Post-Mauryan trends in Art and Architecture of South India

During the approach of the second century BCE, power of the Vaishnavas and the Shaivas have risen.  Different rulers had established their control over the Mauryan Empire and the same is also reflected in the Post-Mauryan trends in Indian Art and Architecture. There are three main stupas at Sanchi, Stupa-1 is presumed to have the relics of the Buddha, Stupa-2 has the relics of ten less famous arhats belonging to three different generations and Stupa-3 has the relics of Sariputta and Mahamouglayan. As evidence from Buddhist Monuments of South India, many stupas such as Amaravati, Bhattiprolu, Nagarjunkonda, Goli can be viewed in Andhra Pradesh

Similarities with Sanchi Stupa:

• As part of the Amaravati Stupa, Pradakshina Patha is enclosed within a Vedika on which many narrative sculptures are depicted.
• However, its Torona has disappeared over the period
• Each torana consists of two vertical pillars and three horizontal bars on the top
• Horizontal bar is decorated with different sculptural themes on the front as well as at the back Supporting the extensions of the lowermost horizontal bar from below are the images of shalabhanjika
• Buddha images are carved on the drum slabs in the second and third centuries CE while in the early phase, which is devoid of Buddha images
• In the context of Buddhist monuments of South India, intense emotions were important features of the sculpture.

Special Features:

• Figures are slender and depict a lot of movement.
• Bodies are shown with three bents (Tribhanga).
• Narratives that are profoundly depicted include events from the life of the Buddha and the Jataka stories.
• At Amaravati, Nagarjunkonda, and Guntapalle in Andhra Pradesh, Independent Buddha images are found that glorify the Buddhist Monuments of South India

Rock cut Stupas:

• The rock-cut stupas have been excavated in Anakapalli in Visakhapatnam. It is decorated with sculptural relief.
• Sannati in Karnataka is the biggest stupa site uncovered so far that has a stupa like the one in Amaravati.

Viharas, chaityas and temples:

• Guntapalle (structured temples) are similar to Sanchi apsidal chaitya structure, i.e., Temple 18, a basic worship sanctuary with front columns and a corridor at the back.
• With reference to the Buddhist Monuments, the Buddha’s images, other Buddhist pictures of Bodhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara, Padmapani, Vajrapani, Amitabha, and Maitreya Buddha began getting etched during this period. 
• In the fourth and fifth centuries CE, the stupas portrayed pictures of Buddha.

The consequence of Vajrayana Buddhism:

With the ascent of Vajrayana Buddhism, numerous Bodhisattva pictures were added as a piece of the exemplified portrayals of specific temperances or characteristics as proliferated by the strict Buddhist standards.

Conclusion

There are numerous sites dating back to the second century BCE in India and some of the prominent examples of the finest sculpture are found at Amaravati, Bhattiprolu, Nagarjunakonda and Goli.