(a) Explain the causes of the ruin of Stupa at Amravati. OR (b) Explain the significance of Pauranic Hinduism of the ancient India.
(a) Explain the causes of the ruin of Stupa at Amravati. OR (b) Explain the significance of Pauranic Hinduism of the ancient India.
This is an either/or question; a model answer for each option follows.
Option (a): Causes of the ruin of the Amaravati Stupa
- Lack of awareness of preservation: When the mahachaitya was found, there was little understanding of protecting monuments in situ.
- Reuse of building material: A local raja used the stupa's limestone slabs and stones to build his own structures/temple.
- Removal by British officials: Colin Mackenzie surveyed it but left no full account; later Walter Elliot carried away sculptures (the 'Elliot marbles') to Madras, and slabs were dispersed to Calcutta, Madras and London for museums and private gardens.
- Result: By the time its value was realised, the great stupa had been reduced to almost nothing — unlike Sanchi, which survived intact.
Option (b): Significance of Pauranic Hinduism
- Accessible worship: It emphasised devotion (bhakti) to a chosen deity, open to all — including women and Shudras — unlike sacrifice-centred Vedic religion.
- Rise of Vaishnavism and Shaivism: Worship centred on Vishnu and Shiva, with the doctrine of avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu.
- Puranas in simple Sanskrit: Compiled by Brahmanas, meant to be heard by everybody, they absorbed local cults and deities into a broad framework.
Marking Scheme
- 1Option (a): 1 mark — absence of awareness about preserving monuments in situ; 1 mark — local raja/officials (Mackenzie, Walter Elliot) removed slabs and sculptures; 1 mark — dispersal to Madras/Calcutta/London leaving the stupa in ruins, contrasted with Sanchi.
- 2Option (b): 1 mark — emphasis on bhakti/devotion open to all including women and Shudras; 1 mark — growth of Vaishnavism and Shaivism with the doctrine of avatars; 1 mark — Puranas in simple Sanskrit that absorbed local cults and could be heard by everyone.
- 3Any three valid, well-explained points for the chosen option earn full marks.
Hint
For (a) name the local raja and the officials (Mackenzie, Walter Elliot) who dispersed the slabs; for (b) stress bhakti, avatars and accessibility to all.
Quick Oral Answer
The Amaravati stupa was ruined because there was no awareness of preserving monuments; a local raja reused its stones and officials like Walter Elliot carried its slabs to Madras, Calcutta and London, unlike Sanchi which was protected.
Analysis & Explanation
This 3-mark either/or question comes from the chapter on cultural developments.
Concept (option a):
- The Amaravati stupa's fate is a case study in how monuments were lost before modern conservation. Its slabs became building material and museum trophies, scattered across cities. The contrast with Sanchi — preserved thanks to the patronage of the Bhopal Begums and timely intervention — is the key insight examiners look for.
Concept (option b):
- Puranic Hinduism represents the shift from ritual sacrifice to personal devotion. Its inclusiveness — welcoming women, Shudras and local deities — explains why it spread widely and endured.
Exam trap:
- Answer only ONE option. For (a), do not merely say 'it was destroyed'; give specific agents — the local raja, Mackenzie, Walter Elliot — and the idea of missing preservation. For (b), do not confuse Puranic Hinduism with Vedic sacrifice; stress bhakti, avatars and accessibility.
Common Mistakes
- 1For (a), writing only 'it was destroyed by time' without naming the local raja, Mackenzie or Walter Elliot and the dispersal of slabs.
- 2For (a), forgetting the instructive contrast with Sanchi, which survived because of timely patronage and protection.
- 3For (b), describing Vedic sacrificial religion instead of Puranic Hinduism's bhakti, avatars and inclusiveness.
Interesting Facts
The sculptures taken by Walter Elliot to Madras came to be known as the 'Elliot marbles' after him.
Sanchi survived largely intact partly because Shahjehan Begum and Sultan Jehan Begum of Bhopal funded its preservation and a museum and guesthouse there.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Amaravati Stupa fall into ruin while Sanchi survived?
The Amaravati stupa's slabs were reused by a local raja and carried away by officials like Walter Elliot to Madras, Calcutta and London before people understood the need to preserve monuments in situ. Sanchi survived because it received timely patronage and protection, notably from the Bhopal Begums.
What makes Puranic Hinduism significant?
It emphasised bhakti (devotion) to a chosen deity that was open to all, including women and Shudras, promoted the worship of Vishnu and Shiva with the doctrine of avatars, and used simple Sanskrit Puranas that absorbed local cults, making religion widely accessible.