Buddhist Art & Architecture in Karnataka

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Buddha radiated his love and compassion in all directions. The Buddha image is the personification of peace, serenity, hope and goodwill. The magnetic and radiant smile of the Buddha which is said to be inscrutable and enigmatic is the epitome of his doctrine. To the worried and the frustrated, his smile of enlightenment and hope is an unfailing tonic and soothing balm.
Buddha Cultivated his sense of humor to such a high decree that his bitter opponents were disarmed with the greatest ease often they could not help laughing at themselves. The Buddha had a wonderful tonic he cleaned their system of dangerous toxins and they became enthusiastic. Therefore to follow in his footsteps in his sermons, dialogues, discussions, he maintained that poise and dignity which won for him the respect and affection of the people.
Buddhism had its birth in India, but spread to all eastern countries like Japan, Tibet, China, Nepal, Indo-china, Indonesia, Malaya, Sri Lanka, Islands like Java, and Sumatra because of its holy approach towards life. Of course Karnataka like Sannathi of Gulbarga dist., kadri, Kapu, Badami, Bellary, Chitradurga, Kadagoda etc.
In spreading Buddhism to a greatest extent to every nook and corner of India, Karnataka and thereby through Sri Lanka to the whole world.

Jayashree Baburao Deshmanya daughter of freedom fighter, born in Gulbarga famous for Sharanabasaveshwara temple. She completed 10th in Priyadarshini high school, Degree in Godutai Sharanabasaveshwara Arts and Commerce college for woman. She was vice president of college and vice-president of IAS coaching for 3 years. She finished post-graduation with first class from Gulbarga University.
She passed out KAS mains twice in 1998-1999 batches. In 2008 awarded Ph.D. from Karnatak University Dharwad. Dr. Jayashree has got four diplomas from Karnatak University, Diploma in Ambedkar studies, Gandhian studies, Epigraphy, Prachalekha She has 10 years teaching experience in various degree colleges and also simultaneously Karnatak University Ambedkar Studies for 7 years. She is activity involved in large number of academic activities. Her research papers are published in National and International Journals.
She has participated state, national, international seminars and presented papers. Presently, she is working as a lecturer in Karnataka Arts College, Dharwad. Dr. Jayashree Deshmanya is dynamic and academic in nature.

I am extremely happy to write the foreword that Dr. Smt. Jayashree Deshmanya is bringing out the book after getting the Ph.D. award. She has carried out Ph.D. sesson on the subject carried out under my guidance. The Buddhism was existed in Karnataka from the Mouryan period to end of Chalukyas of Kalyana. It has been known from the published literary and archaeological as well as epigraphical remains of Karnataka. Many scholars the officers and others have made their efforts to publish the articles and books on Buddhist monuments, sculptures and inscriptions of various periods of Karnataka.
The results of the excavations carried out at Banavasi, Sannati and Rajaghatta are providing the information of two sects of Buddhism one Hinayana and the other Mahayana. The sporadic explorations conducted by Kapataral Krishnarao, M.S. Nagaraja Rao, Sundara, Gururaj Bhat and many others have brought out more Buddhist sculptures and inscriptions of the Karnataka. Among them the imags of Buddha at Balligavi, Ankola, Kadri and other places, the images of Tarabhagavati found at Balligavi, Dambal, Kolivada and other places are significant. The study of these materials are found scattered in various books and journals besides each sculpture as well as each monument of Buddhism of Karnataka were hardly studied in detail and documented them including their locations at places. In view of this Dr. Jayashree Deshamnya choiced this subject and carried out research work in Karnataka. She collected the data published by various scholars and noticed by herself along with me at one place Tunnuru near Sannathi and made the detailed study of the Buddhist remains of Karnataka. The present book provides the entire study of Buddhist remains both religious and secular upto pre-Vijayanagara times. This book is useful to the students, teachers and the common people for understanding the existence of Buddhism in Karnataka from the earliest period. The new findings appear in the subsequent periods can also be incorporated in this work in near future I hope this will be a primary model to professional the other religions of Karnataka. I therefore extend my heartily congratulations to Dr. Smt. Jayashree Deshmanya for her sincere efforts to complete the research work and now publishing the same in the form of present book. I hope this work provides largely also expect to find out still Buddhist Art and Archaeology of Karnataka more Buddhist remains in Karnataka.

Due to the genuine interest in the study of Buddhism, 1 selected the topic on Buddhism in Karnataka with special reference to art and architecture in Karnataka in consultation with my research guide Dr. R.M Shadaksharaih. By then, the work on Buddhism was done by Vasantkumar Taltaje, e, discovery of Buddhist sites and its remains, the epigrapha and the sculptures were found and published in various journals and reports. Obviously the Buddhist monuments, epigraphs and sculptures of religious and secular nature were needed to be studied.
It is indeed largely the field-oriented study. I first chalked out the program and started the work for which I have intensively carried out the fieldwork- to study the Buddhist sites and remains in various angles besides I consulted the libraries of various Universities and the Institution.
Basically this book was Ph.D. Research work with some modifications which were modified and published work in the book form. This book has been consisted of 8 chapters with interlinked.
1 Chapter: This chapter deals with the earlier works done by scholars
II Chapter: This chapter deals with patronage given by different dynasties to Buddhism in Karnataka, like Mauryas, Shatavahanas, Chalukyas, Badami Chalukyas, Kalyani Chalukyas etc.
III Chapter: The title of the topic itself suggests that chapter deals with General Bird's eye view of Buddhism.