M O N U M E N T

Dr S. Hemachandran

uddhism, now almost defunct

in India as an organised
institutional religion has left its
vestiges scattered all over the
land in what are now archaeological
remnants. Buddhism was introduced in
Kerala by missionaries sent by Asoka the
Great who was the first Indian emperor
to become a convert to Buddhism. The
first historical evidence about Kerala is
found in the inscriptions of Asoka who
cited four kingdoms viz. Coda (Cola),
Pada, (Pandya), Ketala Puto
(Keralaputra), Satiya Puto (Satyaputra) in
the south of his empire. Keralaputra is
mentioned in the rock edict II and Girnar
of Asoka. The Buddhist images
discovered from the coastal district of
South Kerala manifest the influence of
Buddhism in the state.
The region between the districts of
Kollam and Alappuzha had preserved to
the posterity a number of beautiful stone
images of Sree Buddha like
Maruturkulangara, Bharanikkavu (near
Mavelikkara), Mavelikkara and
Ambalappuzha. The place names in the
region
like,
Karthikappalli,
Karunagappalli, Mainagappalli and the
presence of Kavus are the evidences of a
glorious past of the Budha Culture in this
region (Palli is the reminiscence of the
word Pallichantham ie. donation of
properties to the communities except the
Hindu religion. for example Jewthappalli,
Christian Palli and Muslim Palli. The
presence of Buddha vestiges are also
found in other regions in Kerala like
Kodungallur (Mathilakom premises and
at Kottappuram). Wayanad etc. Certain
Rock-cut temples are also attributed to
Buddhism.
The stone images of Buddha found
in the region around Kartikappalli taluk
clearly indicate the prevalence of the faith
of Sakys simha in all these parts and very
likely that these images represent at least
as many temples of Buddha in as many
places. T.A. Gopinatha Rao, the well
known Epigraphist suggest that the Ay
King Vikramaditya Varaguna who ruled
in the third quarter of the 8th century
hand granted landed properties to the
temple of Srimulavasam which he argues
that situated in the above said region
which had been evoked by the turbulent
sea in course of time.
The most illustrious sculpture of
Buddha found in Kerala is

Karumadikuttan, in Karumadi near

Ambalappuzha. The image (a portion of
head and chest is lost) is in yogasana with
ushnisha and jwala on the head and traces
of uthariya (upper cloth). The Buddha
image discovered from Mavelikkara is
nearly 3 feet in height and belongs to 9th
century AD. The ushnisha and jwala and
the upper cloth worn in the upavita
fashion is rendered sumptuously by the
gifted hands of the sculptor. It is now
preserved inside a chaitya like structure at
Mavelikkara junction.
Seated Buddha representation was a
popular mode of depiction of Buddha.
The figure of Buddha at Bharanikkavu
near Mavelikkara is also in a seated
posture. The many folded upper cloth
passing over the left shoulder and lying
flat on the chest is carved naively and
elegantly. There is also a protuberance
(ushnisha) at the top. The total height of
the sculpture including pedestal is two

feet and is in a good state of

preservation.
Another image of Buddha was
discovered from the village of
Maruthurkulangara
in
Karunagappally. The sculpture has no
protuberance on the head. The
diaphanousness of the carved upper
cloth is superlative and worth
mentioning. The image is now kept in
the garden of Krishnapuram Palace.
During the recent exploration
conducted near Kottappuram by the
Department of Archaeology we have
encountered a headless sculpture of
seated Buddha. It is now kept at the
Directorate of Archaeology,
Thiruvananthapuram. Buddhism
gradually faded away and completely
disappeared from Kerala of Hinduism.
But the grandeur of this religious faith
is treasured in glorious relics they have
left behind in this small land strip.

Carving

the Buddha
Seated Buddha
representation was a
popular mode of depiction
of Buddha. The figure of
Buddha at Bharanikkavu
near Mavelikkara is also in
a seated posture. The many
folded upper cloth passing
over the left shoulder and
lying flat on the chest is
carved naively and
elegantly.

January 2008

KERALA CALLING

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