Image title: The Mauryan Dynasty

The Mauryan Dynasty (4th-3rd century B.C.E.)—The decline of the urban Harappan culture in c. 2000 B.C.E. was succeeded essentially by rural cultures which were followed by another phase of urbanisation. This was followed by the rise of the Magadha Empire in the 4th Century B.C.E around present day Bihar. The empire founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 323 B.C.E., witnessed expansion and political unification under his grandson, Asoka around B.C.E. 272-231. During his rule, the Mauryan Empire extended from Afghanistan in the northwest, to Odisha and Nepal in the east and to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the south.

Art, for the first time was perceived on durable surfaces like stone and was produced on a large scale. The Mauryan sculptures and art motifs are believed to have two sources of inspirations- the Indigenous and the Achaemenid (Old Persian empires). In this gallery, visitors can see examples of rock cut caves, monolithic pillars, stone sculptures, ring stones, disc stones and terracotta objects that were the typical manifestations of art in the Mauryan times. Mauryan sandstone sculptures are characterised by a distinct shine that, many historians claim, was a western influence.

Transcription (not proofread):

मौर्य राजवंश चौथी-तीसरी शताब्दी ई.पू.—2000 ई.पू. में हड़प्पा सभ्यता के पतन के पश्चात् ग्राम्य संस्कृतियों और तत्पश्चात् शहरीकरण का प्रार्दुभाव हुआ। इसके पश्चात् चौथी शताब्दी ई.पू. में आज के बिहार के आस-पास के क्षेत्र में मगध साम्राज्य का अभ्युदय हुआ। 323 ई.पू. में चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य द्वारा स्थापित साम्राज्य का विस्तार हुआ और लगभग 272-231 ई.पू. में उसके पौत्र अशोक के शासन काल में मौर्य साम्राज्य का विस्तार एवं राजनीतिक एकीकरण हुआ। अशोक के शासन काल में मौर्य साम्राज्य का विस्तार उत्तर-पश्चिम में अफगानिस्तान, पूर्व में उड़ीसा और नेपाल तथा दक्षिण में आंध्र प्रदेश एवं कर्नाटक तक हुआ।

इस काल में पहली बार प्रस्तर जैसी मज़बूत सतह पर कलाकृतियों का निर्माण किया गया। बड़े पैमाने पर प्रस्तर प्रतिमाएं बनाई गईं। मौर्य प्रतिमाओं और कला अभिप्रायों के दो विशिष्ट प्रेरणा-स्त्रोत थे स्वदेशी और अॅकेमेनिड (प्राचीन फारसी साम्राज्य)। इस वीथिका में दर्शक शैलकृत गुफाएं, एकाश्म स्तंभ, प्रस्तर प्रतिमाएं, वलय प्रस्तर, डिस्क स्टोन और मृण्मय कलाकृतियों के उदाहरण देख सकते हैं जो मौर्य कला की विशिष्टता थी। मौर्य कला की बलुआ पत्थर से निर्मित कलाकृतियों की विशेषता है विशेष प्रकार की चमक। अनेक इतिहासकार इसे पश्चिमी प्रभाव मानते हैं।

Transcription (not proofread):

maurya rājavaṃśa cauthī-tīsarī śatābdī ī.pū.—2000 ī.pū. meṃ harappā sabhyatā ke patana ke paścāt grāmya saṃskṛtiyoṃ aura tatpaścāt śaharīkaraṇa kā prārdubhāva huā| isake paścāt cauthī śatābdī ī.pū. meṃ āja ke bihāra ke āsa-pāsa ke kṣetra meṃ magadha sāmrājya kā abhyudaya huā| 323 ī.pū. meṃ candragupta maurya dvārā sthāpita sāmrājya kā vistāra huā aura lagabhaga 272-231 ī.pū. meṃ usake pautra aśoka ke śāsana kāla meṃ maurya sāmrājya kā vistāra evaṃ rājanītika ekīkaraṇa huā| aśoka ke śāsana kāla meṃ maurya sāmrājya kā vistāra uttara-paścima meṃ aphagānistāna, pūrva meṃ urīsā aura nepāla tathā dakṣiṇa meṃ āṃdhra pradeśa evaṃ karnāṭaka taka huā|

isa kāla meṃ pahalī bāra prastara jaisī maज़būta sataha para kalākṛtiyoṃ kā nirmāṇa kiyā gayā| bare paimāne para prastara pratimāeṃ banāī gaīṃ| maurya pratimāoṃ aura kalā abhiprāyoṃ ke do viśiṣṭa preraṇā-strota the svadeśī aura aॅkemeniḍa (prācīna phārasī sāmrājya)| isa vīthikā meṃ darśaka śailakṛta guphāeṃ, ekāśma staṃbha, prastara pratimāeṃ, valaya prastara, ḍiska sṭona aura mṛṇmaya kalākṛtiyoṃ ke udāharaṇa dekha sakate haiṃ jo maurya kalā kī viśiṣṭatā thī| maurya kalā kī baluā patthara se nirmita kalākṛtiyoṃ kī viśeṣatā hai viśeṣa prakāra kī camaka| aneka itihāsakāra ise paścimī prabhāva mānate haiṃ|

Transcription (not proofread):

maurya rajavamsha cauthi-tisari shatabdi i.pu.—2000 i.pu. mem harappa sabhyata ke patana ke pashcat gramya samskritiyom aura tatpashcat shaharikarana ka prardubhava hua| isake pashcat cauthi shatabdi i.pu. mem aja ke bihara ke asa-pasa ke kshetra mem magadha samrajya ka abhyudaya hua| 323 i.pu. mem candragupta maurya dvara sthapita samrajya ka vistara hua aura lagabhaga 272-231 i.pu. mem usake pautra ashoka ke shasana kala mem maurya samrajya ka vistara evam rajanitika ekikarana hua| ashoka ke shasana kala mem maurya samrajya ka vistara uttara-pashcima mem aphaganistana, purva mem urisa aura nepala tatha dakshina mem amdhra pradesha evam karnataka taka hua|

isa kala mem pahali bara prastara jaisi maज़buta sataha para kalakritiyom ka nirmana kiya gaya| bare paimane para prastara pratimaem banai gaim| maurya pratimaom aura kala abhiprayom ke do vishishta prerana-strota the svadeshi aura aॅkemenida (pracina pharasi samrajya)| isa vithika mem darshaka shailakrita guphaem, ekashma stambha, prastara pratimaem, valaya prastara, diska stona aura mrinmaya kalakritiyom ke udaharana dekha sakate haim jo maurya kala ki vishishtata thi| maurya kala ki balua patthara se nirmita kalakritiyom ki visheshata hai vishesha prakara ki camaka| aneka itihasakara ise pashcimi prabhava manate haim|

Gallery information:

These photographs are from the section “Maurya, Shunga and Satavahana Arts” within the National Museum of New Delhi (India). The Mauryan, Shunga, and Satavahana dynasties have distinct yet interconnected roles in the evolution of Indian art and culture. Throughout these periods, terracotta art evolved considerably, reflecting cultural and technical exchanges, and iconography transitioned from aniconic to anthropomorphic depictions in Buddhist contexts. These dynasties collectively influenced the stylistic and thematic growth of Indian art.