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6/15/2021

Barabar Caves - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 25.005°N 85.063°E

Barabar Caves The Barabar Hill Caves (Hindi , Barābar) are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, dating from the Maurya Empire (322–185 BCE), some with Ashokan inscriptions, located in the Makhdumpur region of Jehanabad district, Bihar, India, 24 km (15 mi) north of Gaya.[1] These caves are situated in the twin hills of Barabar (four caves) and Nagarjuni (three caves); caves of the 1.6 km (0.99 mi)-distant Nagarjuni Hill are sometimes singled out as the Nagarjuni Caves. These rock-cut chambers bear dedicatory inscriptions in the name of "King Piyadasi" for the Barabar group, and "Devanampiya Dasaratha" for the Nagarjuni group, thought to date back to the 3rd century BCE during the Maurya period, and to correspond respectively to Ashoka (reigned 273–232 BCE) and his grandson, Dasharatha Maurya.[2][3][4] The sculptured surround to the entrance to the Lomas Rishi Cave is the earliest survival of the ogee shaped "chaitra arch" or chandrashala that was to be an important feature of Indian rockcut architecture and sculptural decoration for centuries. The form was clearly a reproduction in stone of buildings in wood and other plant materials.[2][3]

The Barabar Hill Caves

The famous carved entrance of Lomas Rishi cave, dated to approximately 250 BC, making it the first known Maurya relief. Photos (http://www.mapability.co m/travel/p2i/barabar_4.php)

The caves were used by ascetics from the Ajivika sect,[2] founded by Makkhali Gosala, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and of Mahavira, the last and 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. The Ajivikas had many similarities with Buddhism as well as Jainism.[5] Also present at the site are several rock-cut Buddhist and Hindu sculptures and inscriptions from later periods.[1] Most caves at Barabar consist of two chambers, carved entirely out of granite, with a highly polished internal surface, the "Mauryan polish" also found on sculptures, and exciting echo effects.[3] The caves were featured – located in a fictitious Marabar – in the book A Passage to India by English author E. M. Forster.[6] These were also shown in the book The Mahabharata Secret by Indian author Christopher C. Doyle.

Location in Bihar, India Show map of India Show map of Bihar Show all Alternative name Barābar, Satgharva, Satgharwa Location

Jehanabad district, Bihar, India

Contents Coordinates

25.005°N 85.063°E

Caves at Barabar Hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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Lomas Rishi cave Questions of date and religious affiliation Sudama cave Karan Chaupar cave Visvakarma cave

Type

Caves

Part of

Barabar and Nagarjuni hills History

Founded

322–185 BCE

Nagarjuni Caves Gopika cave Vadathika and Vapiyaka caves Technology Inscriptions by Ashoka (circa 250 BCE) Inscriptions by Dasaratha Maurya (circa 230 BCE) Hindu inscriptions of the 5-6th century CE Related caves Hindu statuary See also Notes References Further reading External links

Caves at Barabar Hill Barabar Hill contains four caves: Karan Chaupar, Lomas Rishi, Sudama and [1] Visvakarma. Sudama and Lomas Rishi are the earliest examples of rock-cut [4] Panorama of Barabar hill, with architecture in India, with entrances to Sudama and Lomas architectural detailing made in Rishi caves. the Mauryan period. Similar Map of the caves in Barabar and examples include the larger Nagarjuni hills. Buddhist Chaitya, found in Maharashtra, such as in Ajanta and Karla Caves. The Barabar caves greatly influenced the tradition of rock-cut architecture in the Indian subcontinent. Lomas Rishi cave has an arch-like shape facade that imitates contemporary timber architecture. On the doorway, a row of elephants proceed towards stupa emblems, along the curved architrave.[2][3] Sudama cave was dedicated by Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka in 261 BCE. The arches of Sudama cave have bow shape. The caves consist of a circular vaulted chamber with a rectangular mandapa. Karan Chaupar (Karna Chaupar) consists of single rectangular room with polished surfaces, contains inscription which could be dated to 245 BCE. Visva karma cave, reachable by Ashoka steps hewn in the cliff, consists of two rectangular rooms. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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Lomas Rishi cave Lomas Rishi cave

Photograph and volume representation of Lomas Rishi Cave. The digging of the vault has never been finished.

The cave of Lomas Rishi is probably the most famous of the caves of Barabar, because of its beautifully carved door. It is on the southern side of Barabar granite hill, and is adjacent to Sudama cave, which is on the left. Lomas Rishi consists of two rooms: a rectangular room measuring 9.86x5.18m, and a circular, semi-hemispherical room 5m in diameter, which is accessed from the rectangular room by a narrow rectangular passage. This cave has an arched facade that probably imitates contemporary wooden architecture. On the periphery of the door, along the curve of the architrave, a line of elephants advances in the direction of stupa emblems.[2][3] This is the characteristic form of the "Chaitya arch" or chandrashala, to be an important feature of architecture and sculpture in the rock for many centuries. It is clearly a stone reproduction of wooden buildings and other plant materials.[2][3] According to Gupta, Lomas Rishi's immediate successors are the Kondivite and Guntupalli caves.[7] Lomas Rishi has no Ashoka inscription, perhaps because it has never been completed due to structural rock slide problems.[8] It is generally considered, however, that it was also created around 260 BCE, like the other caves, because of the similarity of the internal structure and the degree of finish of the rock, the walls being perfectly polished, with the exception of the vault whose digging was interrupted. It has a much later inscription of Anantavarman above the entrance, from the 5th century CE.

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Entrances of Sudama Cave, and further, Lomas Rishi Cave, Barabar Hill.

Barabar Caves - Wikipedia

Unfinished interior (floor and ceiling) of Lomas Rishi cave. The rocky bumps left in the state on the ground appear in the farther left corner.

Inscription of Anantavarman above the entrance, 5th century of our era.

Development of the Chaitya Arch from Lomas Rishi Cave on, from a book by Percy Brown.

According to Gupta, the theory that Lomas Rishi would not have received Ashoka's inscription because it was in a state of incompleteness, is undermined by the fact that the cave of Vivaskarma, another cave of Barabar, although it is not finished, was nevertheless consecrated by Ashoka.[7] The consecration of a cave could therefore be done in the course of work. This could induce that Lomas Rishi, with its bas-reliefs, is actually posterior to Ashoka. Gupta actually believes that Lomas Rishi is posterior to both Ashoka and his grandson Dasaratha, and would have been built at the end of the Maurya Empire, under the reign of his last Emperor Brihadratha, and abruptly halted in 185 BC with the assassination of Brihadratha and the coup d'état of Pushyamitra Sunga, founder of the Sunga dynasty. Pushyamitra Sunga is also known to have persecuted Buddhists and Ajivikas, which would explain the immediate cessation of work.[7] According to Gupta, the abrupt interruption of the works is suggested by the lack of finishing, even approximate, of the ground, with for example the abandonment in the state of some pikes of the rocks which would have required only a few minutes of chipping to be removed in order to obtain a fairly regular floor.[7] Questions of date and religious affiliation Ashoka dedicated the caves of Sudama and Visvakarma to the ascetics called "Ajivikas" in the 12th year of his reign, when his religious evolution towards Buddhism was not yet fully completed.[15] The precise identity of the Ajivikas is not well known, and it is even unclear if they were a divergent sect of the Buddhists or the Jains.[16]

Most of the Barabar caves were explicitly dedicated by Mauryan rulers to the sect of the Ājīvikas through inscriptions.[9] Depiction of an Ājīvika ascetic in a Gandhara sculpture of the Mahaparinirvana, circa 2nd3rd century CE.[10][11][12][13][14]

Later, Ashoka built the caves of Lomas Rishi (without dated inscription, but posterior to Sudama on architectural grounds) and Karna Chopar (19th year of his reign), at a time when he had become a firm advocate of Buddhism, as known from the Edicts of Ashoka.[15] It was initially thought that Karna Chopar may have been dedicated to the Buddhists, based on a former reading of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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inscription at the entrance of the cave, corrected by Harry Falk in 2007: the new reading shows that Karna Chopar too had been dedicated to the Ajivikas.[17] Since Lomas Rishi has no dedicatory inscription, it has been suggested that it may had been dedicated to the Buddhists.[15] The affiliation of Lomas Rishi to Buddhism, although unproven, would be coherent with the fact that the architecture of the gate of Lomas Rishi became a reference for the development of the Chaitya arch in Buddhist cave architecture for the following centuries, whereas the Hindus or the Jains caves essentially did not follow this architectural example.[15] This would also mean that the decorated gate of Lomas Rishi was a Buddhist invention, which was emulated in Buddhist architecture in the following centuries.[15] After the Barabar caves, the earliest known rock-cut Buddhist monasteries date to the 1st century BCE in the Western Ghats in western India, such as the Nasik Caves.[16]

Sudama cave Sudama cave

Photograph and volume plan of Sudama cave (9.98x5.94m). The cave consists of a large vaulted room and a semihemispherical sanctum (here, in the back of the photographer), all with a polished granite finish. The cracks correspond to a slip in the rock, probably after the creation of the cave. Photos (http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/ba rabar_3.php).

The Sudama cave is located on the southern side of Barabar granite hill. It is close to Lomas Rishi, and on its left. It consists of two rooms: a rectangular room measuring 9.98x5.94m, and a semihemispherical room 6m in diameter, which is accessed from the rectangular room by a narrow rectangular passage. This is probably the first cave in the group to have been dug. This cave was dedicated by Emperor Ashoka in 257 BCE (12th year of his reign) as evidenced by an inscription in Brahmi using his protocol name (Priyadarsin, "He who brings joy") found in the entrance of the cave, whereas the cave of Lomas Rishi did not receive a dedicatory inscription:[8]

𑀮 𑀸𑀚 𑀺𑀦𑀸 𑀧𑀺 𑀬𑀤𑀲𑀺 𑀦 𑀤𑀼𑀯𑀟 𑀯𑀲𑀪 𑀺𑀲𑀺 𑀦𑀸 𑀇𑀬 𑀁 𑀦𑀺𑀸𑀳𑀓𑀼𑀪 𑀸 𑀤𑀺𑀦 𑀆𑀚 𑀺𑀯𑀺𑀳𑀺 Lājinā Piyadasinā duvāḍasa-[vasābhisitenā] / [iyaṁ Nigoha]-kubhā di[nā ājivikehi] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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"By King Priyadarsin, in the 12th year of his reign, this cave of Banyans was offered to the Ajivikas." — Ashoka inscription of the cave of Sudama[8][18] The ceiling of the Sudama cave is arched. The cave is composed of a circular vaulted chamber and a vaulted room with the rectangular form of mandapa. The interior walls of the cave represent a technical feat: they are perfectly flat and polished granite surfaces, creating a mirror effect.[8] On the other hand, the plane surfaces reverberate the sound, creating a very pronounced echo phenomenon. This characteristic is common to all the caves of Barabar, and, by amplifying the vibrations and the harmonies, seems to be favorable to the songs of the monks. All of Barabar's caves share this interior polished appearance to a greater or lesser extent, with the exception of Lomas Rishi Cave, which, although designed on the same model, is only half-finished for its interior.

Entrance of Sudama Entrance to Cave in the Sudama cave. forefront, Barabar Hill.

the Entrance corridor of The interior wall the Sudama cave. consist in perfectly polished granite surfaces (visible reflection).

Karan Chaupar cave Karan Chaupar, also known as Karna Chaupar, is on the northern side of the Barabar granite hill. It consists of a single rectangular room with polished surfaces, 10.2x4.27m in dimensions. It contains an inscription of Ashoka dating from the 19th year of his reign, about 250 BCE, located outside immediately to the right of the entrance.[19] Initially, it was thought from E. Hultzsch's 1925 translation, that Ashoka's inscription from Karna Chopar Cave does not mention the Ajivikas, and seems rather to refer to the Buddhist practice of retirement (vassavasa) during the rainy season. In addition, the inverted swastika with upward arrow at the end of the inscription ( ) would be more of a Buddhist character All this suggested that this cave was planned for Buddhist monks.[8] However, Harry Falk has recently shown with a new reading that the cave was indeed dedicated to the Ajivikas.[17] Traditional reading of the inscription: "In my 19th year of reign, I, King Priyadarsin, offered this cave of the very pleasant mountain of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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Khalatika, to serve as shelter during the rainy season."

Karan Chaupar cave

— Ashoka inscription from Karan Chaupar cave. Translation by E. Hultzsch, 1925.[8] This reading of the inscription has been corrected by Harry Falk in 2007, who after cleaning the stone and inspecting it read: "When King Priyadarsin had been annointed 19 years, he went to Jalūṭha and then this cave (called) Supriyekṣā, was given to the Ajivikas."

Photograph and volume plan of the Karan Chaupar cave (10.2x4.27m).

— Ashoka inscription from Karan Chaupar cave. Translation by Harry Falk, 2007.[17][20] In particular, Falk reconstructs the last line as 𑀲𑀧𑀺𑀔𑀆𑀚 𑀺𑀯𑀺 𑀳𑀺 𑀤𑀺𑀦 𑀸 (Su[p]i[y]ekha (Ajivikehi) dinā) which means "Supriyekṣā was given to the Ājivikas".[17] The cave has a rock-cut bench at one end, probably to sit or sleep. In the entrance hall an inscription from the Gupta period mentions "Daridra Kantara" ("The Cave of the Beggars").[21] A mound decorated with later Buddhist sculptures is also near the entrance, another element which suggested the belonging of this cave to the Buddhists.

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Interior

Dedicatory inscription Ashoka to Ajivikas.[17][22]

Inscription from the Buddhist reliefs on by Gupta period (in the the outside the background) mentioning "Daridra Kantara" ("The Cave of the Beggars")

Visvakarma cave The Visvakarma cave, also called Viswa Mitra, is accessible by the "steps of Ashoka" carved into the cliff. It is a hundred meters and a little east of the main granite hill It 25°00′22″N 85°03′53″E . consists of a rectangular room entirely open to the outside, a sort of elongated porch, and an unfinished semi-hemispherical room: the rectangular space measures 4.27x2.54m, and the circular room is 2.8m in diameter . One goes from the rectangular room to the half-hemispherical room by a narrow trapezoidal passage. On the floor of the porch, four holes were made, which are thought to allow the cave to be closed with a wooden picket fence.[7]

Visvakarma cave

Photograph and volume plan of the Barabar Vivaskarma cave (4.27x2.54m).

The cave of Visvakarma was offered by Ashoka to the Ajivikas in the year 12 of his reign, about 261 BCE: "By King Priyadarsin, in the 12th year of his reign, this cave of Khalatika Mountain was offered to the Ajivikas. " — - Ashoka inscription from Visvakarma Cave[23]

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Visvakarma cave, despite the fact that it is not finished, was nonetheless consecrated by Ashoka. This somewhat questions the theory that Lomas Rishi's cave would not have received Ashoka's inscription because it was in a state of incompletion.[7] This could justify that Lomas Rishi, with his bas-reliefs, is actually posterior to Ashoka, as late as 185 BCE. This does not explain, however, why Visvakarma, consecrated in 260 BCE, has been interrupted, in the absence of a significant problem in the rock, whereas 7 years later Ashoka dedicated Karan Chaupar cave, perfectly finished, a short distance from there.[7] Visvakarma is also the only cave that does not have "historical" inscriptions after Ashoka.[24]

The "Ashoka stairs" The entrance and Dedicatory leading to internal passage. inscription Visvakarma. Ashoka.

"Piyadasi", honorific by name of Ashoka, in Brahmi script.

Nagarjuni Caves The nearby caves of Nagarjuni hill were built few decades later than the Barabar caves, and consecrated by Dasaratha Maurya, Ashoka's grandson and successor, each for the Ajivikas sect. They are 1.6 kilometers east of the Barabar Caves. The three caves are:[1] Gopika (Gopi-ka-Kubha), on the southside of the hill, excavated by the king Dasharatha grandson of Ashoka, according to an inscription. Vadithi-ka-Kubha cave, on the northside of the hill, located in a crevice, and devoted to Ajivika followers by Dasharatha. Vapiya-ka-Kubha cave, on the northside of the hill, also devoted to Ajivika followers by Dasharatha.

Gopika cave Also called Gopi or Gopi-ka-Kubha or simply Nagarjuni, Gopika cave is the largest of all the caves of the Barabar complex (25.009116°N 85.078427°E). It consists of a single large oblong room of 13.95x5.84m. The two ends of the room have the particularity of being circular, contrary to the other caves. The cave lies on the south bank of the hill, dug by King Dasharatha grandson of Emperor Ashoka, according to the inscription that was engraved above the front door: "The cave of Gopika, a refuge that will last as long as the sun and the moon, was dug by Devanampiya (beloved of the gods) Dasaratha during his elevation to the throne, to make a hermitage for the most pious Ajivikas " — Inscription of Dasaratha Maurya on the cave of Gopika. About 230 BCE.[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

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Gopika cave

Photograph of the stairs to Gopika cave, and entrance of the cave, in Nagarjuni hill. Volume plan of Gopika cave (13.95x5.84m).

The cave also has the "Gopika Cave Inscription" in the entrance corridor, dated to the 5-6th century CE.

Front of the cave. Photos (http://www. mapability.com/trave l/p2i/barabar_7.php) .

Transcription of the Dedicatory by inscription by inscription Dasaratha Maurya, Dasaratha Maurya. grandson of Ashoka, on top of the entrance. Circa 230 BCE.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barabar_Caves

Entrance corridor, polished walls with the Gopika Cave Inscription of the 5th century CE.

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Vadathika and Vapiyaka caves Vadathika and Vapiyaka caves

Vadathika cave (left) and Vapiyaka cave (right), and plan of the two caves Photos (http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/ barabar_7.php)

These two caves are a little higher on the north side of the hill, 300m as the crow flies (25.011261°N 85.076963°E ). Although small, they are very beautiful, p...