Gupta Art And Architecture (With Special Reference To Madhya Pradesh)

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This work gives for the first time a detailed documentation on Gupta Art and Architecture in Madhya Pradesh in a scientific and critical style. It deals with the plan and elevation and component parts of the Gupta temples i.e. Jagati, Adhishthana wall, roof, sikhara, ceiling, pillars and pilasters, doorways and mouldings along with their classification. On the other hand it throws light on the geographical setting of the Gupta temples, their origin and development during Gupta and post Gupta periods, chronology of the temples mainly based on inscriptional, sculptural and architectural evidences, Bagh paintings, their style and technique, sculptures and sculptors and their tools. The study has been presented in a lucid and expressive manner, documented with Bibliography, Maps, Photographs and sketches.

Dr. S.N. Mishra (born in 1955 at Banarazs did B.Sc. in 1978 from Bhopal University, Bhopal, M.A. in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaelogy in 1980 from Ravi shankar University, Rajpur, P.G. Diploma in Archeology in 1982 from Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi and Ph.D. in 1988 from Bhopal. He worked in the kalilbanga Excavation Reporting Section, New Delhi, as curator, Birla Museum Bhopal, and as Assistant Professor in Prachya Niketan (A Centre of Advanced studies in Indology and Muselogy, Bhopal). Since 1989 he has been working as lecturer in the Department of Ancient Indian His tory Culture and Archaelogy, Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur. He actively took part in the exca vations at Ramapuram (Distt. Kar nool), Gilaulikhero (Distt. Morena), Kakrahta (Distt. Jabalpur), Nad ner (Distt. Sehore) and Kotra (Distt. Dewas).

He has been doing research on the early temples in Madhya Pradesh since 1983 and has pro duced a number of research papers on Art and Architeculture. He is a member of Board of Stud ies of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, R.D. University, Jabalpur, Indian Association for the study of conservation of cultural property and Madhya Pradesh Puratattva Par ishad.

It is a well known fact that art, architecture or iconography, gradually change form or adopt a modified form through ages. It then follows that art objects and architectural monuments are supposed to have been studied from beginning to end. Such methodical approach alone can enable us to grasp the rise, growth and culmination of the architecture and art objects and enliven our assessment and apprecia tion of the same. Owing to its location and environment the region of Madhya Pradesh has been fortunate in preserving early temples in a much better form than several other areas of the country. The moderate climate and resources for livelihood, abundantly found in this region, provided necessary facilities to the ancient people. The extensive area of Madhya Pradesh provides a rich field for the study of art and architecture of Gupta period. Some of the existing early temples are well known and well documented, but most of them still remain obscure and unknown and this is the sole aim of this work to bring them to light and trace out the clear picture of their origin, develop ment, distribution and characteristic features in a single volume by critically discussing them in detail within the limits of Madhya Pradesh. Among the scholars who have produced voluminous informa tive works on the Gupta art and architecture special mention may be made of General A. Cunningham, Sir John Marshall, A.Foucher, Dr., A.K. Coomaraswamy, R.D. Banerji, V.S. Agrawal, K. Deva, K.D. Bajpai, S.K. Saraswati, D.R. Patil, P. Chandra, J.C. Harle, P.K. Agrawal, J.G. Williams etc. Except for a few books, that cover the temples at Sanchi, Udayagiri, Eran, Tigawa, Bhumara, Nachna- Kuthara, Sirpur etc. there are hardly any books which have examined the details of all the Gupta temples, their parts, sculptures and paintings in a scientific and critical manner.

The present work has been divided into eight Chapters. Chapter I is concerned with the ruling dynasties, ancient texts on art and architecture of the Gupta period, foreign accounts, archaeological sources and list of Gupta temples. In this work only those temples have been included which share some of the Gupta characteristic elements of building ornamentation, i.e., figures of Ganga and Yamuna, lion, ghata-pallava, lotus, 'T-shaped door- frame, stambha-shakha, bell-capital etc. and simple architectural features, i.e., plan (small garbhagriha and mandapa), flat-roof, channel spouts etc. irrespective of the fact that they were constructed during the Gupta period or later. Chapter II deals with the classification of temples (including caves), plan, jagati, adhishṭhana, wall, architrave, lintel, ceiling, roof, doorway, pillar, pilaster and their salient features respectively, mate rial used in the construction of temples and origin and development of temples (from 4th-7th century A.D.).

Chapter III is related with the general survey, origin and develop ment of Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina sculptures. Chapter IV and V cover those decorative items which were in vogue in the decoration of caves and temples during the Gupta period. The Bagh paintings have been dealt with separately in Chapter IV. Chapter V includes the sculptural decorative motifs which have been classified into vegital, divine, human, animal and miscellaneous items to make it more comprehensive. In Chapter VI an attempt has been made to date Gupta temples on the basis of inscriptional, art and architectural evidences.

**Contents and Sample Pages**