An Assesment Of Hindu Rule In Kashmir
In the field of Philosophy Kashmir's contribution is the "Shiva School of thought", which assumed a distinctive character in the valley. "It is known as Trika (Triple) Shastra, as it pertains to the three vital matters of greatest importance namely (a) man (b) his universe and (c) fundamental principle which keeps on restoring order, equilibrium and harmony in the universe where it is disturbed and disrupted by constant change. " Trika, interested in man and his personality, and considers complete freedom (Swatantrya) as the one and the final goal of human life. Shiva is another name for independence, and the only reality of the universe is Shiva who is infinite consciousness, and unrestricted independence. He has many other features like omnipresence, eternality, and formlessness, though independence is peculier to him. Shiva is the subject as well as the object, the experience, as well as the experienced ". (P. N. Bazaz). The three great Acharyas of this school are Vasugupta, Kallatha and the great Abhinavagupta. Hundreds of other Kashmiri philosophers, and thinkers wrote, masterpieces on this philosophy in the subsequent periods of our history.
Another distinct school of philosophy was the emergence of Mahayana Form of Buddhism during the time of Kanishka, when the 3rd Buddhist Council met here at Harwan. It was Vasumitra and Nagarjuna who gave shape and form to this new school of thought. Nagarjuna, in the words of Havell, was the Luther of Buddhism, the apostle of Bhaktimarga, who would find means of expression for the deep seated religious instinct of the masses, through the way of devotion to the divine teacher, rather than through the dry agnostic philosophy of Hinayana School. This creed became very popular in China, Japan, Tibet and Ladakh. Nagarjuna has been raised to the exalted position of Buddistava and enjoys the reputation of being the greatest thinker of the age. In the field of Literature, there is hardly any branch of learning which the people of Kashmir had not studied, and to which they did not make their own original contribution. In philosophy, religion, medicine, astronomy, literature, engineering, sculpture, architecture, painting, music, dancing, and in many other walks of life the progress of Kashmiries during the ancient times is astonishing and striking.
In the words of Grieson, "for upwards of two thousand years, Kashmir has been the home of Sanskrit learning and from this small valley have issued masterpieces of history, poetry, romance, fable, and philosophy. Kashmiries are justly proud of the literary glories of their land. For centuries Kashmir was the house of the greatest Sanskrit scholars, and at least one great Indian religion of 'Shaivism' has found some of its most eloquent teachers on the banks of the Vitasta. Some of the greatest Sanskrit scholars and poets were born, and wrote in the valley and from it has issued in Sanskrit language a world famous collection of folk-lore." (Panchtantra.)
In the domain of architecture, the charm of Kashmir, apart from its magnificent natural scenery, lies in its temples and fine arts. Wrote one European art critic: "Ancient India has nothing more worthy of its civilization, than the grand remains in Kashmir, the massive, the grotesque the elegant in architecture, may be admired in many parts of India, but now here is to be seen, the counterparts of the classically graceful, yet symmetrically massive edifices of Kashmir, and in beauty, and position are immensely superior. " The best preserved of these stone temples are at Martand and Avantipur. The Martand temple has been universely admired by the archeologists and the artists. I need describe the opinion of three great Europeans of modern times :
Writes Stein: " It is no longer possible to trace with certainty, the cities, and remains of all the towns and structures which owed their existence to Lalitaditya. But those among them which can be identified justly by their extant ruins, the great fame which Lalitaditya enjoyed as a builder. The ruins of the splendid temple of Martand which the king had constructed near the 'Tirtha' of the same name, are still the most striking object of ancient Hindu architecture in the valley. Even in their present state of decay, they command admiration both by their imposing dimensions, and by the beauty of their architectural design and decoration."
Writes Sir Francis Young Husband: "...... built on the most sublime site occupied by any building in the world-finer than the site of Parthenon, or of the Taj Mahal, or of St. Peters or of the Escurial-we may take it, as the representative or rather the culmination of all the rest, and by it, we must judge the Kashmir people at their best. On a perfectly open, and even plain, gently sloping away from a background of a snowy mountains looking directly out, on the entire length both of the smiling Kashmir valley, and of the snowy ranges which bound it-so situated in fact as to be encircled, yet not overwhelmed by snowy mountains-stand the ruins of a temple second only to the Egyptians in massiveness and strength, and to the Greeks in elegance and grace..... No one without an eye for natural beauty would have chosen that special site for the construction of a temple, and no one with an inclination to the emphemeral and transient world have built it, on so massive, and enduring a scale.
Writes H. Gotezi " The temple of Martand set the model for Kashmir Hindu Art in all the following centuries.... Thus Lalitaditya must be regarded as the founder not only of shortlived empire, but also of six centuries of Kashmir Hindu Art. "
Another distinct school of philosophy was the emergence of Mahayana Form of Buddhism during the time of Kanishka, when the 3rd Buddhist Council met here at Harwan. It was Vasumitra and Nagarjuna who gave shape and form to this new school of thought. Nagarjuna, in the words of Havell, was the Luther of Buddhism, the apostle of Bhaktimarga, who would find means of expression for the deep seated religious instinct of the masses, through the way of devotion to the divine teacher, rather than through the dry agnostic philosophy of Hinayana School. This creed became very popular in China, Japan, Tibet and Ladakh. Nagarjuna has been raised to the exalted position of Buddistava and enjoys the reputation of being the greatest thinker of the age. In the field of Literature, there is hardly any branch of learning which the people of Kashmir had not studied, and to which they did not make their own original contribution. In philosophy, religion, medicine, astronomy, literature, engineering, sculpture, architecture, painting, music, dancing, and in many other walks of life the progress of Kashmiries during the ancient times is astonishing and striking.
In the words of Grieson, "for upwards of two thousand years, Kashmir has been the home of Sanskrit learning and from this small valley have issued masterpieces of history, poetry, romance, fable, and philosophy. Kashmiries are justly proud of the literary glories of their land. For centuries Kashmir was the house of the greatest Sanskrit scholars, and at least one great Indian religion of 'Shaivism' has found some of its most eloquent teachers on the banks of the Vitasta. Some of the greatest Sanskrit scholars and poets were born, and wrote in the valley and from it has issued in Sanskrit language a world famous collection of folk-lore." (Panchtantra.)
In the domain of architecture, the charm of Kashmir, apart from its magnificent natural scenery, lies in its temples and fine arts. Wrote one European art critic: "Ancient India has nothing more worthy of its civilization, than the grand remains in Kashmir, the massive, the grotesque the elegant in architecture, may be admired in many parts of India, but now here is to be seen, the counterparts of the classically graceful, yet symmetrically massive edifices of Kashmir, and in beauty, and position are immensely superior. " The best preserved of these stone temples are at Martand and Avantipur. The Martand temple has been universely admired by the archeologists and the artists. I need describe the opinion of three great Europeans of modern times :
Writes Stein: " It is no longer possible to trace with certainty, the cities, and remains of all the towns and structures which owed their existence to Lalitaditya. But those among them which can be identified justly by their extant ruins, the great fame which Lalitaditya enjoyed as a builder. The ruins of the splendid temple of Martand which the king had constructed near the 'Tirtha' of the same name, are still the most striking object of ancient Hindu architecture in the valley. Even in their present state of decay, they command admiration both by their imposing dimensions, and by the beauty of their architectural design and decoration."
Writes Sir Francis Young Husband: "...... built on the most sublime site occupied by any building in the world-finer than the site of Parthenon, or of the Taj Mahal, or of St. Peters or of the Escurial-we may take it, as the representative or rather the culmination of all the rest, and by it, we must judge the Kashmir people at their best. On a perfectly open, and even plain, gently sloping away from a background of a snowy mountains looking directly out, on the entire length both of the smiling Kashmir valley, and of the snowy ranges which bound it-so situated in fact as to be encircled, yet not overwhelmed by snowy mountains-stand the ruins of a temple second only to the Egyptians in massiveness and strength, and to the Greeks in elegance and grace..... No one without an eye for natural beauty would have chosen that special site for the construction of a temple, and no one with an inclination to the emphemeral and transient world have built it, on so massive, and enduring a scale.
Writes H. Gotezi " The temple of Martand set the model for Kashmir Hindu Art in all the following centuries.... Thus Lalitaditya must be regarded as the founder not only of shortlived empire, but also of six centuries of Kashmir Hindu Art. "
posted by Romaan @ 9:21 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home