Housing asceticism: Tracing the development of Mattamayūra Śaiva monastic architecture in early medieval central India (c. 8th–12th centuries A.D.)

The early medieval period in Central India was one that witnessed increasing sectarianism as new religious groups emerged through the patronage of local and regional rulers. Among these were Hindu ascetics who accumulated power through intensive ritual practice and the ability to attain divine status. Previously existing on the fringe of society, such groups quickly entered the mainstream, forming alliances with rulers, transmitting religious knowledge, and contributing to the transformation of the religious climate. This dissertation traces the institutionalization of the Mattamayūras, a Śaiva Siddhānta group of ascetic practitioners, whose monumental stone monasteries remain some of the earliest and only surviving examples of Hindu monastic architecture in the region. Through archaeological survey and formal analysis of standing buildings, I map the development of Mattamayūra monastic communities locally and regionally. By correlating the architectural evidence with readings of Sanskrit inscriptions, I further lay out the processes through which the sect transformed itself from a single sage with a localized following into a major religious institution with branches throughout the Indian subcontinent. The chapters of my dissertation are case studies organized in roughly chronological order. The first chapter provides necessary background for understanding the development of Mattamayūra monasteries and situates the sect\u27s development within larger political, religious and social contexts. Chapter Two establishes the historical context for the Mattamayūras\u27 initial foundation and growth within the region of Gopaksetra by examining local patronage of monasteries at the sites of Kadwāhā (i.e. Mattamayūra) and Ranod. Chapter Three analyzes the repercussions that this development had for nearby monasteries, focusing on the satellite retreats of Terāhī and Surwāyā, self-sustaining communities that grew much more slowly over time. Chapter Four addresses the regional expansion of the sect through the patronage of the Kalacuris of Tripurī, under whom the Mattamayūras took on increasingly important roles within the Kalacuri state, serving as Rājagurus, officiating over royal decrees and acting as administrators. Together, these chapters explore the relationship between architectural production and religious institutionalization, charting the local and regional processes through which the Mattamayūras\u27 rise to prominence was articulated through the forms of their buildings