The earlier Mauryan Buddhist phase at Dhānyakaṭaka (Amarāvatī)

Regarding the antiquity of the archaeological site of Amarāvatī it can be said that the region existed from the pre-historic times. Pre-historic implements in the form of Paleolithic and Neolithic celts are found about ten miles round Amarāvatī. Neolithic phase was followed by the Megalithic phase. Megalithic burials between Guṇṭur and Amarāvatī near the hill ranges at Lam, Mothadaka and Nemalipuram prove this. Some urn burials were discovered by A. Rea under one of the smaller stūpas of Amarāvatī. However, the recorded history of the place begins from the time of Aśoka.

In this regard mention may be made of the Mauryan pillar from Amarāvatī (Pl 30b). It is dated to the time of Aśoka. He possibly endowed the Mahācaitya with this pillar and a railing of granite uprights. In this act he probably caused the first beautification of the stūpa^[1].

The inscription on the pillar edict is as follows:-

1. Para [r] ta (tra) [1*] abh [isha]
2. [dha] kho likhite [m] e
3. jano bahūnī
4. anusuyamti [i] sa
5. rachihijiti Vijaye
6. [picha] mam [e] pi
7. [pitatatā]^[3]

This inscription was found from a resident of Amarāvatī near the Mahāstūpa. It is important as it reveals the association of King Aśoka with this region. Moreover it is known that Aśoka was aware of the importance of Dhānyakaṭaka in Dakṣinapatha. From the Mahāvaṃsa it is learnt that Aśoka sent Mahādeva on a mission to Mahismaṇḍala in the south. Mahādeva rested in Pallavabhogga (Pālnad of Guṇṭur district) and from there he proceeded to Anurādhapura in Ceylon^[4]. Pālnad is at close proximity to Amarāvatī and the material par excellence in the art of Amarāvatī is the greenish limestone from Pālnad, popularly termed as the Amarāvatī marble. Thus both literary and archaeological evidence confirm Aśoka’s association with the region and the Mahācaitya.

However, the archaeological excavations in the monastic site have unearthed a pre-Aśokan phase. The stratigraphical evidences, objects and architectural remains have revealed the earliest period spanning 4^th century -3^rd B.C.E. This period has been further subdivided into phase IA and IB^[5].

The IA phase is characterised by the occurence of pits dug into the natural soil. These pits have yielded Black and Red and Northern Black Polished Wares, (Pl 30c) occasional brick bat and few irons. An occupational layer of nearly 60-90 cm thick composed of blackish-brown earth with clay and leveled gravel floor is discovered. It appears that in this phase the Mahācaitya had come into existence in small proportion. This phase is pre-Aśokan. Another interesting feature of this discovery is sherds of Red slipped and Black and Red wares. These contain the name of monks Thisapala and Malasa. Thus the occupational evidence in the area close to the Mahācaitya points to the existence of a Buddhist settlement.

This earlier Mauryan Buddhist phase at Dhānyakaṭaka possibly attracted the attention of Aśoka who chose the area for his proselytizing activity in south-east India. However, the pillar mentioned above over which Aśoka inscribed his edict generates controversy regarding Aśoka’s authorship of the coloumn^[6]. In this regard it may be stated that the pillar can be considered a hypaethral column existing earlier. The reason for such an assumption becomes strong if we take a note of the material used for the construction of the pillar. This pillar was made of local quartzite and not chunar sandstone usually used by the Mauryan rulers. This also points to the existence of Buddhist community prior to the time of Aśoka.

The period IB have yielded large quantities of Northern Black Polished Ware in various hues, that is, golden, silvery, steel-bluish, black etc. In addition to it Black and Red Ware, Black Polished Ware, granite rail uprights and some limestone crossbars are also found. The uprights bear Mauryan polish with short donatory label with Mauryan character. At some distance from the Mahācaitya an oblong structure built of fragmentary bricks and limestone encasing slab was found. Scholars like R. Subrahmanyam and I.K Sarma equate period I to the Mauryan phase^[7] of which phase IA is pre-Aśokan. Further excavation have unearthed silver punch marked coin hoard numbering approximately over 5000 coins from Amarāvatī and stray coins of Mauryan character from the neighbouring region^[8]. These coins of Mauryan character and the pillar inscription of Aśoka attest Mauryan authority over the region. However, several other evidences also give indication of the pre-Mauryan phase.

An inscribed and fragmentary stupa railing from Amarāvatī in the 3^rd B.C.E shows the existence of the Mahāstūpa before the Mauryan period^[9]. This suggests the probability of Buddhism being carried to the Andhra country during or little after the death of Buddha. During this period the local ruler^[10] along with the nigama and goshṭhi worked together for peace and prosperity of the region. The Amarāvatī inscription makes reference to the Vanda goshthi and the Dhanakataka nigama. Another inscription from Vāddamānu near Amarāvatī mentions Rājā Somaka who was probably a contemporary of Rājā Kuberaka of Bhaṭṭiprolu ruling in 2nd Century B.C.E^[11]. However, by the time of Aśoka the centre grew in wider dimension as an important Buddhist centre.

Coming back to the stratigraphical evidence of the religious establishment mention may be made of the second period dating 2^nd-1^st century B.C.E. In this period along with the Northern Black Polished Ware and Black and Red Ware of the previous period, Red Slipped Ware showed great profusion. This phase exposed greater structural and sculptural activity. The excavations revealed bricks measuring 47 x 30 x 9 cm and 42 x 21 x 9 cm near the eastern āyaka platform.

Other discoveries include inscribed cross bars, an upright with the figure of elephant below a palm tree (Pl 30d) and a silver punch marked coin^[2]. In this period the stūpa appears to have reached bigger dimension. The political authority during this period was possibly in the hands of the local rulers.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sarma I.K, 1990-91, ‘Ceramics and Maritime Routes in India: New Evidence’ Dikshit K.N and Mani B.R (ed), Purātattva, No. 21, Delhi, p 37.

[2]:

Sarma I.Karthikeya, 1974, Op.cit, pp 60.

[3]:

Sircar D.C, 1963, ‘Fragmentary Pillar Inscription from Amaravati, Sircar D.C (ed) Epigraphia Indica, Calcutta, pp 40-43

[4]:

Rao Vinay Kumar, 2010, Buddhist Sculptural Art of the lower Krishna Valley, Delhi, p 3.

[5]:

Sarma I.K, 1985, ‘Early Sculptures and Epigraphs from South East India’ in Asher Frederick and Gai G.S (ed) Indian Epigraphy and its bearings on the history of Art, New Delhi, p 15.

[6]:

Lahiri Nayanjot, 1992, The Archaeology of Indian Trade Routes upto C. 200 B.C, London, p 388.

[7]:

Sarma I.Karthikeya, 1974, ‘Some more inscriptions from Amarāvatī Excavations and the Chronology of the Mahāstūpa’ Dr. Desai Z.A, Shastri Ajay Mitra and Ramesh K.V (ed) Studies in Indian Epigraphy, Vol-1, Mysore, pp 60- 74.

[8]:

Prasad P.R.K., 1991, ‘A Hoard of Miniature Copper Coins from Amarāvatī’ in Shastri Ajay Mitra (ed), Age of the Satavahanas, Vol II, New Delhi, p, 323.

[9]:

Chakrabarty Dilip.K., 2010, The Ancient Routes of Deccan and the Southern Peninsula, New Delhi, p 195.

[10]:

Roy Anamika, 1994, Amarāvatī Stūpa, A Critical Comparison of Epigraphic Architectural and Sculptural Evidence, Delhi, p 2.

[11]:

Prasad P.R.K, 1991, ‘Pre -Sātavāhana Phase at Amarāvatī-Dharaṇikoṭa’, Op.cit, pp 329-330.