded by five hills which formed a natural defence. Ajatashatru, the son of Bimbisara, strengthened Rajgriha and built a

small fort at Pataligrama

(the famous Mauryan metropolis of Pataliputra), on the Ganges which was the

centre for the

exchange of local produce.


Magadha controlled the nodal points in the Ganges river system Magadha was favoured by natural resources: the soil was fertile, especially for the cultivation of rice The village had consisted of people often connected through kinship or occupation, but the townspeople tended increasingly to come from varying and unconnected backgrounds. The structures and buildings associated with towns required organised labour on a scale not familiar to village requirements

Ideologies and creation of Sects: Buddhism & Jainism


an exchange of goods, soon follows an exchange of ideas
From the ranks of the wealthy, landowning householders the gahapatis there were to emerge the setthis, who became entrepreneurs of trade and financiers. The introduction of coined metallic difference in trading activities

money facilitated exchange, introducing a qualitative

Audiences gathered around the new philosophers in the kutuhala-shalas literally the place for creating curiosity the parks and groves on the outskirts of the towns. The presence of multiple, competing Urban centres were host to a

ideologies was a feature of urban living.

variety of languages

Jainism
But of all these sects, the two that came to stay were Jainism and Buddhism, both of which were to become independent religions.Theirs was a more holistic understanding of contemporary changes than that of the other sects, and in the break-away from the earlier systems of thought and ethic, they reflected a more sensitive response to the pressures of change. Mahavira gave shape to these ideas in the 6th century BC, and his led to the organisation and spread of the Jaina sect which was initially called Nirgantha. Jaina is a secondary formation from Jina, the Conqueror, which refers to Mahavira Jaina teaching was first preserved as an oral tradition, but later it was collated and recorded. Jainism later split into two major sects, the monks of which were either the Digambara / Sky clad or naked, or the Shvetambara / clad in white.

Trade and commerce were possible occupations and Jainism spread among the trading
communities.The Jainas specialised in conducting the exchange of manufactured goods, acting as middlemen, with a preference for financial transactions.

Thus Jainism came o be associated with the spread of urban culture.

Buddhism
The Buddha (of the Enlightened One), as he was called, belonged to the Shakya clan, and his father was the kshatriya raja of the Shakya gana sangha. Discourse teaching.

on the Turning of the Wheel of Law was the nucleus of the Buddhas

It incorporated the Four Noble Truths: the world is full of suffering; suffering is caused by human desires; the renunciation of desire is the path to nirvana or liberation from rebirth; and this can be achieved through the Eight fold Path. The path consisted of eight principles of action, leading to a balanced, moderate life: right views, resolves, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, recollection, and meditation, the combination of which was described as the Middle way. It required a commitment to ethical behaviour, a central feature of which was that it was not based on the principles and disabilities of the caste identity but on a concern for the welfare of humanity The establishment of Buddhist monasteries accelerated education, since they became a source of teaching, additional to the Brahmans; even more important was the fact that education was no longer restricted to the upper castes.

The Emergence of Mauryan Empire


The historical transition from the 6th to the 4th century BC saw the expansion of agriculture, the evolution of towns and the beginning of commerce on a wider scale than before Kingdoms, as against empires tend to draw the maximum profit from existing resources and therefore do not make too great an attempt at restructuring access to resources The empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who succeeded to the Nanda throne in c. 321 BC The Jaina tradition claims that towards the end of his life Chandragupta by now was an ardent Jaina, abdicted in the favour of his son Bindusar and became an ascetic. A site close to tha Jaina centre of Shravana associated by local tradition of this story

Belagola in Karnataka is

Edicts & Pillars

Edicts of Ashoka
The edicts of Ashoka, located as inscriptions in various parts of his empire, acquaint us not only with the personality of the King but also with the events of his reign and above all the policies as a ruler. The edicts do in fact speak of his concerns, both as human being and a statesman.Their almost conversational style brings to life the personality of the King. The edicts of the earlier half of his reign were inscribed on rock surfaces wherever these were conveniently located, and are therefore referred to as Minor and Major Rock Edicts. These were distributed widely throughout the empire especially in areas of permanent settlement and concentrations of people. In the latter part of his reign his edicts were inscribed on well-polished sandstone monolithic pillars, each surmounted with a finely sculpted animal capital, and these have come to be known as the Pillar Edicts. The stone was quarried from sites of Chunar near Varanasi and would have involved much technological expertise in cutting and engraving. The Pillar Edicts are confined to the Ganges plain, probably because they were transported by river. The area coincides with the heartland of the empire.

The advent of stone architecture in India is attributed to Ashok (BC 265-228) Ashoka was responsible two significant things: 1. Spread of Buddhism 2. Building an architectural language with stone as the primary material. Buddhism <> Stone

What led to the change from wooden architecture to stone architecture? Wood: (-) Perishable (+) Better material (+) Since can be easily cut, shaped (structurally and ornamentally) (+) Allows larger spans. Consequence of Indias contact with western world: 1. Through Alexanders invasion 2. Establishment of Baktrian kindgom in its proximity to Indus river.

Before Buddhism
Aryans who were dominant before the rise of Buddhism wrote book and expressed through words. They had not developed a language of aesthetic arts and architecture to express splendour and durabilty.

Mauryan Dynasty
Became the first to bring all the settlements under one rule. This marked a great cultural progress. impetus to the art of building > royal patronage. Capital Patliputra was formed. Narrow parallelogram > 9 miles long 1.5 miles wide Ranged along banks of Ganges like an immense castellated breakwater Surrounded by timber palisade with loopholes for archers and surrounded my deep-wide moat At intervals were bastions with towers > 500 in number 64 entrance gates Encompassed the royal palace > unprecedented spacious and elaborate edifice Other ornamental features: Hypostyle halls with wooden pillars > designs of vines and birds embossed in gold and silver (Hypostyle walls had long been a feature of Persian palaces) These indicate that Mauryan Dynasty was beginning to look even at that early date beyond its western boundaries for architectural inspiration. (Also confirmed from Megasthenes account of the grandeur of Mauryan Dynasty)

Persepolis Palace platform

Pataliputra

Initial Buddhist Architecture

Resembles wooden style architecture incorporated in lithic (stone) forms. 6-7 centuries later, they refine the details to true lithic forms. (structural understanding of stone comes in)

Classification:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Stambhs / Pillars Stupa / Topes Rails Chaityas / Assembly Halls Viharas / Monastries

1. Stambhs / Pillars
Stambhs or pillars are common to all styles of Indian Archtiecture. Buddhism > Inscription on shafts of pillars with emblems or animals on their capitals. Jainism > Generally lamp (diya) bearing pillars, sometimes supporting quadruple figures.

A. Edicts (law)
Collection of 33 inscriptions No Buddhist beliefs > but concepts of a humanitarian society that could be imbibed my commoners Code of conduct The inscriptions comprised of various directives and reforms instated : 1. No sacrifice of animals 2. Medical treatment for humans and animals, importation of foreign herbs, wells dug and trees planted for human and animal benefits 3. Respect for parents 4. Officials to work on various Indian and Western borders; including Greece to help people irrespective of their caste or religion 5. Welfare of people 6. Practice self-control

B. Pillars of Ashoka
Hold a high place as works of art > boldly designed and finely proportioned, often slender Base = 2.5 X diameter, Shaft = 8 to 11X diameter Purpose (architectural viewpoint) was solely monumental, as they were free-standing pillars, not part of an architectural composition

Assyrian honeybuckle Influence of West

Pillar at Allahabad The pillar is located at Allahabad fort There are inscriptions done over centuries one of the earliest from Ashokan period The pillar was first erected at Kaushambi an ancient town some 30 kilometres west of Allahabad that was the capital of the koshala kingdom. The Ashokan inscription is in Brahmi and is dated around 232 BC.

Ornate single Lion capital at Vaishali

Vaishali pillar is next to Buddhist coronation tank Faces north direction of Buddhas last voyage Different from other Ashok pillars> single lion capital

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