CHAITYA HALL

BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE
 CHAITYA HALL
• The great stupa, though a magnificent structure, had its limitations. It was essentially an open air edifice
incapable of being used in inclement weather. The need was felt, therefore, for an enclosed hall in which a
miniature stupa could be conveniently worshipped the years round. The simplest solution was to place the
stupa at the end of a long rectangular hall. Soon, however, they realized that the circular stupa sat rather
incongruously within its rectangular enclosure. The walls directly behind the stupa were then made semi-
circular to echo the profile of the stupa
• The path for the rituals if circumambulation around the stupa was also thus clearly defined. The roof of
such a structure was the familiar barrel vault in timber, covered with tile and supported on brick walls
framed by timber pillars.

Source:Buddhist and hindu architecture in India (pg no.45)

Author:Satish Grover
publication: CBS publishers and distributors
Edition: 2003
 WHAT ARE CHAITYAS ?
• Chaityas are a Buddhist shrine or a prayer hall with stupa at one end.
• Made for large gatherings of devotees.
• Made in rock cut due to permanency.
• Chaityas were influenced by ascetic lifestyle of Vedic period and tendency of hermits to retire in solitude.
 Basic characteristics
• Accommodates stupa
• Apsidal plan
• Vaulted hall
• Colonnades
• Side aisles

en.m.wikipedia.org
 Why a Chaitya hall ?
• The evolved from being a funerary mound
carrying object of worship, had a sacral value.
• Building needed to accommodate copies of
stupa and provide shelter.
• A structural house for religious activities.
• Birth of temple with idol worship.

CONCEPT OF CHAITYA HALL

en.m.wikipedia.org
 Chaitya Caves
• Architecturally chaityas show
similarities to roman
architecture concepts of
columns and arch.
• The monks built many
structures which were carved
out of a single massive rock,
done with hammer bare
hand.
• The chaityas were almost
40meters long, 15meters
wide and 15meter high.
Plan and section of the great Karli caves (100 B.C) in the western
ghats of India (pg no.54)
Source:Buddhist and hindu architecture in India
Author:Satish Grover
publication: CBS publishers and distributors
Edition: 2003
 DESIGN
• The pillars had three parts: prop, which is the base which is buried into the
ground; the shaft, the main body of the pillar which is polished and chiselled; and
capital, the head of the pillar where figures of animals are carved.
• The stupa at the end of the Chaitya hall has a umbrella at the top. This umbrella
suggest association with Buddhism.
• There is wooden facade, made out of teak wood. The façade makes it look as if
the entire structure was resting on the back of an elephant with ivory and metal
ornaments.

Plan and section of the great Karli caves (100 B.C) in the
western ghats of India.
Wikiwand.com
 Chaitya arch
• Chaityas normally had a great horseshoe archway with a small
or screen below.
• There was sun window in centre of the archway for light.

Development of chaitya arch

from the lomas rishi cave on,
from a book by Percy brown.
en.m.wikipedia.org
Source:Buddhist and hindu architecture in India (pg no.69)
Author:Satish Grover
publication: CBS publishers and distributors
Edition: 2003
 Bhaja Caves
upload.wikimedia.org/wikimedia/com
Chaitya of Ajanta caves (cave no. 10)
www.rocksea.org/chaitya-cavesajanta
 Chaitya of Ajanta caves (cave no. 9)
www.rocksea.org/chaitya-cavesajanta