The site of Sarnath in the Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India, is allegedly the place where Shakyamuni delivered his fist sermon and thus initiated the religious tradition that we call “Buddhism” today. Given the significance of this location for practicing Buddhists and the abundance of archaeological remains still in situ, it is surprising that the art and architecture of Sarnath have never been the subject of a systematic and comprehensive overview until now. The book by Frederick M. Asher aims to fill this gap by making this major Buddhist site, both in its ancient configuration and in its modern revival, accessible to a wide audience. This agile, thorough, and approachable publication is a useful guide for those seeking to grasp the richness of archaeological remains at Sarnath as well as the history of their reception. The narrative in Sarnath is augmented by beautiful illustrations of monuments, sculptures, as well as archival material such as colonial photographs and plans.
Asher's historiographic treatment of the artistic and architectural evidence comes forward in the introduction to the book. The narration opens with the discovery of the Ashokan pillar by the German archaeologist F. O. Oertel at Sarnath in 1904 and the “enshrinement” of its capital in the local museum. It offers a review of the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century toponymy associated with this site named Mrigadava, the Deer Park, or Rishipatanam/Ishipatanam in ancient Buddhist texts. In an effort to trace a reception history of Sarnath, the introduction touches on themes associated with royal patronage from the time of the Maurya to the Pala period; it also addresses the demise of the site as well as the colonial interest that led to the earliest explorations, archaeological excavations, and collections of sculpture.
The first chapter is dedicated to the history of Sarnath's discovery and the excavations conducted during the colonial period, underscoring the historiographic methodology preferred by Asher. The discussion jumps from descriptions of Sarnath included in the travelogues of the Chinese pilgrims Faxian and Xuanzang, who visited the site in the fifth and seventh centuries CE, respectively, to the first colonial account in 1794 by Jonathan Duncan. Very informative is the review of the archaeological work carried out by Alexander Cunningham, who surveyed the Sarnath remains in 1835–36 and then excavated and published the first report in 1861–62, when the Archaeological Survey of India was first instituted. The discussion of documentary drawings by Markham Kittoes from 1851 to 1853 is also very helpful for mapping colonial recording and collecting practices.
Chapter 1 begins again with Oertel's discovery of the Ashokan pillar capital along with 476 Sarnath sculptures, including the famous Kushan Bodhisattva inscribed by the monk Bala and the spectacular preaching Buddha that has become iconic of the Sarnath Gupta “style.” The work carried out by John Marshall in 1907 and 1908 introduces us to the first Indian scholar working on Sarnath, the Sanskritist Daya Ram Sahni, who produced the first Catalogue of the Museum of Archaeology at Sarnath in 1914 and a site guide that is still in use. Asher's narrative in the first chapter concludes by blurring the boundaries between historiography and history when discussing the demise of the site in the twelfth century and questioning interpretations linking the destruction of the Buddhist monasteries to the incursions of Islamic rulers.
Chapter 2 marks a radical shift in tone and narrative style, as it consists of a matter-of-fact guide to the Sarnath archaeological remains under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. This is a useful tool for visitors who intend to navigate the complexity of the physical remains at this Buddhist site. It highlights the many misattributions that still surround Buddhist structures at Sarnath, and on occasion, one wishes that Asher talked a bit more about the diachronic development of the structures as well as their evolving functions and uses.
In contrast with the succinctness that characterizes the presentation of the archaeological remains, the discussion of Sarnath's sculpture offers an extensive stylistic analysis of the material and fully reveals the consummate art historical eye of the author. Asher recontextualizes the notion of a “Sarnath school of sculpture” that can betray improper connotations of a Western artistic atelier and talks about Sarnath artworks that are now scattered in global museums. The presentation of Maurya and Kushan sculpture reveals Asher's profound knowledge of the artistic developments of this early period. His interest, however, lies mostly in presenting a sequential stylistic analysis of the sculptural tradition and much less in reconstructing the religious context and ritual horizons that led to its production; therefore, he seldom weaves the epigraphic evidence into the narrative. In treating the Gupta period sculpture, Asher ably highlights how Buddha images from Sarnath impacted contemporary artistic productions at sites such as Bodhgaya, Nalanda, and Ajanta, and he explains how the Sarnath stelae depicting scenes from the Buddha's life may have worked as “surrogates for physical pilgrimages” (p. 104). The later sculptural production from Sarnath falls entirely under the rubric of “Beyond the Gupta Period” (p. 108), which could have been further unpacked and enriched by reflections on the emerging of Esoteric Buddhism that so closely informed this body of art.
Asher's historiographic perspective comes full circle in the concluding chapter, which addresses the modern Buddhist revival of the historical site. In this final section of the book, Asher talks about the early twentieth-century plans for establishing a “Buddhist University” and brings to our attention the modern Buddhist monuments that dot the Sarnath area, which are often overlooked in art historical discussions. In particular, a discussion of the modern Mulagandhakuti Vihara introduces us to a troubling issue that still divides contemporary India—the discord over appropriation of sacred sites. In sum, this important book by Asher insightfully connects the past to the present, making an important and complex site like Sarnath, its history and modern revival, approachable to all.
It is with great sadness that we report that Frederick Asher passed away before the publication of this review. He was a scholar gentleman and a true pillar in the field of South Asian art history. His tremendous knowledge, openness, and generosity will be sorely missed.
