The architecture of the Indian subcontinent, which varies greatly according to time, location, and religion. Before the 16th-c, the earliest examples are Buddhist cave temples and stupas. Hindu temples are characterized by an elaborate use of carved decoration, and can be sub-divided into three geographical types: Northern, Chalukyan, and Dravidian. The formation of the Mughal dynasty in 1526 preceded the construction of the great Islamic monuments, such as the city of Fatehpur-Sikri (156875), built on a monumental scale with great attention to rich and intricate detail. The extension of the British Empire into India led to the introduction of Western architectural forms, including the idiosyncratic classicism used by Edwin Lutyens for New Delhi (191331). The most notable 20th-c buildings are in the new regional capital of Chandigarh, designed in the 1950s by Le Corbusier. In recent years, a more basic and suitable modern architecture for Indian conditions has been promoted by Indian architects themselves, including Charles Correa.
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Indian architecture encompasses a wide variety of geographically and historically spread structures, and was transformed by the history of the Indian subcontinent.
Studies of Indian architecture normally begin with the Indus Valley Civilisation, moving through the late Vedic period, the Maurya-Gupta age of Buddhist monuments, monasteries and rock cut architecture, followed by the great temple-building of the medieval era.
Indian architecture has influenced the world, especially eastern Asia, due to the spread of ideas with Buddhism. A number of Indian architectural features such as the stupa (temple mound), sikhara (temple spire), pagoda (temple tower), torana (and temple gate), have become famous symbols of Hindu culture, used extensively in East Asia and South East Asia. The arch, a cornerstone of world architecture, was first developed by the Indus Valley civilization, and would later be a staple of Indian architecture. Indian style Hindu and Buddhist temples were constructed abroad in ancient times, with especially noteworthy uses of Indian style in Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and Java's Prambanan.
Hindu architecture
Under the influence of the Vedas in India, Hindu art and architecture rose in South Asia. The ruins of Aihole and Pattadakal are the earliest known traces of Hindu temples, also known as mandirs in today's Hindi. when Hindu scholars Panini (520 BC - 460 BC) and Patanjali described the elaborate architectural designs of the Vedic/Hindu temples. Later, with increasing architectural differentiation, the southern Dravida and the northern Nagara styles emerged as dominant modes of temple architecture, differing mainly in the shape of the roofing structure, the former being a stepped pyramid while the latter has a curved profile, epitomised in productions such as the magnificent Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur, and the Sun Temple, Konark. Buddhist elements and motifs continue to influence Hindu temple architecture to a considerable extent to this day.
Many of the Hindu temples during the early medieval era were rock-cut.
The structural system of temples was essentially trabeated and with massive blocks of stone being the basic raw material for the Indian craftsman, construction could be carried out with minimal or no mortar. The concept of fractals has been used to examine the form of the Hindu temple, both in terms of its planning and external appearance.
The garba-griha or the womb chamber forms the central focus housing the deity of the temple and is provided with a circumambulation passage around. There are also, however, many subsidiary shrines within temple complexes, particularly in the South Indian (Dravidian) style temples. As the Hindu temple is not intended for congregational worship, the garba-griha is small in scale when compared to the whole temple complex.
The spatial experience of a South Indian temple complex is considered particularly enriching and meaningful.
The principles of temple architecture were codified in treatises and canons such as Manasara, Mayamatam, and Vaastu Shastra.
List of notable Hindu temples outside India:
Angkor Wat in Cambodia Hindu temples in Java and Bali, including Prambanan Neasden Temple in United Kingdom Swaminarayan temple, Chicago, USABuddhist and Jain architecture
Buddhism gained prominence as mentioned above especially during the reign of the Emperor Ashoka.
The Jaina temples of the medieval period by a richness of sculptural detail and material, especially in the Solanki temple style of Gujarat, that can be seen in the Dilwara Temples in Mt.Abu and Ananthanatha Swami Temple at Puliyarmala, outside Kalpetta.
Rajput architecture
Rajput architecture was inspired partly by the existing Indic styles of architecture, and partly by interaction with the Persian and Islamic world, with a greater emphasis on arches, domes, and other Saracenic features.
South Indian Architecture
Ancient South Indian temple architecture does not use the northern Indian Persian, Rajastan and Jain styles. In south India four kingdoms ruled and stamped their influence on architecture:
The Pallavas ruled from AD (600-900) and their greatest constructed accomplishments are the single rock temples in Mahabalipuram and their capital Kanchipuram, now located in Tamilnadu. The Chola kings ruled from AD (900-1150) and included Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola who built temples such as the Brihadeshvara Temple and Siva temple of Thanjavur. The whole of south India was ruled by Vijayanagara kings AD (1359-1565), who built a number of temples and monuments in their style in Hampi, Vijayanagar and banks of river Tungabhadra. King Krishna Deva Raya built famous temples in South India in Vijayanagar Architecture style.Influence of Islam and Mughal architecture
With the advent of Islam, Indian architecture was adapted to accommodate the traditions of the new religion, but it remained strongly Indian at its heart and character.
Most of the Islamic buildings in India were built during the Mughal period, the architecture of which built on traditional Hindu architecture but incorporated Persian influences.
Secular architecture
Colonialist study of Indian architecture was largely focused on religious buildings, hence there is much scholarship in this area. Unique in their response to socio-cultural and geographic context are, for example, the cities of the desert region in the North such as Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, political centres such as Vijayanagara, Fatehpur Sikri and Shahjahanabad at Delhi, towns such as Srirangam in Tamil Nadu evolving around the temple as nucleus, the stepped wells of Gujarat, the wadas of Maharashtra, the pols of Ahmedabad, the havelis of northern towns, and the steep pitched roofs and timber structures of the warm, humid area of Kerala.
Architecture under the colonial rule
Though the Dutch, Portuguese and the French made substantial colonial forays into India, it was the British who had a lasting impact.
Post-independence architecture of India
With the introduction of Modern Architecture into India and later with the achievement of Independence, the quest was more towards progress as a paradigm fuelled by Nehruvian visions towards which the planning of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier was considered. Doshi, Charles Correa, etc.,
Monuments in India classified under World Heritage Sites
See also World Heritage sites in India
The following monuments have been classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
| Agra Fort Ajanta Caves Great Living Chola temples Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Churches and Convents of Goa Elephanta Caves Ellora Caves Fatehpur Sikri | Group of Monuments at Hampi Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Humayun's Tomb, Delhi Khajuraho Group of Monuments Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi | Sun Temple, Konarak Taj Mahal Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Mountain Railways of India |
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Temple roof |
Detail of the main vimanam (tower) of the Great Temple at Thanjavur |
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Prambanan temple in Java, Indonesia |
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