Under the prevailing influence of Buddhism, a distinctly impressive range of sculptures were produced in every part of India and beyond. This book transports the reader to the lower Krishna Valley region in Andhra, south India a region exhibiting some of the finest examples of Buddhist sculptural art. The Krishna: one of the most important rivers of peninsular India, afforded not only a convenient navigational approach to the sea, but also brought into being a number of flourishing urban settlements, like Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, and Goli. The river also immensely facilitated Indias maritime trade and cultural relations with the East Asian countries.
The political, social and economic stability in the region during 300 BC and 300 AD largely owing to the presence of the Krishna River, induced its inhabitants, specially the
adherents of Buddhism, to generously donate money for various Buddhist establishments. Occupied by both Mahasanghika and Mahisaska sects, there were seen intense monastic and other religious activities in almost the entire peninsular India. Resultantly, an impressive number of stupas,
viharas and
caityas appeared in the Krishna Valley region as well. The stupas, in particular, played a significant part in promoting sculptural art. The external face of these vast dome-shaped buildings were aesthetically carved, depicting the Jataka stories, stories of the Buddhas previous births, or the important events from his life,
avadana episodes, and much else.
With numerous illustrations, the book captures the most representative
Buddhist symbolic, anthromorphic, and narrative sculptures of the lower Krishana Valley region, analyzing how they compare with their counterparts at various other Buddhist sites. Besides the symbolic and anthromorphic presentations of the Buddha, the author also tries to figure out the various deities/divinities of the Buddhist pantheon, sculpted here. Again, in his effort to reconstruct the contemporary life of the people living in this region during the first three centuries of the Christian era, Vinay Kumar examines the secular sculptures carved on the outer walls of the stupas.
Dr Vinay Kumar Rao is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of History, Assam University.
