Kankali Tila
Kankali Tila (Sanskrit, tila , hill) is a hill in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is located southwest of Mathura between Agra and Goverdhan . The name of the hill is derived from a modern temple, a poor shrine that is dominated by an ancient, carved column that functions as the Hindu goddess Kankali .
The hill is almost rectangular in shape, 152.4 m long and 106.7 m wide. Kankali Tila brought forth many treasures of Mathura art. Buddhist, Jainist and Brahmanic monuments once stood here . Archaeological excavations revealed innumerable sculptures as well as stone slabs (Ayagapattas), pillars, crossbeams and lintels. The excavations in the years 1889–1896 alone resulted in more than 1,100 finds.
While it is received no more architecture, the collection, however, testifies to the existence of two Jain temples of Digambara - and Shvetambara TEMPLE and the Vodva - stupas , at the point of Kankali Tila. Some of the inscribed objects are treasured documents that report on contemporary society and, in part, on the organization of the Jaina community. Most of the sculptures dating from the 2nd century BC Chr. Until the 12th century. AD. Can be dated, are now in Lucknow housed in the museum. The finds from Kankali Tila were not fully registered in the 19th century, which is why the origin is only certain for a part.
Excavations for archaeological purposes
In March 1871, Alexander Cunningham carried out excavations at the western end of the hill, which were very successful. He discovered very old and valuable inscriptions of the Indo-Scythian dynasties with the Kushan -Königen Kanishka , Huvishka and Vasudeva . Excavated fragments of pillars, fences and brick walls, which can be assigned to Jainism, are an indication that important Jain buildings stood at this location. Numerous, colossal and life-size statues, both male and female, were discovered more or less fragmentarily. In 1875 the archaeologists Growse and Harding struck gold in the northern part of Kankali Tila. Two colossal Buddha statues, an elephant figure, and fragmentary statues with characteristic features of the 11th century can be enumerated. At the eastern end of the hill, between 1887 and 1896, Dr. Burgess and Dr. Guide further excavations. During this phase, two temples, the Digambara and Shvetambara temples, and a Jain stupa (Vodva stupa) were discovered. Inscriptions show that one of the temples was built before 150 BC. And the other later, around the beginning of our era. Major researches were made in 1888–89, 1889–90 and 1890–91.
Jain finds
10 statues of various Shvetambara jinas of the Indo-Scythian dynasties have been excavated. Fragments of sculptures from the Huvishka period were also found, which form part of a magnificent Shvetambara Jaina temple and a colossal pillar depicting a life-size dancing woman. Archaeologists also discovered a statue of Mahavira surrounded by the remaining 23 tirthankaras . 2 colossal statues of the Jaina Padmaprabhanatha can be dated 1036 and 1134. A figure of Vardhamana, the last of the 24 Tirthankaras, and an image of the 24 Tirthankaras, were found in 1881–82. A sandstone figure from the 1st century AD may represent the deity Vishnu . Her curly hair is very similar to that of the Tirthankara figures.
Ayagapattas
The Jainas placed great emphasis on the worship of symbols. For example, the lotus , the chakra or the stupa were carved into rectangular stone slabs, so-called ayagapattas. Many Ayagapattas have been excavated in Kankali Tila. The found plates shed light on the history of the Indian alphabet, especially on the Brahmi script , the grammar and idioms of the Prakrit dialect, on the development of Indian art, on the political and social history of North India and on the history and organization and the followers of Jainism.
Buddhist finds
The Buddhist finds include 6 bases of Buddha statues and 10 completely preserved Buddhist statues, the inscriptions of which reveal the reigns of Huvishkas, Kanishkas and Vasudevas. In addition, a Bodhisattva - Amogha - Siddhartha statue from the 1st century was dug . AD and richly carved doorposts from a Buddhist temple. 5 large pillars of a fence are almost perfectly preserved. A 6th pillar of this style and size is now in the Indian Museum in Kolkata . A naked female figure is carved into each pillar, about half life-size, standing on a kneeling being.
literature
- Cunningham, A .: Report for the year 1871-72 . 1873
- Dr. RC Sharma: The Splendor of Mathura Art and Museum . New Delhi, 1999
- Vincent Arthur Smith: The Jain stupa and other antiquities of Mathura 1901 (Retrieved November 14, 2015).
- NP Joshi: Catalog of The brahmanical Sculptures in the State Museum Lucknow .
- NP Joshi: Mathura Sculptures . New Delhi, 2004
Web links
- Excavation photo
- American Institute of Indian Studies (image database)
- Report, site plan of the finds English / Indian
Coordinates: 27 ° 29 ′ 51.4 " N , 77 ° 40 ′ 19.6" E