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Question
"Art,Literature and culture reached a high level of development in the Vijayanagar empire".Discuss
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Solution
Approach: - Give a brief about the empire and the general perception about their art and culture.
- Mention various achievement of vijaynagar empire in the field of art and culture.
The Vijayanagar Empire ruled in South India from 1336 until 1646 and left a lasting legacy of architecture, sculpture, and painting. The rulers of Vijayanagar were the inheritors of the rich traditions in art and architecture of the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Hoysalas. Vijayanagar has been described as large as Rome or any biggest town in the western world at that time.
Art and Architecture
The city was surrounded by seven fortifications. The palace was the most impressive building in Vijayanagar. There were halls of public and private audiences. The halls were decorated with beautiful painted pictures. Usually the walls and pillars were ornamented with sculptures made of stone or wood. Temple architecture received a new impetus and reached to new heights under the patronage of the Vijayanagar rulers.Important features of Vijayanagar style of temple and architecture were: monolithic pillars, ornate brackets, decoration on exterior side of the walls, etc. A large number of temples were built during this period. Krishnadevaraya built a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. He renovated several temples. The most important was the temple of Hazara Rama. The royal family worshipped there. Its most interesting features were the four finely polished black stone pillars which support the ‘Mandapa’.
Paintings
The Vijayanagar school of painting is renowned for its frescoes of Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology on temple walls and ceilings.Absorbing the local artistic traditions and customs, the Vijayanagar school of painting gradually evolved into many styles of painting in South India, including the Mysore and Tanjore schools of painting.Mysore paintings are known for their elegance, muted colors, and attention to detail; they are characterized by delicate lines ,, intricate brush strokes, graceful delineation of figures, and the discreet use of bright vegetable colors and lustrous gold leaf .Vijayanagar painting is most commonly represented in elaborate manuscripts and wall paintings in Hindu temples.
Sculpture
The mingling of South Indian styles under the Vijayanagar Empire resulted in a richness not seen in earlier centuries, including a focus on reliefs and sculpture that surpassed that seen previously in India.Soapstone, which was soft and easily carved, was commonly used for reliefs and sculptures. To cover the unevenness of the stone, artists employed brightly painted plaster to smooth over and finish rough surfaces.Sculpture was integrally linked with architecture in the creation of Vijayanagar temples.Large life-size figures of men, women, gods, and goddesses adorn many Vijayagara temples, and temple pillars often have engravings of charging horses or hippogryphs (yali) and other elements of Hindu mythology.Another element of the Vijayanagar style is the carving and consecration of large monolithic statues, such as the Sasivekalu Ganesha and Kadalekalu Ganesha at Hampi.
Literature:
Literature also made progress in the Vijayanagar empire. Its rulers were patrons of all languages, viz., Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. Krishna Deva Raya was not only a scholar himself, but he also patronised other scholars. Other kings also patronised scholars and poets. It has rightly been stated that the reign of Krishna Deva Raya marked “the dawn of a new era in the literary history of South India.
He himself wrote a book in Telugu called Amuktamalyada. In the introduction to that book, it is stated that the king had written five other books in Sanskrit. It is pointed out that there were eight big giants in his court. Peddana was his poet-laureate. Madhava Vidyaranya and Sayana flourished in the beginning of the Vijayanagar Empire. They are well-known for their learning even in modern times. Sayana wrote his famous commentaries on the Vedas and Madhava was “the supreme light incarnate.”The rulers of Vijayanagar encouraged people to write on music, dancing, drama, grammar, logic and philosophy. It has rightly been stated that the Vijayanagar Empire was “a synthesis of South Indian culture”.
- Give a brief about the empire and the general perception about their art and culture.
- Mention various achievement of vijaynagar empire in the field of art and culture.
Art and Architecture
The city was surrounded by seven fortifications. The palace was the most impressive building in Vijayanagar. There were halls of public and private audiences. The halls were decorated with beautiful painted pictures. Usually the walls and pillars were ornamented with sculptures made of stone or wood. Temple architecture received a new impetus and reached to new heights under the patronage of the Vijayanagar rulers.Important features of Vijayanagar style of temple and architecture were: monolithic pillars, ornate brackets, decoration on exterior side of the walls, etc. A large number of temples were built during this period. Krishnadevaraya built a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. He renovated several temples. The most important was the temple of Hazara Rama. The royal family worshipped there. Its most interesting features were the four finely polished black stone pillars which support the ‘Mandapa’.
Paintings
The Vijayanagar school of painting is renowned for its frescoes of Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology on temple walls and ceilings.Absorbing the local artistic traditions and customs, the Vijayanagar school of painting gradually evolved into many styles of painting in South India, including the Mysore and Tanjore schools of painting.Mysore paintings are known for their elegance, muted colors, and attention to detail; they are characterized by delicate lines ,, intricate brush strokes, graceful delineation of figures, and the discreet use of bright vegetable colors and lustrous gold leaf .Vijayanagar painting is most commonly represented in elaborate manuscripts and wall paintings in Hindu temples.
Sculpture
The mingling of South Indian styles under the Vijayanagar Empire resulted in a richness not seen in earlier centuries, including a focus on reliefs and sculpture that surpassed that seen previously in India.Soapstone, which was soft and easily carved, was commonly used for reliefs and sculptures. To cover the unevenness of the stone, artists employed brightly painted plaster to smooth over and finish rough surfaces.Sculpture was integrally linked with architecture in the creation of Vijayanagar temples.Large life-size figures of men, women, gods, and goddesses adorn many Vijayagara temples, and temple pillars often have engravings of charging horses or hippogryphs (yali) and other elements of Hindu mythology.Another element of the Vijayanagar style is the carving and consecration of large monolithic statues, such as the Sasivekalu Ganesha and Kadalekalu Ganesha at Hampi.
Literature:
Literature also made progress in the Vijayanagar empire. Its rulers were patrons of all languages, viz., Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. Krishna Deva Raya was not only a scholar himself, but he also patronised other scholars. Other kings also patronised scholars and poets. It has rightly been stated that the reign of Krishna Deva Raya marked “the dawn of a new era in the literary history of South India.
He himself wrote a book in Telugu called Amuktamalyada. In the introduction to that book, it is stated that the king had written five other books in Sanskrit. It is pointed out that there were eight big giants in his court. Peddana was his poet-laureate. Madhava Vidyaranya and Sayana flourished in the beginning of the Vijayanagar Empire. They are well-known for their learning even in modern times. Sayana wrote his famous commentaries on the Vedas and Madhava was “the supreme light incarnate.”The rulers of Vijayanagar encouraged people to write on music, dancing, drama, grammar, logic and philosophy. It has rightly been stated that the Vijayanagar Empire was “a synthesis of South Indian culture”.
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