{"id":7527,"date":"2025-04-25T03:18:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T03:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/?page_id=7527"},"modified":"2025-05-19T13:34:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T13:34:58","slug":"t21-s05-buddhism-in-asia-spread-regional-adaptations-emergence-of-art-architecture-and-its-impact-on-society","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/t21-s05-buddhism-in-asia-spread-regional-adaptations-emergence-of-art-architecture-and-its-impact-on-society\/","title":{"rendered":"T21\/S05: Buddhism in Asia: Spread, Regional Adaptations, Emergence of Art, Architecture and its Impact on Society\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Format: Paper presentations with discussion<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convenors: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Kantikumar Pawar, Coordinator, Bihar Heritage Development Society, Dept of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, Patna, India<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Yongjun Kim, Research Professor, Institute of Cultural Heritage, Korea University, Sejong, South Korea<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Harsh Ranjan Kumar, Assistant Archaeologist, Directorate of Archaeology, Dept of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, Patna, India<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This general session covers a wide range of perspectives on the impact of Buddhism on various aspects of society in Asia, past and present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papers:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buddhism: Growth and Decline in Tamil Nadu in South India in the First Millennium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usha R. Vijailakshmi, Professor of History (Retired), Patkar-Varde College, University of Mumbai, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhism as a religious concept and a way of life started spreading in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India, in about the 4th century BCE, when Emperor Ashoka sent his officers to spread its principles as a living philosophy. When he sent his son Mahinda to Sri Lanka, the latter sasiled in a ship from the port of Nagapattinam in central Tamil Nadu to Mihintale near Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate change and tsunamis, which hit the eastern coast repeatedly, affected the spread of this religion. As Buddhism had anchored heavily in coastal areas, flooding and submergence of coastal cities gradually led to the decline of the religion. While Puhar and Nagapattinam were submerged under the sea, as per Mattavilasaprahacharanam, a Sanskrit work, Buddhism declined in Kanchipuram due to internal dissensions. The revival of Saivism in the 7th century was another significant reason for the decline. By the 12th century It became a religion of a small number of followers. Though sculptural depictions of Buddha were made until this century, the religion itself declined completely in Tamil Nadu. This paper will examine whether the climate change or internal dissensions or both played an active role in the decline of Buddhism in Tamil Nadu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archaeology of Buddhism in Kushinagar: Unveiling the Sacred Mahaparinirvana Site<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Km Kavita Yadav and Dr Palas Kumar Saha, Dept of Archaeology and Ancient Indian Culture, Tripura University, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kushinagar, situated in the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India, is revered as the sacred site where Lord Buddha attained Mah\u0101parinirv\u0101na (final salvation). Recognised worldwide as a symbol of peace and spirituality, Kushinagar has emerged as a prominent pilgrimage destination for Buddhists. Archaeological investigations, initiated by A.C.L. Carleylle in 1867 CE, unveiled structural remains dating from the 6th century BCE to the 5th century CE. These findings reflect the artistic, architectural and educational advancements promoted by Buddhist rulers and patrons over centuries. Major attractions include the Main St\u016bpa, Nirv\u0101na Temple housing a reclining Buddha image, R\u0101mbhar St\u016bpa, Matha Kuar Shrine, and extensive monastic establishments. Despite numerous studies focusing on the broader history of Buddhism in Uttar Pradesh, the archaeological heritage of Kushinagar remains underexplored. This paper seeks to delve into the archaeological landscape of Kushinagar, tracing its historical development, architectural features and cultural significance. By examining the excavated structures and their stylistic attributes, this study aims to highlight Kushinagar\u2019s pivotal role in the evolution of Buddhist art and architecture. Additionally, it seeks to underscore the site’s enduring relevance as a focal point of devotion, scholarship and heritage conservation in the Buddhist world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transmission of the \u2018Naga-enthroned\u2019 Buddha or \u2018Naga-protected\u2019 Buddha Iconography from Eastern India to Southeast Asia: A Reappraisal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noor Bano Sattar, West Bengal Education Service, Associate Professor in History, Dept of History, Chandernagore College, Chandernagore, West Bengal, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhist art in Eastern India from the 8th-13th centuries has been a major source of inspiration for the arts of Southeast Asia. Bengal (West Bengal and Bangladesh) in general and Southeastern Bengal in particular (especially after 600 CE) were engaged in commercial and religious interactions with the Southeast Asian countries. Buddhism played a pivotal role in the cultural interactions between these two areas. Regions of Southeast Asia became connected with Bengal through Buddhist monks, ritual items, images, doctrines etc. This paper delves into the migration of a potent Buddhist icon\u2014the \u2018Naga-enthroned\u2019 Buddha or \u2018Naga-protected\u2019 Buddha, generally known as Muchalinda\/Mucalinda Buddha\u2014from Bihar-Bengal to the mainland of Southeast Asia. Scholars in recent years have put forward different opinions regarding the identification and naming of this particular Buddhist icon. However, an attempt will be made to analyse the iconographic and stylistic treatment of the Buddha imagery both from eastern India and Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia) where the deity is mostly venerated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archaeology of Saivism in Varanasi: From Avimukteshvara to Vishveshvara<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof Sudhir Kumar Rai, Dept of Sociology, Udai Pratap Autonomous College, Varanasi , India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varanasi has been known as a major Shaivite centre since ancient times. Shiva was the main deity of Vedic and Agamic tradition. Agamic religion emerged around the second century BCE, as a result, the need for idol and temple installation increased. Therefore, it can be assumed that Kashi had converted as a Shaiva Tirtha in the centuries before the beginning of the common era. In the Mahabharata, worship of Vrishabhadhvaja and bathing in Kapilahrida are described as giving merit to Rajasuya Sacrifice. Puranas also resonate the same, including a list of many major (Mukhya) and some minor (Gauda) Shivalingas. This is clearly reflected in archaeological evidence that their importance kept changing from time to time. The best examples of this change are Avimukteshvara and Vishveshvara. Both these temples are an important chronological bracket to understand the history of Shaivism in Varanasi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping this in view, an attempt has been made in the proposed research paper to look at the development of Shaivism in Varanasi in the light of archaeological evidence. Archaeological sources will mainly include seals and sealings, inscriptions, and art remains. Literature such as Mahabharata, Puranas, Hiuen Tsang’s travelogue, Kuttanimattama, and Krityakalpataru will be used to interpret the archaeological evidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Format: Paper presentations with discussion Convenors:  Dr Kantikumar Pawar, Coordinator, Bihar Heritage Development Society, Dept of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, Patna, India Dr Yongjun Kim, Research Professor, Institute of Cultural Heritage, Korea University, Sejong, South Korea Dr Harsh Ranjan Kumar, Assistant Archaeologist, Directorate of Archaeology, Dept of Art, Culture and Youth, Government […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1186,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-7527","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"pmpro-has-access","6":"czr-hentry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1186"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7527"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8148,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7527\/revisions\/8148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}