Indian Temple Architecture - Buddhist-1

B U D D H I ST A RC H I T EC T U R E
Ar.Ravindra Patnayaka
INTRODUCTION
• Indian temples have been a source of attraction, not

only as a place of worship for the devout, but also as an
architectural marvel for the curious tourist.
• Indian temples with its imposing towers, intricate

carvings and awe inspiring size were in fact the result of a
gradual evolution over time.
VEDIC VILLAGE
MAGADHA VILLAGE
BUDDHIST
ARCHITECTURE
• EARLY ROCK-CUT ARCHITECTURE

• STUPAS
• STHAMBAS
• VIHARAS
• CHAITYAS
STUPAS
STUPAS
• A stupa is a mound-like structure containing buddhist relics,
typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place
of worship.
• These stupas are the circular tumuli built of earth, covered
with stone or brick, the plan, elevation, section and the total
form of which were all derived from circle.
STUPAS
• Relic stupa, in which the relics or remains of the Buddha, his
disciples and lay saints are interred.
• Object stupa, in which the items interred are objects belonged to
the Buddha or his disciples such as a begging bowl or robe, or
important Buddhist scriptures.
• Commemorative stupa, built to commemorate events in the lives
of Buddha or his disciples.
• Symbolic stupa, to symbolise aspects of Buddhist theology, for
example, Borobuddur is considered to be the symbol of "the Three
Worlds (dhatu) and the spiritual stages (bhumi) in a
Mahayana bodhisattva's character."
• Votive stupa, constructed to commemorate visits or to gain
spiritual benefits, usually at the site of prominent stupas which are
regularly visited.
Sanchi Stupa
• The 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India and was
originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd
century BCE.
• Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics
of the Buddha.
• •It has four profusely carved ornamental Gateways and a balustrade
encircling the whole structure.
• DOME- is a solid brick-work 32.32m in diameter and 12.8m high.
• The dome has a slight ‘crushed’ profile at top and was surmounted by
HARMIKA with a central triple UMBRELLA.
• The facing of the dome consists of dry masonry composed of hammer
dressed stones laid in even courses.
• The terrace 4.87m high from ground was added thus creating a separate
and upper AMBULATORY passage 1.8m wide access to which was provided
by a double staircase with high BALUSTRADE, on the south side.
• There are four gateways known as
‘TORANAS’ at the cardinal points
to the compass and are slightly
staggered from the railing
enclosing stupa.
• The ambulatory or pradakshina
path is fenced by railing 3.35m
high all around the stupa.
• Outside the railing there once
stood the famous Asoka pillar, the
fragments of which are noticed
now to the right of southern
Torana
Sanchi Stupa
• Canopy layers known as Chatri at the
top of the stupa represent Buddha’s
past, present and future
HARMIKA
STUPA
Ushnisha TORANA
(Coping) (Gateway)
Suchi
(Rails)
Thamba
(Posts)
VEDIKA - Railing AAYAKA VEDIKA - Terrace

Pardakhina Path
(Ambulatory Path)
Stupa: Toranas
Stupa: Toranas
• Toranas, the entrance to the ambulatory
(Aayaka) were accepted as the
traditional type of ceremonial portals
and excel the array of architectural
embellishment.
• Torana consists of two square upright
columns with capital of lion or elephant
heads denoting strength.
• These columns support three separate
horizontal panels between each of
which is a row of ornamental balusters.
• The total height of this erection is
somewhat 10.36m with a width of 3m
Stupa and Asoka Pillar, Vaishali
• Emperor Asoka is believed to have redistributed the holy
relics of the Buddha and enshrined them in vast stupas across
his Empire in Bihar.
Dhamekh Stupa
• The stupa at Sarnath marks the spot
where the Buddha gave his first
sermon after attaining
enlightenment.
• The present stupa is 31.3 meters tall

and 28.3 meters wide/ 128 feet high
and 93 feet in diameter.
• Swastika and lotus wreath designs

cover the lower portion.
Santi Stupa, Dhauligiri, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
(Picture courtesy Archaeological Survey of India)
Shanti Stupa at Indraprastha park ,
New Delhi, India
Amaravathi Stupa
• Amaravati which also known as Amrawati or Amraoti is a popular
ancient city, which lies on the bank of River Krishna at a distance of
65 kilometers from Vijaywada in Hyderabad,Andhrapradesh
• Founded by an emissary of the great Emperor Ashoka, it is also

known as the Mahastupa and Deepaladinne (the Mound of Lamps).
• The stupa is made of brick with a circular vedika and depicts Lord
Buddha in a human form, subduing an elephant.
AMARAVATHI STUPA
Amaravathi Stupa
AMARAVATHI STUPA - MINIATURE

AMARAVATHI STUPA
Railing crossbar with monks worshiping a
fiery pillar, a symbol of the Buddha, , Great
Stupa of Amaravati
Railing pillar with the

Interpretation of the Dream of
Queen Maya, Great Stupa of Drum slab from the Great Stupa at
Amaravati Amaravati, 3rd C. AD
STHAMBAS
STHAMBAS OR LATHS
• These pillars are common to all
the styles of Indian architecture.
With the Buddhist they were
employed to bear inscriptions on
their shafts, with emblems or
animals on their capital.
• Typical Buddhist column are of

two type one is based on
persepolitian type and other
graeco-roman type.
Persepolitian type is a octagonal
with bell shaped capital supporting
animal sculpture. The shaft is
highly polished and has a vase-
shaped base.
Graeco-roman type is rectangular with shallow flutes. They
are tall and slender, the height nearly six to eight times its
lower diameter. At the top is a capital usually with a fluted
vase motif.
Columns in Ajantha Caves

ASHOKA PILLAR
VIHARAS
VIHARAS
Usually built to a set plan, they have a hall meant for
congregational prayer with a running verandah on three sides or
an open courtyard surrounded by a row of cells and a pillared
verandah in front.
These cells served as dwelling places for the monks. These

monastic buildings built of bricks were self-contained units and had
a Chaitya hall or Chaitya mandir attached to a stupa - the chief
object of worship.
Some of the important Buddhist viharas are those at Ajanta, Ellora.

Nasik, Karle, Kanheri, Bagh and Badami. The Hinayana viharas
found in these places have many interesting features which
differentiate them from the Mahayana type in the same regions.
VIHARAS Though plain from the point of view of architecture,
they are large ha1ls with cells excavated in the walls on
three sides.
The hall has one or more entrances.
The small cells, each with a door have one or two

stone platforms to serve as beds.
BUDDHIST VIHARAS
VIHARAS OR MONASTERIES
An individual sleeping room with rock-cut bed, Bhaja
VUNDAVALLI CAVES
CHAITYAS
BUDDHIST CHAITYA HALL
• Chaityas or ‘sacred spots’ are the temples as well as assembly
halls created out of the particular demands of buddhist
religion. These became necessary to accommodate those
who congregated to pay their homage.
• These have a small rectangular door-way which opens to a
vaulted Hall, with apsidal end and divided longitudinally by
two colonnades forming a broad nave in the centre and two
side aisles.
• At end is a stupa also carved in natural rock with enough
space around it for circumambulation
• The roof is usually VAULTED semi-circular.
BUDDHIST CHAITYA HALL
CHAITYA - SUN WINDOW
CHAITYA HALL
Cave 19 Chaitya hall, Ajanta Cave Complex
Bhaja, Rock-cut Chaitya Hall
Bhaja, Rock-cut Chaitya Hall show that wood had been used in the
roofing and entrance arches.
The chaitya at Bhaja is a long hall 16.75 metres long and 8 metres
broad with an apse at the end.
The hall is divided into a central nave and an aisle on either side
flanked by two rows of pillars.
The roof is vaulted.
The rock-cut stupa in the apse is crowned by a wooden harmika.

The chaitya has a large arched torana or entrance with an arched
portico.
Chaityas - Bhaja
(Picture courtesy Archaeological Survey of India)
Entrance to the rock-cut Buddhist temple (vihara),
Cave 12, at Bhaja, Maharashtra, 2nd-1st c. BCE
Bhaja-- the carved "rafters" that imitate wooden beam
construction
Karle, Chaitya Hall
Hinayana rock architecture reaches the peak

of excellence in the splendid chaitya at Karle.
The Chaitya has a double-storeyed facade and has

three doorways in the lower part.
The walls of the vestibule to the chaitya hall are

decorated with sculptured figures of couples.
It is crowned by the original wooden chhatra. This is

the most beautiful of the chaityas.
• The pillars separating the central nave from the aisles have a pot base,
an octagonal shaft, inverted lotus capital with an abacus.
• The abacus has exquisitely carved pairs of elephants kneeling down, each
with a couple in front and caparisoned horses with riders on them.
GANDHARA ART
GANDHARA ART
NAGARJUNA KONDA
LEPAKSHI HANDICRAFTS RETAIL OUTLET, TANK BUND - HYDERABAD
AJANTHA AND ELLORA CAVES
Plan of Ajanata Cave
View of Ajanata Cave
Detailed view of Ajanata Cave
Detailed facade view of Ajanata Cave Interior view of Ajanta cave
External view of Ajanta cave
Interior view of Ajanta cave External view of Ajanta cave
Entrance view of Ajanta cave
External pillars of Ajanta cave Interior pillars of Ajanta cave
External pillars of Ajanta cave
View of caves from another cave

View of hills from caves
Famous Paintings of Ajanta caves
Famous Paintings of Ajanta caves
Plan of Ellora Cave
ELLORA

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B U D D H I ST A RC H I T EC T U R E

• Indian temples have been a source of attraction, not

• Indian temples with its imposing towers, intricate

• EARLY ROCK-CUT ARCHITECTURE

VEDIKA - Railing AAYAKA VEDIKA - Terrace

• The present stupa is 31.3 meters tall

• Swastika and lotus wreath designs

• Founded by an emissary of the great Emperor Ashoka, it is also

AMARAVATHI STUPA - MINIATURE

Railing pillar with the

• Typical Buddhist column are of

Columns in Ajantha Caves

These cells served as dwelling places for the monks. These

Some of the important Buddhist viharas are those at Ajanta, Ellora.

The hall has one or more entrances.

The small cells, each with a door have one or two

CHAITYA - SUN WINDOW

The roof is vaulted.

The rock-cut stupa in the apse is crowned by a wooden harmika.

Hinayana rock architecture reaches the peak

The Chaitya has a double-storeyed facade and has

The walls of the vestibule to the chaitya hall are

It is crowned by the original wooden chhatra. This is

View of caves from another cave

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