Chaitya Halls

HOA II

Rock cut architecture in the Western and Eastern Ghats

Chaitya is the literal word for a STUPA.

It was a requirement of the Buddhist followers to

worship and do rituals associated with the stupa.
Though initially the stupa was placed in open
spaces, climatic forces pushed the followers to
build enclosed spaces to hold the stupas.
There had to be rooms provided along with the enclosed space for people to
stay and worship.
These halls became the Chaitya halls.
They were initially square in plan with many rooms surrounding a central
courtyard.

Rock cut architecture in the Western and Eastern Ghats

Of the two rock cut structures, Chaitya halls are more important from every point of view.
There are eight of these belonging to Hinayana period:
1. Bedsha

1. Bhaja

2. Kondane

2nd century BC

2. Ajanta (No.9)

3. Pitalkhora

3. Nasik

4. Ajanta (No.10)

4. Karli

1st century BC

The initial examples of rock cut Chaitya halls are from Ajanta and Udayagiri.
Since the circumambulation around the stupa became significant the plan started
having a semicircular end to accommodate a stupa.

Chaitya Halls
Since all that that was known was of timber construction, the early examples were
made of timber detailing. The semicircular apse was roofed with a semi dome and
the rectangular portion with a semicircular barrel vault.
The details of the decorations were imitated from timber to living rock.
The best evolved example of a Chaitya hall with semicircular end is the one at
Karli.
Western Ghats Ajanta and Ellora
Eastern Ghats Karle
Rock cut architecture in the Western and Eastern ghats - Karli,
Viharas at Nasik, Ranigumpha, Udaigiri. Takti Bahai, Gandhara.

Chaitya Hall - Karle

Hinayana Type of Hall

The
exterior
elevation
is
unsymmetrical, as much of the right
side of the facade has become
obscured.
The two large columns, which are the
main feature of its form of frontage,
were differently disposed, not
comprising part of the construction,
as they were wholly detached.

Chaitya Hall- Karli

The basic idea of raising two pillars in the front of a
temple is a very ancient one.
1. A pair of obelisks at the entrances to the Egyptian
temples
2. Two pillars of brass in the porch of Solomons
temple at Jerusalem as objects of veneration
The pillars at Karli appear to have been the result of
the same belief.

Chaitya Hall - Karli

The lion capitals of the free standing columns appear to guard the entrance and
fill the worshippers and filling his soul with reverence and awe.
These colossal columns and their symbolic superstructure form an imposing
introduction to the wonders beyond.

The chronological sequence in which the Chaitya halls were executed is based
on the principle that the earlier the example, the closer it copies wooden
construction.

The guiding aspects are:

1. Inclined posts at the entrance faade (Ex. Lomas Rishi)

2. Characteristic Horse shoe shaped arch (Chaitya Arch) (Ex. Chaitya hall)at
Bhaja.

Chaitya Hall- Karli

Behind the two columns (sinha-stambhas), was
the vestibule to the hall, the front face of which
was formed by a rock cut screen having a triple
entrance below and a pillared clerestory above.
On the space between this upper and lower
openings, numerous mortice holes may be
seen for the attachment of a minstrels gallery
of wood which extended right across the front.

Chaitya Hall- Karli

Access to this hanging gallery was obtained by means of a stairway
at the back of the lion column on the left side.
Passing through one of the doorways in the screen, the vestibule is
entered and the whole inner frontage with its sun-window,

decorated arcading, and sculptured figure compositions, comes into

view.
The greater part of the inner wall of the vestibule is occupied by the

towering horse-shoe archway within which is recessed the SunWindow, portions of the wooden tracery in the opening being still in
situ, but the lower section with its semi circular screen of wooden
trellis work is missing.

Chaitya Hall- Karli

In the spandrels and each side of
the great archway, and also on the
narrower ends of this vestibule are
carved in the rock tiers of Chaitya
arcading separated by bands of
decorative railings, a very dignified
method of ornamenting these
subsidiary spaces.

Chaitya Hall - Karli

Below some of the panels are filled
with figures in relief, but several of
them
are
later
Mahayana
impositions, and as they were not
part of the original scheme, they
dont harmonize with the rest.
Perhaps the most spirited motif in
the entire composition is the series
of supporting elephants at the ends,
each half life-size in high relief and
originally provided with tusks of
ivory.

Chaitya Hall
Entrance to the Chaitya hall was obtained by
means of three doorways,
The one in the centre being reserved for priests,
and others of high standing and was approached
by a raised pathway - on each side of which the
floor was sunk to form shallow cisterns filled with
water.
The side doors were meant for the ordinary

devotees who will approach them by stepping

through these shallow pools

Chaitya Hall - Karli

The largest hall of dimension 124long and 46 wide and 45high.

1. Stupa
2. Nave
3. Aisle
4. Entrance Porch

Chaitya Hall
The interior of this Chaitya hall owes much of its architectural content to
the manner in which its three principal elements have each in themselves
been treated and then combined to produce a coordinated whole.
These are the
Colonnade
Vaulting
Sun window

Chaitya Hall
THE COLONNADE

The pillars are 37 in number and are closely

set, as the space between each is little
more than the width of the column.
The pillars encircling the apse have plain
octagonal shafts, while the fifteen on each
side are highly carved and decorated,
repeating in their design, the theme of the

larger free standing lion columns of the

exterior.

Chaitya Hall
Each pillar consists of a vase base on
a plinth, an octagonal shaft, a
campaniform capital with spreading
abacus, and each is finished off above
a fine group of sculptured statuary.
These carved groups are all similar,
but there is sufficient variation in
their design to prevent monotony,
and they merge into a sculptured
frieze of great beauty.

Chaitya Hall
Each group consists of two kneeling elephants, each
animal bearing a male and female rider both wearing
resplendent head dresses and loaded with a wealth of
jewellery. These carved groups are all similar, but there

is sufficient variation in their design to prevent

monotony, and they merge into a sculptured frieze of
great beauty.

Each group consists of two kneeling elephants, each

animal bearing a male and female rider both wearing
resplendent head dresses and loaded with a wealth of

jewellery.

Chaitya Hall
On the reverse of these groups, within the side aisles, they

are also richly carved, but here horses take the place of the
elephants, the former having originally been decorated with
metal trappings, and the later provided with silver or ivory
tusks.
The figures were symbolic and intended to signify the

opulence and power of the rulers of the earth on their lordly

elephants who kneel in humility before the sacred shrine of
the Buddha.

Chaitya Hall
VAULTING
Above the rich zone of chiaroscuro produced by
this frieze of figures, rises the high arch vault of
the roof, the mystery of its shadowed space

vaguely defined by the narrow projecting ribs or

wind-braces., not carved out of the rock, but
fashioned out of separate pieces of wood
attached to the surface by means of plugs or
socketed into grooves

Chaitya Hall
These braces are wide flat planks with a curved outline, approximating

the shape of an inverted ships hull, the grain of the wood being usually
continuous in the curve, while at the apsidal end they converge to a

centre.
Remains of the coloured decoration on the wooden accessories imply

that at one time much of the interior was painted.

Chaitya Hall
STUPA
Under the semi-dome is the stupa, a plain and dignified
composition, its cylindrical base in two diminishing tiers,
the sole embellishment being two bands of railing in

imitation of balustrades, clearly suggested by the custom

of an upper and lower processional path around this
symbol as at Sanchi. The body, a plain hemisphere, is
surmounted by a massive harmika, or finial, decorated
with a rail pattern in low relief, and high up over the whole
spreads a large wooden umbrella carved in the pattern of
a lotus.

Chaitya Hall
THE SUN WINDOW

The most characteristic feature of the facade of

Chaitya hall is the Sun-Window. Of this great
opening depends the whole system of lighting.

The aim of the designer was to deflect the glaring

sunshine outside through this opening.
The designer wanted the light to be distributed,
modified and subdued, so that is projected not so
much as light, but as a divine radiance into all
parts.

Chaitya Hall

First filtered between the openings

of the clerestory in the front on
screen,

Then broken up by the wooden grill

of the sun window as through
mullioned oriel.

This central lighting is designed in

this way to provide a fathomable feel
of infinity by gradually increasing the
darkness towards the Stupa, hence
describing the depth of understanding towards religion and devotion.

There are few lighting effects more solemnly beautiful than the soft luminous
atmosphere diffused in this manner through the Sun-Window at Karli.