Amaravati School of Art: History & Significance

The Finance Minister recently declared that Andhra Pradesh would receive financial help of Rs 15,000 crore to create Amravati, the state capital, and to forward other development initiatives. The aforementioned has refocused attention on Amravati, an underappreciated historical and spiritual destination in Andhra Pradesh.

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SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THE AMRAVATI SCHOOL OF ART

Together with the Mathura and Gandhara schools, the Amravati school of art from the historic Buddhist site of Amravati in Andhra Pradesh evolved as one of the three most important forms of ancient Indian art during the post-Mauryan era.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND INFLUENCES

Amravati Stupa: The centerpiece of the Amravati School of Art was the magnificent Buddhist monument known as the Amravati Stupa. This location developed into a center of creative and architectural activity, greatly influencing the growth of Buddhist art in India.
Early in the 19th century, locals and British authorities used materials from stupas for construction, severely degrading the area's historic monuments due to government apathy to their preservation.
The site's deterioration was also aided by the removal of sculptures to Calcutta, London, and Madras, as well as excavations conducted in 1845 by authorities such as Walter Elliot.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF AMRAVATI SCHOOL OF ART:

• Principal Hubs: Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati.
• Patronage: The Satvahana rulers were the patrons of this institution.
• Important Aspect: The Amaravati school overused the tribhanga posture, or the body with three bends, in their sculptures.
• Palnad marble, a unique variety of limestone that permits exquisite and complex carvings, is the primary material used to create the sculptures from Amravati, which are renowned for their exceptional aesthetic quality and intricate craftsmanship.
• Narrative panels illustrating events from the Buddha's life, stories from the Jataka, and different Buddhist ceremonies and activities are frequently seen in the artwork.
• A certain Amravati portrayal of the Buddha, with the robe draped over the left shoulder and the other hand making the gesture of fearlessness, abhaya, became famous and was imitated throughout Southeast and South Asia.
• With a focus on local creative traditions, the Amravati school evolved a distinctive style with minimal external influence, in contrast to the Graeco-Roman influences of the Mathura and Gandhara schools.

GLOBAL AMRAVATI ART DISPERSION

• Sculptures from the Amravati Stupa can be found all over the world today, with notable specimens housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Musee Guimet in Paris.
• Amravati art can also be found at Indian museums including the National Museum in New Delhi and the Government Museum in Chennai.
• Australia is still the only nation to have returned a sculpture in the Amravati style that was stolen.

KEY FACTS ABOUT AMRAVATI AND ANDHRA BUDDHISM

• Historical Evolution: In the late 1700s, Raja Vessareddy Nayudu unknowingly discovered ancient limestone ruins in Andhra’s Dhanyakatakam village, which he and the locals used for construction, leading to the renaming of the village to Amravati.

The systematic destruction of the ruins continued until 1816, when Colonel Colin Mackenzie's intensive survey, despite causing further damage, led to the rediscovery of the grand Amravati Stupa.

In 2015, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister announced the new capital, Amaravati, inspired by the historic Buddhist site, aiming to develop it into a modern city akin to Singapore.

• Amravati and Andhra Buddhism: Buddhism, which emerged in the fifth century BCE in the ancient kingdom of Magadh (present-day Bihar), made its way to Andhra Pradesh mainly through trade routes in Andhra Pradesh. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who attained enlightenment and became known as the Buddha.

The first significant evidence of Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh dates back to the 3rd century BCE when Emperor Ashoka set up an inscription in the region, providing a major impetus to its spread.

Monks from Andhra were present at the first Buddhist council held in 483 BCE at Rajgir, Bihar.

Buddhism thrived in the region for nearly six centuries until the 3rd century CE, with isolated sites like Amravati, Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayapeta, Salihundam, and Sankaram continuing to practice the religion until the 14th century CE.

Historians note that Buddhism's presence in Andhra coincided with its first urbanisation process, significantly aided by oceanic trade, which facilitated the religion's spread.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMRAVATI, MATHURA, AND GANDHARA SCHOOLS OF ART

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NATURE OF NORTHERN BUDDHISM AND ANDHRA BUDDHISM

SIGNIFICANCE OF AMRAVATI IN BUDDHISM

• Amravati is renowned for being the birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism, one of the major branches of Buddhism that emphasizes the path of the Bodhisattva.
• Acharya Nagarjuna, a prominent Buddhist philosopher, lived in Amravati and developed the Madhyamika philosophy, focusing on the concept of emptiness and the middle way.
• From Amravati, Mahayana Buddhism spread across South Asia, China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE OF BUDDHISM IN ANDHRA PRADESH

• Rise of Shaivism: One of the primary factors contributing to the decline of Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh was the rise of Shaivism.
• By the seventh century CE, Chinese travelers noted the decline of Buddhist stupas and the thriving Shiva temples, which received patronage from aristocrats and royals.
• The growing influence of Shaivism offered a more structured and socially integrated religious framework that appealed to the local populace and rulers, drawing support away from Buddhist institutions.
• Decline of Urbanisation: During the third century BCE, the region experienced significant urbanisation and trade, which supported Buddhism's spread due to its emphasis on a casteless society.
• However, six centuries later, economic degradation led to a decline in patronage for Buddhist institutions.
• By the fourth century CE, Buddhist institutions found themselves without much patronage.
• Arrival of Islam: With the arrival of Islam, the Islamic rulers, who were generally more inclined towards supporting Islamic institutions, withdrew royal patronage from Buddhist establishments.