Gupta age

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

The emergence of Gupta Empire in 4th AD is hailed as the ‘Golden Age of India’.

Question 2

Architecture

Answer 2

Caves - Ajanta caves, Ellora caves, Bagh caves

Question 3

Ajanta Caves

Answer 3

1. The finest specimens of Buddhist art in Gupta times are the Ajanta paintings.
2. They depict various life events of the Gautama Buddha and the previous birth stories (Jataka tales).
3. Paintings are lifelike and natural.
4. The briliiance of their colours has not faded even after 14th CE.

Question 4

Literature during Gupta Period

Answer 4

1. The Gupta period is remarkable for the production of secular literature
2. developed an ornate style that was different from the old simple Sanskrit
3. Bhasa was an important poet. He wrote in Sanskrit,He was the author of a drama called Dradiracharudatta,
4. However, what has made the Gupta period particularly famous is the work of Kalidasa. He was the greatest poet of classical Sanskrit literature and wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam which is very highly regarded in world literature.
5. This period also shows the increase in production religious literature. The two great epics, namely the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, were recast in their present form by the fourth century AD.
6. The Puranas follow the lines of the epics, and the earlier ones were finally compiled in Gupta times.
7. The period also saw the compilation of various Smritis or the lawbooks in which social and religious norms were written in verse.
8. The Gupta period also saw the development of Sanskrit grammar based on the work of Panini and Patanjali.
9. This period is particularly memorable for the compilation of Amarakosha by Amarasimha, who was a luminary in the court of Chandragupta II.

In mathematics, the period saw, in the fifth century, a work called Aryabhatiya written by Aryabhata who belonged to Pataliputra. Aryabhata displays an awareness of both the zero system and the decimal system. He also wrote Surya Siddhanta.
12. In the field of astronomy, a book called Romaka Sidhanta was compiled.
13. Erotic literature: Kamasutra by Vatsayana.
14. Development of Kavya style. Sanskrit now as a secular literature.
15. Brahmagupta was a great mathematician. He wrote Brahmasphutic Siddhanta in which he hinted at law of gravitation..

Question 5

Gupta Art

Answer 5

1. The Gupta period (4th – 6th Century CE) marks the bright period of art in India. Gupta art is marked by a high aesthetic sense and discipline.
2. The main centres of Buddhist art during this period were Mathura, Sarnath and Nalanda in the north.
3. For the first time the Hindu gods and subjects were carved in rounded shapes during Gupta period. In the Udayagiri Rock-cut architecture, a monolithic Varaha image with all details is carved
4. In the Dasavatara temple, full length sculptures of Vishnu are carved
5. 2 metre high bronze image of Buddha belonging to the Mathura school. The Buddha sitting in his Dharma Chakra mudra at Sarnath belongs to Gupta period.
6. Padmapani paintings at Ajanta paintings and Paintings at Bagh belong to this time. The Colossal trimurti at the Elephanta Caves.
7. Images of vishnu, Shiva and other Gods were created first in this time.

Question 6

Gupta Period - Why Golden Age?

Answer 6

The Gupta period witnessed a tremendous progress in the field of art, science and literature and on account of this it has been called a golden age.
Achievements
1. Both the Nagara and Dravidian styles of art evolved during this period.
2. One of the most famous examples of Gupta art that still remain are the numerous seated and standing images of Buddha from Sarnath and Mathura.
3. Metallurgy had also made a wonderful progress during the Gupta period. The craftsmen were efficient in the art of casting metal statues and pillars. The Delhi Iron pillar of the Gupta period (Mehraulli pillar) is still free from rust.
3. The paintings of the Gupta period are seen at Bagh caves and Ajanta. They illustrate the life of the Buddha as depicted in the Jataka stories.
4. The Gupta coinage was also remarkable. They issued the higest number of Gold coins. The figures inscribed on them are illustrative of the skill and greatness of Gupta numismatic art.
5. The Sanskrit language became prominent during the Gupta period. Numerous Epics, lyrics, drama and prose were written in Sanskrit. Poetry and drama flourished at the court of Vikramaditya, at his new capital of Ujjain who kept the Nine
Gems “navratnas?”, at his court. His court included Kalidasa, whose plays are some of the most famous works of Indian literature.
6. The Gupta period witnessed brilliant activity in the sphere of mathematics, astronomy, astrology and medicine. Aryabhatta explained scientifically the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses and accurately described the earth as a sphere.

Question 7

Gupta Sculpture

Answer 7

1. The Gupta art is an outcome of the earlier arts of Amravati, Mathura and Bhahrut, although completely different in its own way. It attained a balance between major schools of art.
2. During the Gupta period, a new school of sculpture developed around Sarnath.
3. It was characterised by the use of cream coloured sandstone and the use of metal.
4. The Sculptures during this school were immaculately dressed and lacked any form of nakedness.
5. Poise and grace are visible in all sculptures.
6. The art of sculpture making reached perfection. Deities of Hindu and Buddhist faiths were now perfectly sculpted along with other images to be placed in shrines and temples.
7. The finest examples of the Gupta sculpture is unmistakably the seated Buddha from Sarnath. The standing Buddha from Mathura and the colossal copper statue of Buddha some more superior examples of the Gupta sculpture.