A Bride Being Taken

A Bride Being Taken

Gandhar School. 1st Century CE 

Interestingly the bride is not being taken in a 'palaki', but covered in veils, she goes standing on a wooden plank carried by the laborers. Another glimpse of everyday life of 1st Century India.

Fasting Lord Buddha

Fasting Lord Buddha

Gandhar School,1st Century CE. 

Austerities is part of achieving knowledge. It was one practice adopted by Prince Siddharth. Sitting in deep meditation, he did not eat till his body became skeletal.

The Greek knowledge of human anatomy is well proven here. The protruding rib cage, the sunken eyes, the depleted stomach all portray an emaciated body. It also proves the temporary status of the body. Only the soul is eternal.

Temptations of Mara

Temptations of Mara

Gandhar School, 1st Century CE

While Prince Siddharth sat and meditated, he faced many temptations. As Arjun said in the Bhagwat Gita, the mind is the most difficult to control. One is tempted by one's repressed desires, by baser instincts. The inner fears manifest themselves. Temptations are common to all religion. In Christianity, both Jesus and St. Anthony were tempted. In Hinduism Vishwamitra was tempted by an Apsara.

Here we see the demon Mara tempting Prince Siddharth as he sits in the posture called "touching the earth." In Ajanta there is a beautiful depiction of Mara's voluptuous daughters dancing in front of Prince Siddharth. Here we see a bear standing on the right side. These are the images of a nightmare. We must conquer our minds to be victorious over ourself.

Two Episodes from Life of Prince Siddharth

Two Episodes from Life of Prince Siddharth

Gandhar School , 1st Century CE

Multiple narrations are the hallmark of Indian Art. Here the Gandhar sculptor simultaneously depicts two incidents from the life of Prince Siddharth : on the top the Prince is enjoying the palace life as a young man. In the bottom part, he is about to leave his sleeping wife, Yashoda and take to sanyasa ( the way of the mendicant ). Sacrifice and seeking enlightenment is considered an important part of life. We have shunned materialism. The outward journey of trying to understand matter is immaterial for us. It is the inner journey of trying to control the mind, to discipline the instinct and to liberate the soul which is essential. For Prince Siddharth the journey has just begun. Both these panels are interesting as they depict the life-style of 1st Century AD. Notice the horse-shoe shaped arches, the ones we find in Ajanta and Ellora. Notice the female guard on the left side. According to Kautilya, a King should have female guards as the are more loyal, more brave, more strong than men !

Two Ladies in Conversation

Two Ladies in Conversation

 Gandhar  School, 1st Century  CE

           In the ancient world the fine arts were dedicated  to religion. Thus, the awe inspiring  temples of Egypt,  Greece, India and China. But the Greek artist during  the period of Alexander  the Great started looking at the life around them. They started  depicting  the ordinary  people.
            Here is an instance of two urbane women talking to each other. The flowing robes  cover voluptuous bodies. The women  are so lost in their conversation  that they have forgotten  their own beauty.  They are oblivious  of the world around  them. The conversation  could be from mundane  to sacred.
          Slowly the Gandhar artist will begin to notice the beauty of Indian culture  and of its people.  Already the transition  has started. The voluptuousness of these ladies is more Indian than Greek. Gandhar  will produce the most beautiful  Buddha figures, will capture the humane quality of the Jataka stories, of the life of Buddha. It will give impetus to the Mathura  School and the ancient  Indian art will blossom under the Kushan dynasty.