Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- Southeast Asian arts - Artistic styles
- South Asian arts - Medieval temple architecture: South Indian style
- South Asian arts - Medieval temple architecture
- South Asian arts - Visual arts of India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
- Mathura art
- Southeast Asian arts - Indian tradition
- South Asian arts - Medieval temple architecture: North Indian style of Gujarāt
- Jainism - Jainism and Islam
How did Hindu, Buddhist, and Jaina artistic traditions coexist during medieval India?
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South Asian arts
The mridangam, the principal drum of the Carnatic music tradition.
During the medieval period in India (c. 8th–12th centuries), Hindu, Buddhist, and Jaina artistic traditions existed in a state of comparative harmony. While the majority of surviving monuments from this era are Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina structures continued to be commissioned and built alongside them.1
The coexistence of these traditions was facilitated by several factors:
- Shared Artistic Vocabulary: Artists often utilized the same stylistic language across different faiths. For instance, at sites like Mathura, the same workshops produced images for Buddhist, Jaina, and Hindu patrons, making the figures stylistically similar and distinguishable primarily through specific iconographic attributes.2
- Institutionalized Pluralism: Although most medieval dynasties were Hindu, rulers frequently demonstrated tolerance and support for diverse religious communities. Some kings were Jaina or Buddhist, and the broader political environment allowed for the continued development of these faiths.1
- Cultural Integration: The various religions shared deep-rooted cultural motifs, such as the use of auspicious fertility figures (like the yakshī) on the pillars and gateways of both Buddhist and Jaina monuments. This shared cultural heritage helped integrate these traditions within the broader framework of Indian civilization.23