11.8 Palas

Gopala

• Gopala was elected by people rescuing them from chaos/matsya nyaya

Dharmapala (770-810) Succeeded Him

• Initial defeats from Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas
• Installed puppet ruler at Kannauj
• Rajputana, Malwa and Berar acknowledged his sovereignty
• Svyambhu Purana mentions Nepal as vassals
• Tibetan traditions credits him with founding Buddhist monastery at Vikramshila. Also founded monasteries at Somapuri, Odantapuri.
  • Buddhist scholar Santarakshita was in his court and was invited to Tibet. Dipankara Atisa later in 10 th century was also invited to Tibet.
• Dynasty been mentioned by Suleiman as Ruhma, also gives description about his army.
• Revived Nalanda dynasty. Palas were great patron of Buddhism.

Devapala (810-850) Succeeded Him

• Claimed to have defeated Huna, Utkalas, Dravidas and Gurjaras.
• Patron of Buddhism
• Occupied Assam
• Kingdom divided into Bhukti headed by Uparikara> Mandala > Pattala (Group of villages) headed by

Embedded from NIS - Art and Architecture › 1 Pala School of Art

• are found as part of manuscripts executed on palm leaf or vellum paper
• are characterised by sinuous lines and subdued tones of the background imagery
• lonely single figures are present more often group figures are almost absent.
• Its proponents were Vajrayana school of Buddhism.
• Imp painters were Dhimman and Vitapala.