Bharhut
Encyclopedia
Bharhut or Barhut is a location in Satna district
in Madhya Pradesh
, Central India
, known for its famous Buddhist stupa
. The Bharhut stupa may have been established by the Maurya king Asoka in the 3rd century BCE, but many works of art were apparently added during the Sunga
period, with many friezes from the 2nd century BCE. An epigraph on the gateway mention its erection "during the supremacy of the Sungas" by Vatsiputra Dhanabhuti.
The stupa (now dismantled and reassembled at Kolkata Museum) contains numerous birth stories of the Buddha
's previous lives, or Jataka
tales. Many of them are in the shape of large, round medallions.
In confirmity with the early aniconic phase of Buddhist art
, the Buddha is only represented through symbols, such as the Dharma wheel
, the Bodhi tree
, an empty seat, footprints, or the triratana symbol.
The style is generally flat (no sculptures in the round), and all characters are depicted wearing the Indian dhoti
, except for one foreigner, thought to be an Indo-Greek soldier, with Buddhist symbolism.
An unusual feature of Bharhut panels is inclusion of text in the narrative panels, often identifying the individuals.
All the archaeological objects from the stupa have been moved to the Calcutta's Indian Museum
. No antiquities exist at Bharhut now.
Satna District
Satna District , was formed in 1948, is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The town of Satna is the district headquarters. The district has an area of 7,502 km², and a population of 1,868,648 , 20.63% of which was urban...
in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, known for its famous Buddhist stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
. The Bharhut stupa may have been established by the Maurya king Asoka in the 3rd century BCE, but many works of art were apparently added during the Sunga
Sunga Empire
The Sunga Empire or Shunga Empire was a royal Indian dynasty from Magadha that controlled vast areas of the Indian Subcontinent from around 185 to 73 BCE. The dynasty was established by Pusyamitra Sunga, after the fall of the Maurya Empire...
period, with many friezes from the 2nd century BCE. An epigraph on the gateway mention its erection "during the supremacy of the Sungas" by Vatsiputra Dhanabhuti.
The stupa (now dismantled and reassembled at Kolkata Museum) contains numerous birth stories of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
's previous lives, or Jataka
Jataka
The Jātakas refer to a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of the Buddha....
tales. Many of them are in the shape of large, round medallions.
In confirmity with the early aniconic phase of Buddhist art
Buddhist art
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world....
, the Buddha is only represented through symbols, such as the Dharma wheel
Dharmacakra
The Dharmachakra , lit. "Wheel of Dharma" or "Wheel of Life" is a symbol that has represented dharma, the Buddha's teaching of the path to enlightenment, since the early period of Indian Buddhism. A similar symbol is also in use in Jainism...
, the Bodhi tree
Bodhi tree
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo , was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree located in Bodh Gaya , under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, is said to have achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi...
, an empty seat, footprints, or the triratana symbol.
The style is generally flat (no sculptures in the round), and all characters are depicted wearing the Indian dhoti
Dhoti
The dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
, except for one foreigner, thought to be an Indo-Greek soldier, with Buddhist symbolism.
An unusual feature of Bharhut panels is inclusion of text in the narrative panels, often identifying the individuals.
All the archaeological objects from the stupa have been moved to the Calcutta's Indian Museum
Indian Museum
The Indian Museum is the largest museum in India and has rare collections of antiques, armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons, mummies, and Mughal paintings...
. No antiquities exist at Bharhut now.
