EVOLUTION OF ANCIENT INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
French Architecture shows the power of sensitivity,
Roman Architecture stands for Science improvement
Italian Architecture shows the Renaissance of intelligence
But Indian architecture is formed on the basis of ‘Spiritual Life’.
ARCHITEC PERIOD PLACE FEATURES STYLE ICONS EVOLUTION INFLUENCE ARCHITECTS
TURE
Harrapan 3300 BCE Mohenjo Well-planned grids with broad Great Bath USAGE OF Evidence of
civilization to 1300 -Daro main roads and smaller lanes and granary, COPPER six granaries
architectur BCE. and that intersected at right angles the multi- BRONZE LEAD in the citadel,
e Harrapa pillared AND TIN FROM and from
Grid patterns in bricks, a well- Assembly THE STONE Lothal comes
defined city layout, impeccable hall temple- AGE TO the evidence
drainage systems, high city walls like’ BRONZE AGE of the
and multi-storeyed homes The structure dockyard.
entire city was more functional
than decorative, and every piece
of architecture served a specific
purpose. Had a system to pump
fresh water into their homes,
similar to modern plumbing.
BUDHIST 273–236 Sanchi, Stupas evolved over time from Converte second
ARCHITECT BCE) India, simple funerary monuments to d houses urbanization in
Vatadage,
URE elaborately decorated objects of the sixth
Tradition The
veneration. Three types of century B.C
al
structures are typically kingdom of
Japanese
associated with the religious Anuradhapu
architecture of early Buddhism: Simplified
monasteries (viharas), places to Japanese ra Sigiriya
venerate relics ( stupas ), and Indian sanchi rock
shrines or prayer halls (chaityas Western cut cfaves
or chaitya grihas). The earliest House of ajanta
examples of worship
House of
worship
Gupta 4th and The rock cut architecture the Dasavatara Golden or Mathura and
architectur 6th reached at its zenith in Gupta Nagara temple of Classical age of Sarnath
e centuries era and a new beginning of free style and Deogarh, India became the
standing temple architecture the Bhitargaon prime centers
began. monastery consisted of Dravida temple, where
various Chaitya halls along with style. Vishnu sculpting was
numerous residential Viharas. Temple of practiced.
Its portico, as well as its Tigawa
interiors, has graceful sculptures Jabalpur,
on them. Different kind of Shiva
splendid murals filled up the Temple of
interiors of this structure. The Bhumara,
Gupta Dynasty was truly the Parvati
torchbearers as far as the Temple of
history of temple architecture is Nachria
concerned. It was the first time Kathura,
that the Guptas made use of Mukund
permanent materials like bricks Ajanta
and stones instead of making Caves
use of the usual fragile materials
like bamboo, wood etc.
Temple Sangam Andhra It is reflected in the multitude Nagara or The Badami the temples of The distinct
architectur period Pradesh, K details of figured sculpture as the Cave North and architectural
e 300 BCE - arnataka, well as in the architectural Northern templesKasi South India style of
300 CE Kerala, Ta elements. Another important style, the visvesvara were temple
mil component of Indian temples Dravida or Temple at distinguished construction
Nadu and was the garbha-griha or the the Lakkundi on the basis of in different
Telangan womb chamber, housing the Southern and some specific parts was a
a. deity of the temple. The garbha- style and Saraswati features like result of
griha was provided with a the temple in sikhara and geographical,
circumambulation passage Vesara or the temple gateways. In climatic,
around. However, there are also Mixed complex of the north ethnic, racial,
many subsidiary shrines within style. Trikuteshwa Indian historical and
temple complexes, more Maru- ra at temples, the linguistic
common in the South Indian Gurjara Gadag Jagan sikhara diversities
temple. the temples of North and nath Temple remained the
and South India were Maha- of Puri and most
distinguished on the basis of MaruPidh Lingaraj prominent
some specific features like a Deula, Temple of component
sikhara and gateways. In the Rekha Bhubanesw while the
north Indian temples, the Deula and ar portray gateway was
sikhara remained the most Khakhara Rekha Deula generally
prominent component while the Deula style while unassuming.
gateway was generally Vaital Deula The most
unassuming. The most of prominent
prominent features of South Bhubanesw features of
Indian temples were enclosures ar typifies South Indian
around the temples and the Khakhara temples were
Gopurams (huge gateways). The Deula and enclosures
Gopurams led the devotees into the Sun around the
the sacred courtyard. There Temple at temples and
were many common features in Konark the Gopurams
the Northern and the Southern (huge
styles. These included the gateways). The
ground plan, positioning of Gopurams led
stone-carved deities on the the devotees
outside walls and the interior, into the sacred
and the range of decorative courtyard.
elements. There were
many common
features in the
Northern and
the Southern
styles. These
included the
ground plan,
positioning of
stone-carved
deities on the
outside walls
and the
interior, and
the range of
decorative
elements.
Pallava art 610 – 690 Kanchip dravidian Thiruppadag the Pallavas
and CE uram, am and who actually
architectur Thiruooraga pioneered not
e m only in making
templesRoy large temples
al Temples after starting
of the construction of
Cholas at rock cut
Thanjavur temples
and without using
Gangaikond mortar, bricks
a etc
Cholapuram
s
Mughal 16th, 17th India, Mughal buildings have a "grandios Taj Mahal, With the It developed
Architectur and 18th Afghanist uniform pattern of structure and e the Jama coming of the the styles of
e Or centuries an, character, including large architectu Masjid, Mughals, earlier
Indo- Banglade bulbous domes, slender re the Shalimar Indian Muslim
Islamic sh, and minarets at the corners, massive Gardens of architecture dynasties in
architectur Pakistan. halls, large vaulted gateways, Lahore, was greatly India as an
e and delicate ornamentation; the Wazir influenced by amalgam
"grandiose architecture was the Khan Persian styles. of Islamic, Per
most visible of the ways that the Mosque, sian, Turkish
Mughals used to assert their and who and Indian
sense of superiority and their renovated architecture.
supremacy over what in many the Lahore
ways remained to them an alien Fort. The
land last of the
great
Mughal
architects
was Aurangz
eb, who
built
the Badshah
i Mosque.
Indo- 1615 to classical prototypes of British combined Mutiny result of The colonial
Saracenic 1947. architecture the British colonial the Memorial colonization of architecture
architectur rule eventually saw evolvement features Church at India exhibited
e or of a new architectural style, the of Hindu, Kanpur and itself through
The Indo-Saracen is Revival Islamic the last institutional,
colonial architecture also referred as and garrison civic and
architectur Indo-Gothic, Neo-Mughal, western church in utilitarian
e Mughal-Gothic and Hindu- elements. New buildings such
Gothic. It was a combination of Italian Delhi. Madr as post
the Gothic revival style with that Gothic as High offices,
of the Neo-Classical, Indo- Court’, railway
Islamic and Indian architectural ‘Chennai stations, rest
style that was initiated by the Central houses and
British architects in British India Station’ and government
during late 19th century and the ‘Victoria buildings.
soon became a favoured style. Public Hall’ Such buildings
With time, large number of began to be
buildings and infrastructures built in large
started coming up in this style numbers over
including institutions, the whole
government buildings, railway empire.
stations, post offices and rest Colonial
houses among others. Since architecture
mid-nineteenth century the in India
Anglo-Indian church builders followed
started following the layouts of developments
different combination of not only from
architectural styles suggested by metropolis
the revivers which also included but also took
application of even heavier inspiration
styles. from existing
architecture
in India.
Indian 100 BC Barabar Chaityas (prayer halls) and • Ellora religions and
rock-cut and 170 caves, Bi viharas (monasteries). Inside CavesAihole religious
architectur AD. har, these rock-cut structures, has 3 Jaina activities. In
e windows and balconies and temple. the beginning,
gates were carved as huge arch • Badami remarkable
shaped openings. Cave Templ Buddhist and
es. Jain rock-cut
• Bagh Caves. structures
were built in
• Ellora Caves
areas such as
has 12
Bihar in the
Buddhist, 17
east and
Hindu and 5
Maharashtra
Jain temples
in the west.
.
Numerous
• Gopachal ro caves were
ck cut Jain excavated by
monuments, the Buddhist
Gwalior. monks for
• Kanheri Cav prayer and
es. residence
• Lenyadri Ca purposes.
ves.
• Mahabalipu
ram.
