Bairat Temple
Bairat Temple | ||
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Year consecrated 3rd century BCE | | |
Status | Artifacts removed | |
Location | ||
Location | India India | |
Geographic coordinates | 27°25′02″N 76°09′44″E / 27.417116°N 76.16229°E |
Bairat Temple is a freestanding
It is situated in the ancient region of Matsya Janpad, a centre of vedic sacrifices in early literary and epigraphic references. Thus evidence of a flourishing Buddhist centre from this region is very significant. Bairat temple has been given attention by several archaeologists such as Cunningham and later by Carlleyle, Bhandarkar and Dayaram Sahni. The significant structures at the site of Bairat include a monastery and numerous remnants of Asokan pillars beside the circular temple.
Circular Temple and Artefacts at Bairat
The circular temple is constructed on the lower platform. It is surrounded by a circumambulatory path. It is a structural temple that had made use of fire burnt bricks. It has crevices that indicate that it was surrounded by wooden pillars. The lime-plastered panels of brickwork in the shrine alternate with twenty-six octagonal pillars of wood.It shows two circles in plan and has no precedent of the kind. Dayaram Sahni has suggested that Bairat temple is the oldest structural temple and it served as model for the numerous rock-cut temples of Western and Eastern India.[5] The monastery attached to the shrine is elaborate with cells being large enough to accommodate just a single monk or nun. It is situated on the upper platform. Many portable antiquities like pottery jars, lamps etc have also been found on the site. All the evidence indiacate that Bairat temple was highly revered in the contemporary Buddhist world.
Sahni suggests that the elaborate structures indiacte sincreasing visibility of Buddhist sites. The remarkable presence of structures like the Bairat temple can be linked to increasing populaity of Buddhism at the time. Mauryan king Asoka's support and inetrest led to extraordinary development of Buddhist art. It appears that Rajasthan did not remain untouched with this wave of Buddhism.[4] The sangharam of Bairat and the circular stupa at the Bijak hills were definitely majestic. They evidence that Buddhism existed here in a developed stage.
A rare circular stand-alone temple
Early
Today, only the foundation of the temple remains.
It has been suggested that this circular design with columns was derived from the similar design of the Greek Tholos.[3] However local circular hut designs are a more probable source of inspiration.[3]
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Another view of the remains.
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Temple plan.
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Drawing of original temple
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Relief of a circular temple, Bharhut, circa 100 BCE.
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Early circular Mahabodhi Temple, Bharhut, circa 100 BCE.
Minor Rock Edict of Ashoka
A
The Edict, relocated since the 19th century to the
The
Samghahopes they are both well and comfortable.It is known to you, Sirs, how great is my reverence and faith in the
Samgha.Whatsoever, Sirs, has been spoken by the blessed Buddha, all that is quite well spoken.
But, Sirs, what would indeed appear to me (to be referred to by the words of the scripture): "thus the true Dharma will be of long duration", that I feel bound to declare:
The following expositions of the Dharma, Sirs, (viz.) the Vinaya-Samukasa ("The Exaltation of Discipline"), the Aliya-vasas ("The Ideal Mode of Life"), the Anagata-bhayas ("Fears to Come"), the Muni-gathas ("The Songs of the Hermit"), the Moneya-Suta ("Discourse on the Hermit Life"), the Upatisa-pasina ("The Questions of Upatishya"), and the Laghulovada ("The Sermon to
Rahula") which was spoken by the blessed Buddha concerning falsehood, — I desire, Sirs, that many groups of monks and (many) nuns may repeatedly listen to these expositions of the Dharma and may reflect (on them).In the same way both
laymen and laywomen(should act).For the following (purpose), Sirs, am I causing this to be written, (viz.) in order that they may know my intention.
— Adapted from Inscriptions of Asoka. New Edition by E. Hultzsch 1925 p.172 Public Domain
This edict was the basis for the efforts at deciphering
.The inscription of Asoka found from this region addresse the Buddhist monks.There must have been a considerable presence of the Buddhist monks in Bairat. But the centre must have declined in later period and a change in situation is recorded in the travelogue of Hieun-tsang who wrote that the popularity of Buddhism in Bairat was not what he had imagined it to be.
Other circular temples
Some of the earliest free-standing temples may have been of a circular type.
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Bodhi tree temple depicted in Sanchi, Stupa 1, Southern gateway.
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Remains of the circular rock-hewn circular Chaitya with columns, Tulja Caves.
Apsidal temples
Another early free-standing temple in India, this time
See also
References
- ^ a b "ASI Notice". Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Cunningham, Sir Alexander (1871). Archaeological Survey Of India Four Reports Made During The Years 1862 - 63 - 64 - 65 Volume Ii. pp. 242–248. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Le Huu Phuoc, 2010, p.233-237
- ^ from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Archaeological Remains and Excavations at Bairat". INDIAN CULTURE. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ISBN 9780199088140. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Chandra (2008)
- ISBN 978-81-7305-321-4. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ Cunningham, Alexander (1871). Archaeological Survey Of India Vol.2. p. 247.
- ISBN 978-93-87022-26-3. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ Proceedings of the Meetings of the Session, Volume 24, Indian Historical Records Commission, 1948 "the discovery at Bairat of the Asokan inscription which, in the hands of James Prinsep, became the key for unravelling and deciphering the edicts of King Piyadasi"
- ^ "Sowing the Seeds of the Lotus: A Journey to the Great Pilgrimage Sites of Buddhism, Part I" by John C. Huntington. Orientations, November 1985 pg 61
- ^ Buddhist Architecture, Huu Phuoc Le, Grafikol, 2010 p.240
- ^ A Global History of Architecture, Francis D. K. Ching, Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash, John Wiley & Sons, 2017 p.570ff Archived 2 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 9788170173120. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ISBN 9780984404308. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Buddhist Architecture, Lee Huu Phuoc, Grafikol 2010, p.147
- ISBN 9781843530893. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Marshall, John (1955). Guide to Sanchi.
- ISBN 9780984404308. Archivedfrom the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
Sources
- Chandra, Pramod (2008), South Asian arts, Encyclopædia Britannica.