The Stupa of Bharhut: A Buddhist Monument Ornamented with Numerous Sculptures Illustrative of Buddhist Legend and History in the Third Century B.C.

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The Stupa of Bharhut by Sir Alexander Cunningham is a seminal work that meticulously documents the discovery and intricate artistry of the ancient Buddhist stupa located in Bharhut, central India. The book offers a comprehensive account of the stupa, which dates back to the Mauryan era under Emperor Asoka (c. 272-234 BC). Cunningham details the original construction of a brick stupa measuring approximately 68 feet in diameter and covered with plaster. During the reign of the Sungas in the second century BC, the stupa was enhanced with a richly decorated stone railing, 88 feet in diameter, enclosing the mound.

The book delves deeply into the architectural and artistic significance of the stupa, highlighting the elaborate sculptured scenes and Jataka tales that adorned its railings and gateways. Cunningham's detailed descriptions capture the intricacy of the carvings, which depict scenes from the Buddha's life and his previous incarnations. Although the physical structure has largely disappeared, leaving only scattered bricks and sandstone fragments at the site, Cunningham's documentation preserves its historical and cultural legacy. Today, many of the artifacts and sculptural pieces from the Bharhut stupa are displayed in the Bharhut gallery at the Indian Museum in Calcutta. Cunningham's work remains an invaluable resource for historians, archaeologists, and enthusiasts of Buddhist art and architecture, offering a window into the rich cultural heritage of ancient India. The book stands as a testament to Cunningham's dedication to unraveling and preserving the historical truths of the stupa, ensuring that its artistic and spiritual significance continues to be appreciated.

Sir Alexander Cunningham was a British army engineer who developed a profound interest in the history and archaeology of India. Appointed as the first Archaeological Surveyor to the Government of India in 1861, Cunningham played a pivotal role in founding and organizing what later became the Archaeological Survey of India. His contributions include numerous official reports, and significant works on Indian history and archaeology, cementing his legacy as a pioneering figure in the field.

The remains of the Great Stupa of Bharhut were first discovered by me in the end of November 1873; but as the whole of my camp was then on its way to Nagpur, I was not able then to do more than to ascertain the fact that portions of two gateways, with the included quarter of the circular railing, were still in situ, although nearly all thrown down and buried under a mound of rubbish from 5 to 7 feet in height. On my return from the Chanda district in February 1874, I spent 10 days at Bharhut, when I succeeded in uncovering the whole quadrant of the buried railing. The curious sculptures were a source of much wonder to the people who visited the place by hundreds every day. But the inscriptions excited oven greator curiosity when it was known that I was able to read them. At every fresh discovery I was importuned to say what was the subject of the writing, and great was the disappointment when I made known the simple records of gifts to the Stupa, or of the names of the guardian Yakshas, Devatas, and Nagas. Few natives of India have any belief in disinterested excavations for the discovery of ancient buildings, or of works of art, or of records of ancient times. Their only idea of such excavations is that they are really intended as a search for hidden treasure, and from the incredulous looks of many of the people, I have no doubt that I was regarded as an arch deceiver who was studiously concealing the revelations made by the inscriptions as to the position of the buried treasures.

In the beginning of March the work of excavation was taken up by my zealous assistant Mr. J. D. Beglar, who continued the excavation round the whole circle of the railing. To him we owe the discovery of the valuable Prasenajit Pillar, of the famous Jetavana scene, and of many of the most interesting coping stones. He made photographs of the sculptures as they were found; but as each day's discoveries only showed how much was still left to be explored, the work was closed in the beginning of April. In the middle of that month I forwarded to Government a statement of the discoveries that had been made up to that time. This statement was published in the London papers, and I was much gratified to find that my discovery was everywhere received with much interest. To it I owe the beginning of a correspondence with Professor Childers which ended only with his too premature death. The age which I then assigned to the Stupa, between 250 and 200 B.C., has not been shaken by any subsequent discoveries, and I have reason to believe that it is now almost universally admitted.