Online Event, India Habitat Centre, 24th February, 2024
Talk and Screening of Film Produced for Doordarshan.
By Benoy K Behl
Introduction by Sujata Chatterji 00:07; Subject Intro 02:18; Film 09:57; Talk and Q&A 31:28
The fertile valley of the Krishna River was a cradle of civilization in the Eastern Deccan. In the beginning of the First Millennium, it had become famous in the world for its fine textiles, particularly of cotton. There was a flourishing trade with Rome and large quantities of Roman coins have been found here.
This area became one of the greatest centres of Buddhism and over 140 early Buddhist sites have been listed in this region.
Sculpted scenes such as the Birth of the Buddha would transport the viewer, far from the everyday concerns of the mundane world. His soul would be lifted in response to the beauty and grace before him.
Besides the Buddha figures in the reliefs, a number of free-standing Buddhas have been found at Amravati and other sites of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They date from the 3rd century onwards. These are quite different from the Buddha figures which were being made at Mathura and Gandhara and show an independent artistic conception. These were to be the models for the free-standing Buddhas of South-East Asia.
4 мар 2024
