Araniko

Araniko
Nepal is a beautiful country,full of not only natural

heritages but also different cultural heritages that
includes the most famous architectures of history.
Many beautiful buildings of pagoda style, mugal
style,summit style, dome style etc can be seen in
Nepal. All of them were the result of hardwork and
skills of many architects of Nepal. Among all of them,
Araniko was one of the famous architect of Nepal.
Besides Araniko was not only famous in Nepal but also
he was one of the most praised architect in Tibet,
China, Mongolia as well as Indonesia.
Araniko was born in 1245 A.D. in Kathmandu valley,
during the reign of Abhaya Malla of Malla dynasty. He
is well known for building the famous white stupa at
the Miaoying temple in Beijing. During the reign of Jaya
Bhim Dev Malla, He was sent to build the golden stupa
in Tibet. During that time, he initiated himself in
monkhood. Kublai Khan was the famous Emperor in
China i.e. founder of Yuan Dynasty (1275-1368).Kublai
Khan was a great lover of arts and architecture so,in
1260 A.D., he decided to ask Nepal to send skilled
architects to supervise the work of building golden
stupa for his teacher in Lhasa,Tibet. More than eighty
architects showed interests in going to Lhasa and it
was very diificult for then King of Nepal to chose the
most skilled one. Eventually, Araniko came forward to
the king offering to lead the team of Architects going to
Lhasa. The king was not very convinced at first but
after inquiring about his skills, he agreed to send
Araniko as team leader. He then only 16 years old, led
the team of 80 artisans and did the work vary well.
In Lhasa,he built a beautiful pagoda style monastery
which impressed the emperor’s teacher so much that
he requested Araniko to go back to capital and meet
the Emperor Kublai Khan. After meeting him, Kublai
Khan wanted to test him so he asked him to repair a
copper statue of a Sung emperor. After Araniko
finished the repairing work, the statue looked so
perfect that even the most skilled sculptors in China
present there greatly admired the work of Araniko. A
silver plate with tiger picture in it was awarded to
Araniko that meant China’s greatest appreciation.
After that, he worked in the court of emperor and
brought trans-Himalayan artistic tradition to china.\
Araniko was honoured as the ‘Duke of Liang’.
Birthplace of Araniko
Araniko was born in Kathmandu valley in 1245 A.D.
when Abhaya Malla was in reign. However Nepalese
history doesn’t have any remarkable account of
Araniko as he spent most of his days in China but
besides, Chinese history and historian have remarked
that Araniko may had been possibly from Patan of
Kathmandu valley as Patan has been always famous for
its fantastic arts and scuptures. Also, it is well known
that Araniko stayed in Kathmanadu valley until the
reign of Jaya Bhim Dev Malla i.e. the successor of
Abhaya Malla.
However the family details of Araniko is not quite clear

as they are written in Chinese alphabets. The name of
grandfather of Araniko is given as ‘Mitra’ and
grandmoyher as ‘kundalaxmi’. Similarly, his father’s
name is given as ‘Lakshman’ and mother as
‘Shumaketai’. When Araniko was three years old, his
parent took him to a temple to pay homage to Buddha
where he inquired about the ‘stambha’ and ‘Bhumis’ of
monastery surprising everyone around him. All people
thought him as a born artist since he was of a very
young age at that time. During his schooing, he
mastered all his textbook and became a good
calligrapher that even his seniors felt inferiority. He
always had a special ability to memorize the treatises
in art as soon as he heard them read.
Historical Background
Araniko was brought into Tibet and eventually to yuan
court of present Beijing due to the event of building
golden stupa. His Shakya teaching of Kathmandu valley
was well accepted in there.
In April of 1260 A.D.,Kublai Khan was elected as the
great khan by his own supporters to deny the claim of
his younger brother Ariq Boke to the throne. So due to
the ineternal conflicts for throne, there was raised a
civil war between the brothers for the reign of the
entire empire.In 1260 A.D., he officially announced and
appointed Phagpa as the leader of Buddhism and
expect Shakya sect to provide religious saction. The
building of Stupa by Araniko was not only a tribute to
Kublai Khan’s teacher but also a project to win religious
blessing in that critical year of war. Eventually, Ariq
Boke finally surrendered to him in August 21, 1264 A.D.
Araniko’s Period
Stamps were given with his image in Nepal. Similarly, a
highway was named after his name and he was
proclaimed as the national icon of Nepal. However,
Araniko continues very much like an enigma in his
nation of origin 900 years ago. But, in China, where
Araniko moved to Kublai Khan’s tribunal in 1260 A.D.
as a leader architect , he is still honoured there.
He was named Duke of Liang and the spot where he
was cremated in Hsiang Sheng near Beijing is marked
by a memorial stele. A biography has been published
about him, and there is a section on him in the yuan
genealogy. Beacause of these credible accounts from
Chinese accounts, we can track the tale of this notable
history person from Kathmandu, even though facts
about him are patchy in Nepal itself. In 1260 A.D.,
Mongol ruler Kublai Khan requested to construct a
glided stupa in Tibet for his religious guru Phags-pa.
When the patriarch of the Shakya sect of Tibetan
Buddhism requested Nepal’s Jaya Bhim Dev Malla for
a hundred performers, the prince was only able to
gather 80. Araniko 16 years old, offered to guide them.
The reality that Nepali painters were required
demonstrates just how the art and architecture of
Nepal evolved at the moment , ”describes art historian
Manuj Babu Mishra. “In reality, the Changu Narayan
Temple of the Sixth century predated Araniko and
shows the richness of the cultural history of Nepal.
In the subcontinent of Tibet, due to the decrease of
Buddhism, Nepal was seen as the origin of Buddhist
wisdom and philosophy. Phags-pa was so pleased with
the stupas of Araniko that he educated him to become
a monk and sent him to satisfy himself with the great
khan.
By fixing the old monument, Araniko met Kublai Khan,
the son Genghis Khan and moved on to construct the
new white pagoda. The design and architecture of
China had already been well established, so China was
not looking for any architect from Nepal.
What Araniko brought with his philosophy and
symbolism to China was Buddhist
architecture,”suggests historian Satya Mohan Joshi,
whose thesis in Araniko was released in 1988 A.D. For
example: The Chiatya symbolized Chaitanya or
consciousness in Swayambhu and Boudha.
Araniko is intended to have taken the renowned tiered
temple design of Kathmandu valley to China, from
where it travelled to Korea and Kyoto. But while that’s
very hard to claim whereas Satya Mohan Joshi claims
Araniko holds many other northern Nepali aspects: the
wooden door, stone pillars and sculpted doors at the
white Dagoba. Its Bronze tower, Dipankar Nepali style
sculptures, Shakyamuni and Maitreya Buddha. Paubha
deity images such as Mahakala, white tara etc. are also
remarkable proof.
The foundation of great wall of China has images of
crocodiles, animals and panchabuddha and also the
green stupa in nanking have carvings in Ranjama text
which are all impact of Araniko in China. Araniko also
developed science tools such as armillary spheres and
water clocks. However there are unusual pieces of
architecture that can definitely be ascribed to him.
Araniko set up Nepali art school in China that educated
two of his own children and also thousands of Chinese
painters.
Death
Araniko passed away on the 8th of March in 1306 A.D.
at the age of 62. His last words said that,”If I am going,
you should set of pillows and a couch so that I can pass
away in a peaceful sleep.” The next day he felt ill after
returning from the court and after the health
physicians visited him, he slipped into the death bed
forever. He had ordered officials to take care of his
family and also grant them 25 thousand silver taeles.
The officials arranged for his funeral and after seven
days of his demise his bodies were cremated according
to Nepalese tradition. There is myth of people saying
that a tree dropped in the courtyard in the demise day
and also that Herecles was seen on the forest, the next
day.

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Araniko

Nepal is a beautiful country,full of not only natural

However the family details of Araniko is not quite clear

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