A Pillar from Ajanta Caves

A Pillar from Ajanta Caves

Gupta Period,5th Century CE

         While the three types of pillars invented by the Greeks are well known,  the variety of pillars invented by the Indian architect has hardly been explored. And what a variety of pillars we have: from the massive round pillars of Indus Valley to the simple pillars of Sanchi, from the ornate pillars of Ellora to the hanging pillars of Lepakshi Temple in Andhra Pradesh. There are pillars in animal forms in South Indian Temples to the musical pillars of the Padmanabhan temple in Trivendrum.  There is the gallery of 1000 pillars in the Rameshvaram Temple to the 1000 pillars of Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan --and no two pillars are alike ! But the ingenuity of the Indian architect is forgotten. 

            Here is a pillar from Ajanta. The Ajanta Caves themselves have about ten types of pillars. The beauty of this pillar is not only it's simplicity,  but also the use of sculpture in the square. The sculpture depicts a young couple chatting with each other while two servants stand by. The sculpture not just captures the opulence of the golden age of Indian history, the Gupta Period,  but also contains a political message : all is well in the Gupta Empire. If couples have time to chat, then there is peace and prosperity in the Empire. Since a happy family is essential for the prosperity of the society,  the family had to be emphasised. No other pillar in the world carries a more socio-political message than this pillar in Ajanta. 

          These days we do chatting, but no longer in the cosy surrounding of a family. The family as a social unit is under danger. Perhaps we need to learn something from the ancients.