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In 120CE, Nahapana, the chief of Western Kshatrapas, constructed and consecrated the Great Chaitya Hall in Karle.

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Buddhist Temple and the Living Rock (1st Century BCE - 1st Century CE)

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Buddhist Temple and the Living Rock (1st Century BCE - 1st Century CE)

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Buddhist Temple and the Living Rock is a significant historical period because it resembles people's efforts toward their beliefs. The picture above shows the Great Chaitya Hall, which resembles a stone sacred space. It was built inside a mountain and carved from "the living rock." It is a Buddhist cathedral and a communal space for meditating. Its design is longitudinal and helps take spiritual people deep into the recesses of the Earth. Our professor mentions that this took a tremendous amount of effort. This proves that this was a significant historical period because it shows what people were putting their effort towards during that period. It also helps us understand why people would put so much effort into something we are not entirely familiar with. It is a physical representation of symbolic concepts. When you reach the end of the hall, there is a stupa. It is carved out of solid mountain rock, meaning it is completely solid with no space inside.

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The Caves at Ajanta, India, c. 200 B.C.E. – 650 C.E. (public domain)

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The caves at Ajanta are an icon of Indian art and have influenced outside artists as well. It was accidentally found in 1819 by British soldiers while they were hunting. The caves are dark because it is essential for the experience. It helps add a sense of mysteriousness. They added oil lamps after some time, but they were later removed, and now the caves remain completely dark again. It helps keep the caves in their original state. The caves are numbered. The first cave has a painting that can be found on the left of the main shrine. It resembles a significant figure bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara. “Bodhisattva” means the Buddhist spirit has awakened someone. The painting also shows the traditional jewelry of India. The lotus blossom resembles spiritual awakening and meditation, which was essential to Indian culture at the time. His face is also calm, and his eyes are low, which sets the mood of the picture and resembles how people want to be.

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During this part of Asian history, people were very engaged in poetry, prose, drama, mathematics, and astronomy. This allowed them to learn more and advance in these skills/subjects. Many famous writers, such as Kālidāsa, were one of the most influential writers. Kālidāsa's work would even influence future generations. The most significant part of this era is that Aryabhata, an astronomer, calculated that one solar year is 365.3586805 days. Early observers who noticed the sophisticated and artistic skills of the people during the Gupta period named it the "Golden Age of Indian Culture." Art after the Gupta period was considered not as classical as the period before it. The part "Golden Age" was included because of their classical art style. For example, this was the age when the temples at Ajanta and Elephanta were made, and they were complex and more detailed. Another example is Madhya Pradesh's Udaigiri complex of rock-cut caves.

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Entrance into the Rajarajesvara (sometimes spelled Rajarajeshwara) temple complex, c. 1004–1010, Chola period, Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu (photo: KARTY, CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Rajarajesvara temple, Tanjavur (1004 CE–1010 CE)

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Rajarajesvara temple, Tanjavur (1004 CE–1010 CE)

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This temple was built by one of the most successful rulers during the medieval period. The ruler's name was Rajaraja Chola l. He ruled an empire in an area that is now known as South India. The capital was Cholas and the Chola rulers would have a significant impact on the art and architecture of the ninth century. They were rich due to their ability to harness water from the river basin which advanced their agriculture and irrigation technology. The temple resembles the amount of time, people, and resources spent on it because of the immense amount of detail within it. The height of the temple was also a sign of royalty just as buildings are a sign of powerful companies today. It was a place for music, performances, and spiritual education. It had a grand entrance and was ready to protect whenever they needed to. The structure of the building is complex and has many architectural advancements.

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Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja), c. 11th century, Copper alloy, Chola period, (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

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Shiva as Lord of the Dance (11th Century CE)

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Shiva as Lord of the Dance (11th Century CE)

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The statue above is one example of statues worshiped by Hindus. It is a sacred object, and "Nataraja" (nata) means dance or performance, while (raja) means king or lord. After the eleventh century, Hindu devotees carried the statue in parades and would dress in red and green clothes. The gold jewelry was to indicate that the human form of the gods would be fancy and elegant. Shiva is an influential figure in the Hindu religion because it represents energy within the cosmos. There are specific details to look at within the picture. For example, Shiva is frozen in the moment of his dance and is surrounded by a cosmic circle of fire. Specifically, it is a circle of mass, time, and space. On his upper right hand, there is a damaru. The "drum whose beats syncopate the act of creation and the passage of time." His lower right hand is holding a gesture that signals, "Be not afraid, for those who follow the path of righteousness will have my blessing."