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International Journal of Fundamental & Applied Research International Journal of Fundamental & Applied Research Website : www.ijfar.org ,(ISSN- 2320-7973 Volume-6+7 Issue 12+1+2, March+April+May’2019 pp.(20–27) BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN KASHMIR Misbah Nazir Shafiq Ab Majeed Mir Research Scholar ABSTRACT Architecture of Kashmir shows the traces of various religious influences. The Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic religious beliefs have left an indelible mark on the architecture of the state. In this paper the earliest structural monuments in Kashmir whose presences now only in books, which traced back to the 1st and 6th centuries, and its style, material, designs and methods of construction has been discussed in a considerable length. INTRODUCTION Prior to process of Islamization that began in the the Valley by the third century BC by the Mauryan fourteenth century in Kashmir, both Hinduism and emperor Asoka. Later, Meghavahana son of Buddhism had flourished there for almost two Gopaditya ruling around the middle of the fourth thousand years. Today, the remnants of a few Hindu century is cited by Kalhana as being responsible for temples survive and Buddhist monuments are so the construction of at least one well-known stupa. It fragmentary that their original forms must be is of interest that Meghavahana is said to have come completely reconstructed from other evidence. Even to Kashmir from either Tibet or Ladakh, and these during Kalhana’s time in the twelfth century, Buddhist areas were to carry on the traditional type of monuments were few compared to the Hindu architecture developed in Kashmir. Unfortunately, temples that were still in worship. nothing is known of the appearance of this or other The destruction of Buddhist establishments was early stupas. Meghavahana is credited with numerous begun by zealous Hindu kings, such as Harsha who other donation and he his queens are associated with destroyed many of the eighth-century Buddhist several Buddhist monuments, especially Viharas. monuments of Parihasapura during civil strife in AD Kalhana also mentions Lalitaditya's Buddhist 1100, as well as by others who used cut stones, from monuments, notably the vihara and stupa at Ushkur Buddhist monuments to build Hindu temples, and and the great stupa erected at Parihasapura by his was continued by iconoclastic Muslim rulers in the minister Chankuna, all of which were, most probably fourteenth century and thereafter. During the past seen by him. The stupas reputed to be from Asoka's seven centuries, when Buddhism disappeared time were no doubt reconstructed several times altogether and Hinduism barely survived, nature's before Kalhana saw them, and retained little of their gradual erosion added to the neglected temples, original design. causing further decay and leaving modern visitors Other literary records include references by various with but a glimpse of Kashmir's former architectural Chinese visitors, who have left accounts from at least grandeur. as early as the fifth century. Although it would appear The Stupa that most of the Chinese pilgrims travelling to India by The most familiar Buddhist monument is the stupa way of Central Asia visited Kashmir, only the records and even though no architectural example survives, of a few given any details of the Buddhist its importance and distinctive form can be establishments existing there. The report of the best determined from literature and from artistic Known of the Chinese visitors, HEUN Tsiang, is the evidence. Kalhana's chronicle mentions the most detailed chronicle before Kalhana, though very construction of several stupas at various locations in little about stupas is included. He mentions four P a g e | 20 Corresponding Author : email : International Journal of Fundamental & Applied Research Website : www.ijfar.org ,(ISSN- 2320-7973 Volume-6+7 Issue 12+1+2, March+April+May’2019 pp.(20–27) stupas built by Ashoka, each containing “….a pint appeared in a latter publication. According to Kak, measure of relics of Tathagata.” The story of Heun there remains an inscription in Brahmi characters of Tsiang’s trip, as told by the Hwui Li, referring to these about the fourth century, stamped in relief below the same stupas notes their “……..wonderful height and stupa, consisting of the usual honorific phrases great magnificence.” The eighth-century visitor, Ou- parsing the faith. Another similar plaque in the Sri K’ong, spent more time in Kashmir, but his chronicle Pratap Singh Museum in Srinagar belongs with this contains fewer details about either the Buddhists or group. Also in that museum is a slightly different their monuments than does the record of his version, of stone, consisting of a seated Buddha illustrious predecessor, though he does refer to large flanked by attenuated versions of the same stupa. numbers of stupas and images in the valley. The The stupa represented in these plaques consists of Archaeological reports, published early in this three recessed platform (medhi), with a distinct century, are able only to offer diagrams of stupa decorative moulding around each. A continuous flight foundations and photograph of ruins, due to some stairs ascends through all three levels to the main restoration carried out in the last seventy-five years, platform. Due to the sculptures low relief, it is not the few foundations that can be seen today are possible to determine whether or not such stairways probably in better condition than they were at any were found on the other three sides. The one existing time in the past one thousand years. stupa foundation, at Harwan, appears to have but one Curiously, one early Hindu text, dating probably flight of stairs, while other monuments, at Ushkur and from the sixth or seventh century at the latest, Parihasapura, discussed below, had four, as do provides descriptive information about the Kashmir various votive bronzes from Gandhara and Kashmir. stupa. The text is the Vishnudharmottara-Purana, At each corner of the platform, on some of the which was compiled in Kashmir or the north-west. In plaque, are two large, free-standing columns. These a section titled ‘aiduka’ is a detailed description of the are no doubt a lingering tradition from Ashokan stupa, closely matching that seen on the small times, the well-known Ashokan columns found with plaques discovered at Harwan. The inclusion of a Buddhist monuments throughout India. The size and Buddhist monuments in a Hindu text and the use of prominence given the columns indicate their the name ‘Aiduka’ insisted of stupa been explained at importance. To date, no evidence of Ashokan length. According to the Vishnudharmottara-Purana, columns has been founded at any Kashmiri Buddhist the base of a stupa should consist of a triple platform, site. called bhadrapitha, with four stairways, one for each The hemispherical stupa proper (anda) is circled of the four directions. Above this base is the middle with several horizontal bands, with decorative section, called dharuva, with four sides. Atop this elements visible between two of them. These are section are to be thirteen tiers, called bhumikas. The most likely niches with figures inside, as founded entire structure is crowned with an amalasaraka and often in Gandharan monuments, fragments which it is decorated with a medallion. In the middle section were found about the area of the Harwan site. The should be four guardians (lokapals), each caring a upper third of the dome is left plain and the top staff or lance. They are armored and dressed in the supports a number of struts, which in turn are northern mode. The text goes on to tie all these to surmounted with a series of circular umbrellas Siva worship, but as has been shown, what is (chhatravali) of diminishing size. These are separated described is clearly the Buddhist stupa, and if one from one another by more such struts and culminate compares that description to the images of stupas in a point from which fly several streamers. The founded at Harwan as well as to some of the extent design of the struts and umbrellas indicates wooden bronze votive models, the parallels are remarkable. construction, as does the extreme height, exactly half The oldest remaining evidence of the complete of the entire monument. The number of umbrellas to Kashmiri stupa is founded upon the small, terracotta be either eleven or thirteen, both canonically correct. votive plaques discovered at Harwan. R.C. Kak Some of these votive stupas also differ from the published it 1933, and a drawing based upon them Harwan plaques in the inclusion of figures. On one P a g e | 21 Corresponding Author : email : International Journal of Fundamental & Applied Research Website : www.ijfar.org ,(ISSN- 2320-7973 Volume-6+7 Issue 12+1+2, March+April+May’2019 pp.(20–27) there is a seated image, rendered in the Kashmiri ruins agrees in all respect with the models and there style, on each of the four sides of the drum. Only is nothing to suggest that their missing upper portions three are visible in the photograph but the different did not look like these plaques and votive bronzes. hand gestures (mudras) suggest that each of the four The Kashmiri stupa was a towering edifice, represents a Buddha in the manner of the Mahayana quit different form the stupa known in most other concept of the transcendent Buddha, with a different parts of India, due mainly to the emphasis upon the form for each of the four directions. This mandala-like umbrellas and the multi-tiered base or platform. This arrangement is found on another of the Gandharan meant a reduction in the size of the drum as it was votive stupas but the four Buddha’s are shown with dominated by the upper and lower portion. The the same gesture of meditation. This arrangement, of Kashmiri stupa often featured the use of free- the stupa with four identical seated images of the standing columns, at each corner of the top terrace, Buddha, can be found at least as far back as Kushan and these were topped by animals just as were the times and is even considered by some scholars to famous Ashoken columns.
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