Cultural cross bridge

North meets South India. A cultural cross bridge.

After the fall of Maurya in 230 BCE an Empire called the Satavahana (also known as Andhra) arose in the central Indian peninsula.

Their dynastic rule remained unbroken for 450 years and were the Empire that withstood the onslaughts of Indo-Scythians (Sakas), Ionian Greeks (Yavanas) and Indo-Parthians (Pahlavas) from the west.

The Satvahana Empire was right in the centre of south Asia, forming a cultural corridor between the north and the south. 230 BCE- 210 CE.

Their military and naval might was something to boast about as Megasthenes the Greek chronicler wrote that Andhras possessed 1,00,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 1000 elephant units and 30 well fortified towns.

The most important aspect of Satavahana Empire according to us was that it brought about an intermingling of cultures from north India to the south. Racially, the people of Deccan -where the Empire was located- had a diverse ancestry. A mixture of aboriginal Dravidians, Sakas, Pahlavas and the Yavanas.

Even though Satavahana kings are known for the spread of Hinduism, a lot of evidence exists in the form of sculpture and temples that they promoted all forms of extant philosophies.
Relief work on a Stupa at Sanchi, India showing Buddha walking on water, belonging to the Satavahana period.

On a rock edict found in the Empire- “Here in the king’s domain among the Yavanas, the Khambhojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-gods’ instructions in Dhamma.”

Coins produced in the Satavahana Empire sometimes had inscriptions in Prakrit on one side and Tamil on the other.
This lead coin shows a bull with inscriptions in Bramhic script.

The Satvahanas played a vital role in trade, transfer of ideas and culture from the Indo-Gangetic plain to the southern tip of India and beyond to south-east Asia.

A stupa arch with relief work showing the tale of Vasantara and his selfless generosity from ‘The Jataka Tales’.

The Great Departure

“The Great Departure”

Relief work done in Hellenistic style showing Buddha surrounded by his Greek Devotees.

“It is a bondage which has come to me,” said Siddhartha when he heard of Rahula, his first-born and only child. Meaning that it was another tie added to those already holding him back. However, that night he left his palace, accompanied by his charioteer Chandaka.

Buddhist Greeks

There were a few Greek kingdoms in south Asia since the time Alexander invaded in 326 BCE up till 10 CE. Around 200 BCE they were even actively involved in promoting Buddhism.

This sculpture depicts Greek Buddhists holding plantain leaves. The work is done in purely Hellenistic Bruner relief style. It is from the 2nd-1st century BCE, kingdom of Gandhara which presently lies in Swat, Pakistan.