The Gupta Period

The Gupta Period: The Classical Age of Art in India

James Jordan

The following article is a summary of several websites and research articles. See References at the end for full citation.

The Gupta Period is often called the classical age in India (320 - 550 CE), especially in art and culture. This is a relative archeologist term indicating the period of time a civilization reaches its highest peak and demonstrates its purest art form that is indigenous to the culture. But India has such a long period of development and there have been so many developments: 1000 - c.500 BCE the beginnings of Vedic culture; the Sanskritic Indian literature Rig Veda and Atharva Veda; 1200-800 BCE and the Yajur and Sama Vedas; 800- 400 BCE with the Early Upanishads (Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya, Taittiriya) and the Mahabharata epic; also in the northeastern region, the estimated time before about 700 BCE when the first University was built at Nalanda; 600-400 BCE and the Development of Jainism, (Mahavira), the beginning of Buddhism and the writing of the Ramayana; and finally - including the period 320 BCE to 550 CE when India was united under the Mauryan dynasty (c. 322-185 BCE), and the Guptas (320-550 CE).

By the fourth century A.D., political and military turmoil destroyed the Kushan empire in the north and many kingdoms in the south India. At this juncture, India was invaded by a series of foreigners and barbarians or Mlechchhas from the north western frontier region and central Asia. It signaled the emergance of a leader, a Magadha ruler, Chandragupta I. Chandragupta successfully combated the foreign invasion and laid foundation of the great Gupta dynasty, the emperors of which ruled for the next 300 years, bringing the most prosperous era in Indian history.

The Gupta Empire map (from WSU website)

The Gupta Period was a time when India was relatively joined and highly productive in art and literature. The decimal system invented, classical literature was reworked into its final form, the Mahabharata was written- which included the important Hindu dialogue called the Bhagavad Gita (Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998). Buddhist monks traveled to the outside world, establishing richly endowed monasteries along the Silk Road in central Asia and into China. During this time period, Indian/Buddhist culture was spread throughout southeast Asia, influencing Burma, Cambodia, Malaya, Sumatra, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Standing Buddha, Gupta period

One example of Buddhist sculpture is the Standing Buddha, from the 5^th century CE., Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. This sculptural style included a clinging toga with almost transparent qualities seen in the delicate cotton weaving only found in India.

The high points of this cultural creativity is the architecture, sculpture, and painting. The wall-paintings of Ajanta Cave at Maharashtra which are considered among the greatest and most powerful works of Indian art and the Cave Temple of Shiva at Elephanta Island, are considered the central cultural masterpieces.

Map of World Heritage Sites (From thesalmons.org website)

The Ajanta Cave and the Cave Temple of Shiva are both world heritage sites. Above is a map of all the world heritage sites in India. In addition, During the Gupta Period, literature was becoming more refined and poetry trends tended towards religious and meditative poetry, lyric poetry, narrative histories, and drama (Washington State University, Distant Learning Website, 2004). The greatest writer of the time was Kalidasa.

The Ajanta Cave Complex at Maharashtra.

The Caves at Ajanta (image from the art-and-archeology.com website)

This group of caves is a Buddhist cave temple complex, carved between the 2^nd century BCE and the 5^th century CE. Archeologists deduct that the caves were used as a refuge by monks during the monsoon season.

Entrance cave 9 (image from the art-and-archeology.com website)

Some of the caves were carved in the 1st century BCE. This is the facade of the entrance which includes a large arch that frames a window with faux timber construction. The large window was usually the first feature to be cut into the rock and served two purposes, that of allowing light into the cave and it permitting rock to be easily removed during the carving. After this initial procedure, digging then proceeded from the top down which had the benefit of not requiring scaffolding.

Bodhisattva, Cave 1 Ajanta.

In addition to the sculptures at Ajanta, there are a few paintings such as this one of a Bodhisattva, an enlightened one who postpones their entry into nirvana until all others reach nirvana. Even as Buddhism flourished, Hinduism, sponsored by Gupta monarchs, began the ascendancy that led to its eventual domination of Indian religious life (Stokstad, 2004).

Hariti and Panchika Cave2 (image from the art-and-archeology.com website)

This is an example of a painted Vihara which dates to the late 5th century. This sculpture is Hariti the goddess of smallpox, with the poignant scene of her holding a child in her lap. Hariti was a child-eating ogress whom the Buddha converted into their protectress (Art & Archeology Website, 2004).

Lintel cave2 (image from the art-and-archeology.com website)

On the ceiling there are remnants of the bright paint which ornately decorated most of the cave at one time.

Bracket Figures (image from the art-and-archeology.com website)

Other examples of the style of rock carving can be found with these late-5th century Viharas. These also illustrate the lavish style found on even the least significant decorations. On the left is a flying couple and is another example of the Gupta period Buddhist sculpture which borrowed from Hindu imagery.

Vahara (Gupta, Early 5th century CE, Cave 5, Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh, India. From the Art and Archeology Website)

A Varaha is the wild boar incarnation that Vishnu assumed in the mythological story of rescue of the Earth Goddess Bhu Devi from the engulfing Ocean. Varaha lifts Bhu Devi on his shoulder, his foot subdues a naga who folds his hands in submission and adoration, while gods and sages surround Varaha in recognition of the miracle. A circular lotus flower appears above the god's head (Srt & Archeology Website, 2004). This relief sculpture image became one of the icons of Indian art.

Sarnath.

Ruins, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

The well known Gupta sculptural style evolved from it's earlier Kushan Mathura ancestors, but was refined at Sarnath (above). Many Buddhist sculptures have been discovered here. As mentioned, in the Gupta period Buddhism began to be overshadowed by Hinduism resulting in a profusion of Hindu sculpture (Indian Art circle Website, 2004).

Cave-Temple of Shiva at Elephanta.

Cave-Temple of Shiva at Elephanta

In the same central region as the Ajanta Caves is the Cave-Temple of Shiva on Elephanta Island, Maharashtra India. In the mid-6^th century this rock-cut cave-temple devoted to the major god Shiva was carved out of solid rock. Stokstad (2004) summarizes who Shiva is

He is the Great Yogi who dwells for vast periods of time in meditation in the Himalaya; he is also the husband par excellence who makes love to the goddess Parvati for eons at a time; he is the Slayer of Demons; and he is the Cosmic Dancer, who dances the destruction and re-creation of the world (p. 75).

Eternal Shiva

Also within this cave is the carving of the Eternal Shiva (Sadashiva) which probably once had a fourth head rendered in back, facing the stone wall. A four faced Shiva is more plausible because it is the common Hindu image that depicts Shiva's fivefold nature: As releasor from the material world (top), as creator (back), protector (left shoulder), destroyer (right shoulder), and as the obscurer of reality (front).

Metalurgy Arts.

In addition to the arts and literature, the art of metalurgy and the fine craftsmanship necessary for minting gold coins with detailed images on them was refined. The above left Gold Dinar is an example and is entitled, Kumardevi and Chandragupta I, which was minted by their son Samudragupta, in 335-370 CE. On the obverse is the king and queen. The Gold Dinar on the right is from Kumargupta I, 415-455 CE, the obverse showing the king shooting a tiger. The detail is incredible with the king shown wearing a short sleeved coat, Dhoti, turban, earrings, necklace, armlets, wristlets and trampling a tiger by his right foot. He is shooting at it with his bow held in right arm, the left hand drawing the string of the bow. The tiger is shown falling backwards with gaping mouth (Gupta Dynasty Website (2004). In addition to minting, various copper statues of Buddha reflect the craftsmanship of the Gupta period. The pillar at Delhi made of iron in the time of Samudragupta is another piece of Gupta excellence.

Summary.

In summary, architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and craftsmanship such as metalurgy was at its best during the period of Gupta rule. Also, during the Gupta reign there was the exchange of intellectual ideas which can be attributed to the royal patronage and contacts with foreign people. Buddhism was introduced to China from India and fostered religious relations promoting constant communication. There were several Chinese missionaries such as Faxian (Beal, 1884) a Chinese Buddhist monk whose pilgrimage to India in 402 CE was one of the earliest contacts and helped initiate Sino-Indian relations. After his return to China he translated into Chinese the many Sanskrit Buddhist texts he had brought back. There was also Xuanzang in 629 CE, during the later Gupta period (Murphey, 2000). Besides China contacts with various islands of South Asia, Indonesia, Persia, Greece and Rome also proved the sound Gupta rule and their diplomatic tactics to provide the best of administration. All these elements adds to the idea that the Gupta period was the Golden age of India (Web India123, 2004).

References

Art and Archeology Website (2004). Ajanta Cave Temples. Downloaded 7/31/04.

http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/ajanta/aja01.html

Beal, S. (1884). Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World (referring to India). Translated from the

Chinese of Hiuen Tsiang (A.D. 629). Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi.

Cultural Heritage Website (2004). Nalanda, India. http://www.cultural-heritage-india.com.

Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, (1998). India, The Gupta Period. Microsoft Publishers.

Gupta Dynasty Website (2004). Gupta Dynasty. Downloaded image 7/31/04).

http://www.med.unc.edu/~nupam/Sgupta1.html

Gupta India Website (2004). The Gupta. Downloaded 7/31/04,

http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/~patrick/151/To%20work%20on/gupta_india.htm

Indian Art Circle Website (2004). Gupta Period. Downloaded 7/31/04.