Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/647

* INDIAN AKT. 563 INDIAN ART. brilliant creations of Indian art. Another group of subterranean temples is on the island of Ele- phanta (qv.), dating approximately from the eighth ccnturj-, and easily visited from Bombay. The absorption of Buddhism by Brahmanism, seen during its earlier stages at Ellora, is almost complete at Elephanta, as shown by the sculp- tures and ritual. Some of the colossal statues are vorj' impressive. In the South Buddhism never had a strong hold, and its monuments begin after Jaina and Bralimin supremacy. Here also are, however, some subterranean rock-cut temples, the earliest monuments in the region. There are two groups, at Mahabalipur and at Badami. At the former is a most iiiteresting series of small monolithic temples in the open, similar to the Kailasa at Ellora, and apparently the prototypes of the later pagodas of the South. Both groups are thouglit to belong to the sixth century A.n., and are among the earliest known Brahmin temples. The finest temple at Badami, though small — as are all these monuments — is beautifully execut- ed in every detail, and unusually sTnmetrical. The sculpture is very profuse, particularly if we consider their early date; but it is less riot- ous than in the North. All these buildings are better lighted than the earlier rock-cut temples, which received light only through a big arched opening over the entrance, while here the en- tire facade is open. There seems now to be a gap of about four centuries in the art of the South, until we reach the earliest pagodas. Pagoda architecture is characteristic of this region. Its most striking example is at Chidambaram. The plan is a large rectangle about .500 X 400 meters, having a gopitram at each cardinal point. These gopu- rams are rectangular truncated ptTamids in sev- eral stories ; the largest is about 50 meters high and has seven stories. There is a large sacred pond 100 X 60 meters, and the main temple has a thousand columns and measures 103 X 60 X 13 meters. In contrast with the buildings of the North is not only the enormous scale of such monuments, and their elaborate accessories, but also a radical difference in the proportions. The piers are f.ir more slender and higher, with sim- pler outlines, and the interior effects are better. Even earlier is the pagoda at Tanjore (eleventh century), with a great gopuram tnwer in fifteen stories directly over the sanctuary; the HianJo- jiam or temple of the sacred bull, an open colon- naded shrine in three aisles, is a beautiful ex- ample of delicate lofty proportions and wide in- teriors. Another group of extremely sacred pagodas — inaccessible to Europeans — is at Tri- pctty; still another at Conjeveram. But the greatest group in the entire South is ai Vijanagara (q.v.), which has remained a deserted city since 1505. Its monuments are com- paratively late, dating mostly from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and they belong to the culminating period of art in this region. The great pagoda of Liva and the temple of Vitoba illustrate the grandiose and monumental char- acter of the buildings, although their taste is less pure than that of previous centuries. Still later is the great pagoda at Madura, an immense and imposing composition (seventeenth century). One of the best portions is the present Bazar or 'Puthu Mantapam,' 100 X 30 meters, with a roof supported by an imposing avenue of 128 piers, mostly in the form of realistic monsters and divinities, in a style much used in the South, but never with such richness and life-like detail as here. In the matter of size and imposing composition nothing equals the great pagoda of Srirangam, one of the most gigantic edifices in the world. In the construction of the great pagodas it was the custom to make any a<iditions by throwing out another concentric quadrangle, with its series of gopuram pyramids, the original sanctuarj" re- maining in the centre; and, peculiarly enough, every time another quadrangle was erected its gopurams were higher than the preceding, so that the central gopurams ended by seeming in- significant. At Srirangam successive rulers had added to the original pagoda until there were seven concentric rectangles, the outer one meas- uring 880 X 700 meters. Aside from its size, there is little merit in the structure, as it is bare or poor in detail and design. As a whole these Southern pagodas are the most impressive buildings in India. There is a region in the South, Mysore, which remains an architectural mystery. Hardly touched by explorers, it promises a rich and orig- inal harN'cst, if we can judge from the temples of the deserted cities of Baillur and Hullabid, won- derful and delicate creations, showing a sense of proportion and restraint unusual in India. Buddhist Sttle ix Neighborixg Lands. Passing now to outlying parts of India and neighboring provinces, we find in the seques- tered province of Nepal, between India and Tibet, an archaic style that explains some of the origins of Indian art and illustrates the connec- tion with China. A first tvpe of monument is that of the large circular domical stupas of earth and brick, surrounded not by a balustrade, but a simple plinth, and dedicated to Buddha. These are the earliest (Sambimath. Buddnath). A second and far commoner type is that of the pagoda-like temples in brick and wood formed of several stories of superposed roofs, each one in retreat and raised at the comers, in perfect analogy to Chinese monuments (Bhatgaon. Pa- tan ). A third type is that of stone temples of quite a different style and of admirable design. Chronologically all these buildings are late — not more than two to five centuries old — but they represent earlier types in a region that remained in a prehistoric undeveloped condition. So the class of pagoda-like temples of brick and stone is of extreme interest. It is the same in Burma, where many monasteries were built of wood or brick, and forms of Babylonian origin are per- petuated. Of even greater architectural interest is Cam- bodia, whose ruined cities have only recently been discovered, with buildin>p; dating between 9.50 and 1350. Here brick construction and stonework are very successfully combined. The ancient capital. Angkor, has a superb series of temples, particularly that of Nakhon Wat. It-s inclosure measures about one mile each way. and the build- ings are well composed. As in Southern India, there is a large pond surrounded by courts, cor- ridors, and temples. Grouped pyramids are used, in stories of decreasing size. Monumental stair- cases most effectively connect the buildings. The sculpture is exceedingly rich, but is symmetric- ally arransed. and the lines are not broken up, but compose simply in a manner quite un-Indian.