Gandhara Art – The Unique Art

Gandhara Art

Gandhara Art, The cosmopolitan art of Gandhara with influence from Greeks, Romans, Indians and local artists, appeared in this region in th 1st century BC, strengthened in the 1st, flourished till 5th and lingered on till 8th century AD. The purpose was the propagation of Buddhism through images carved and made in stone, stucco, terracotta and bronze, mostly enshrined in stupas and monasteries. Thousands of such stupas were mentioned by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang, who visited Gandhara in 6th century AD, only few of which have been excavated so far.
The main focus of the art was Buddha’s life stories and individual images, his previous birth stories (or jatakas) and Buddhisattvas (future Buddhas).

Postenlightenment Buddhas. Gandhara Art

The most important is the historic Budhha and all episodes from his birth to death are beautifully and liberally carved in a fascinating manner.

The artists, inspired by the personality of and have lunch in Buddha, took motifs and technology from Greeks, Romans and Persians which gave Buddha and eternal life. The life stories of Buddha are carved according to the Buddhist text.
These were composed during the tiem of Emperor Kanishka in Peshawar. In fact, the sculptors of Gandhara, transformed the Buddhist Mahayana religious text and philosophy into stone thus making it more romantic whilst providing a base for the expansion of the religion towards the Far East via Silk Route into China and beyond through pilgrims and traders.

Theses sculpture were fixed to the bases, drums and stairs of the stupas, around which the worshipers circumambulated. Also, the harmika i.e. the solid box in square above the dome of the stupa was carved on all sides with life stories of Buddha. The stories were chiselled on stone tablets and fixed to the stupa inside which relics of Buddha were kept in a casket for worship.
Indeed, the Gandhara Art, mainly a product of land under the Kushana rulers, is far more alluring and intricate than the contemporary Mathura Art of India in comparison.