NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES
 
The Temple
The Shikhara Amalaka
The Shikhara Jala
The Capital
The Cornice
Floral freize
Door-Jamb
Images of Vishnu's Incarnations
Shiva-Parvati
Terracotta Figurines
 

ON THE 18TH OF JUNE 1992, when the ground near the Ramajanma Bhumi was being levelled, a most startling archaeological discovery was made at Ayodhya. At a depth of about 12 feet from the ground level near the Ramajanma Bhumi temple, towards the south and beyond the fencing, a big hoard of beautifully carved buff sandstone pieces was located in a large pit, dug down below the old top level.

A careful study by a group of eight eminent archaeologists and historians found that all these objects are architectural members of a Hindu temple-complex of the 11the century A.D.

The big hoard of stone sculptures, discovered on 18th June 1992 during the 'levelling of the ground around the Rama Janambhumi operation'

 
The group comprised Dr. Y.D. Sharma, former Deputy Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, Dr. K.M. Srivastava, former Director, Archaeological Survey of India, Dr. S.P. Gupta, former Director, Allahabad Museum, Prof. K.P. Nautiyal, Vice-Chancellor, Avadh University and former Head of the Ancient History and Archaeology Department, Garhwal University, Prof. B.R. Grover, former Director, Indian Council of Historical Research, Shri Devendra Swarup Agarwal and Dr. Sardindu Mukherji of the Delhi University and Dr. (Mrs.) Sudha Malayya of Bhopal.
The Temple : The experts, who visited the site on behalf of the academic organisation, "The Historians' Forum", on the 2nd and 3rd of July 1992, are unanimously of the view that the temple, to which these fragments belong, is of the developed Nagara style of ancient temple architecture which was current in northern India during the later part of the early medieval period i.e. the period after 900 A.D. and before 1200 A.D. The temples of this style are characterised by a distinctly imposing shikhara, which is a tall and tapering spire over the garbha-griha or sanctum sanctorum, which houses the main deity.
The Shikhara Amalaka : The developed shikhara is like a mountain with several tiers of subsidiary shikharas, rising one above the other and projecting partially form the main shikhara. The shikharas are crowned with a very distinctive circular piece of stone, called amalaka, which is shaped like a clogged wheel, with bead-like mouldings along the periphery. It is so very typical of the temples of northern India that no one in the world who knows even a little about the Hindu temples can cast any doubt about its position in the temple structure. There are two examples of half-amalakas, in the present hoard of objects, evidently used on the top of the subsidiary sikhras, called sikharas of karnas, i.e. fringe spires.
 
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The pit is sealed by a floor which is running towards the mosque at the same level as that of the masque.
 
Close-up of the section facing east with several structural remains, including brick-walls and floors of different periods.
The Shikhara Jala : The second most significant find is the curvilinear part of the jala mouldings present on the shikharas. It is beautifully decorated with scrolls. It also belongs exclusively to the north Indian temples of the period after 900 A.D. since the technique of its carving involves the method of scooping out the areas around the floral elements so that the art-motifs are formed with surface absolutely plain. It is called `Stencil' technique.
The Capital : The third most noteworthy sculptured piece of stone in this collection is a rectangular of a pillar with beautiful mouldings in the form of highly swtylised lotus petals arranged as narrow parallel strips carved in low relief around the capital.
 
 
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Remains of a huge brick-wall of 16 courses running in north-south direction.
 
General View of the high mound of Rama Janam Bhumi cut down to 12 ft. depth
Archaeologists with labourers during excavations in July 1992 discussing the nature of various layers.
 
The Cornice : The forth example of stone sculptures belongs to the most characteristic member of the Nagara style of temples-it is called Chhadya, and in Hindi chhajja, sun-shade, where the straight wall over the high plinth meets the base of the shikhara. It is carved and shaped like rectangular Mangalore tiles to serve not only as a sun-shade but also allow the rain water to run off quickly and protect the structure. It is a corner-stone of the cornice.
 
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Floral freize : There is one frieze of continuous leafmoulding which decorates one of the top lines of the high plinth of the temple.
The remains of an extensive brick-flooring.
part of the chhajja or cornice stone carved like a tile with central rib, apparently a copy of the wooden architecture.
The capital of a pillar.
Door-Jamb : There is one example of a door-jamb or dvara-shakha of the main entrance of the temple. It is decorated with a meandering floral design, carved in `Stencil' style.
 
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Images of Vishnu's Incarnations : There is also agragment of a stele embellished with the most significat sculptures of a number of Vaishnavite gods, viz. a Chakrapurusha, i.e. a youthful male figure standing gracefully at an angle (tribhanga) and holding vertically in the palm of the right hand the characteristic wheel or chakra of Vishnu.

Another image is that of Parashurama, sitting corss-legged and holding a battle-axe in the left hand. Below him is the image of Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna, with a canopy of serpent-hoods and having a wine-cup in his hand. Still below him is the image of a mother goddess (matri-devi), the bestower of all good luck.

As per the inconographic stipulation, there should have been an image of Dasharathi Rama, i.e., the son of Dasharatha, above the image of Parashurama, in order to complete the trio of three Ramas in the full set of ten incarnations of Vishnu. Evidently, the temple to which this stele belongs has necessarily to be a Vaishnavite one.

One top is the image of Parashurama, below him of Balarama, elder brother of Krishna. Below him is a mother goddess. On top there must have been the image of Rama Dasharathi-Lord Shri Rama.
The Bhumi Amalaka which had crowned the shikhara of a subsidiary shrine projecting partially from the face of the main shikhara.
A view of the Nagara-Bhumija style of north Indian temple showing shikhara and amalakas-only for comparison.

Shiva-Parvati : Besides the above, there are several other images. One is of Shiva-Parvati, also called Uma-Maheshvara. It was found from a shallow mound called Nala, located some 200 metres away from the site of the above hoard of art and architectural pieces. Though Shiva's head is now lost, his hand holding a trishula or trident is fully intact. Similarly, although Parvati's face is not extant, her hand from behind Shiva's neck is found resting on his right shoulder in an embracing position. Stylistically, it is also datable to the 11the century.

Terracotta Figurines : Art objects of burnt clay belonging to the earlier periods, such as the Kushana (1st-3rd century) have also been found. These images belong to various Hindu gods and goddesses.
   
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Top-left member of the Jala or mesh like shikhara decoration.

 
A small north India temple showing Jala carved in 'stensil style'.

 

A fragment of the Jala showing floral motif carved by the 'stencil' technique.

Door-jamd with meandering floral pattern carved in the 'stencil' technique.
Fragment of a border with lotus-petal or pipal leaf frieze.
Fragment of a moulding.
The dvarashakha or door-jamb with the images of devakanyas, ganas and a dvarapala. Block stone.

The image of dvarapala with kinta mukuta on the head and vanamala in the neck; carved on a door-jamb decorated with heavenly damsels, devakanyas and ganas. it is a Vaishnavite deity. Block stone. Blow up of a panel from the dvarahakha.

General view of the levelled ground in front of the Ramajanma Bhumi structure.
 
Carved black stone pillar still found existing in the domed structure at Ramajanam Bhumi.
Another black stone pillar found fixed at the end of a load-bearing pier of one of the domes.
 
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