SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

BBA 2017-20

MODULE : FOUNDATION OF INDIAN CULTURE I

MODULE LEADER : MS. ADITI KAUL

GROUP PROJECT

TOPIC : ANCIENT INDIAN ARCHITECTURE - STUDY

GROUP MEMBERS :
AAYUSHI AGARWAL
ADITI AGARWAL
DARWIN VARIAVA
DEVAL BUDDHADEV
HARSHIT AGRAWAL
PRAGYA JAIN

Introduction:
Origin and Historical Roots and Different types

Architecture began with the beginning of mankind. In the beginning Man had very basic
needs; hence the built environment or the architecture style was minimalistic and basic. Man
was only concerned with safety from wild beasts and enemies and shield against weather. The
history of Architecture is classified as eras outlining the time period of man’s existence. The
first stage or era of architecture is the Pre-historic period, the era before history began to be
documented. This era spanned the time period of 10,000-1500 BC.

Ancient Indian architecture is the architecture of the Indian subcontinent from the Indian
Bronze Age to around 800 CE. The description about the noteworthy early Indian architecture
provides a textual connection for architectural forms and iconography of the period starting
with the Mauryas, and Renou used the descriptions of the constructions accompanying Vedic
ritual to visualize the form of the house in an earlier period. In the Bronze Age the first cities
emerged in the Indus Valley Civilization.

Archaeology has unearthed urbanization phase from early Harappan in Kalibangan to the late
Harappan phase when urbanization declined but was preserved in few pockets. The
urbanization in the Gangetic plains began as early as 1200 BC with the emergence of fortified
cities and appearance of Northern Black polished ware." The Mahajanapada period was
characterized by Indian coins and use of stone in the Indian architecture. The Mauryan period
is considered as the beginning of the classical period of Indian architecture. Nagara and
Dravidian architectural styles developed in the early medieval period with the rise of Hindu
revivalism and predominant role of Hindu temple architecture in the Indian Subcontinent. It
is assumed that the beginnings of Indian architecture are to be traced to the early Sūtra texts
that speak of primitive structures. For Coomaraswamy (one of the historian and philosopher),
the Jātakas and the Epics provide textual evidence of the plans of cities and city-gates,
palaces, and huts and temples, but glosses over the contradiction in his starting point when he
acknowledges that while “the Vedas make occasional reference to the ‘cities of the Dasyus,’ it
is to be observed that in the Brahmanical law books, which are very nearly, if not quite
contemporary with the architectural period to be discussed below, cities are despised, and
there are no ceremonies for urban life;

‘It is impossible for one to obtain salvation, who lives in a town covered with dust.’

The assumption is that the Sūtra texts belong to the period of the Dasyu cities, but these cities
are outside the Vedic culture. On the other hand, the first millennium, pre-Buddhist period of
the early Mahābhārata with its description of cities does not have any account of inimical
Dasyu kings. The only way to reconcile this seemingly contradictory situation is to suppose
that the Vedic ritual texts describe events from the perspective of the priest families
committed to an ideology of simplicity and renunciation, which is an ideology that continued
in subsequent times.

“If we rely on Vedic texts, we are in the presence of a type of a house that is extremely
rudimentary, composed of an armature of posts, connected at the summit by transverse beams
onto which a thatched covering is attached. The walls are woven mats. Neither stone nor
brick is used.” explains a historian. But acknowledging that bricks were an essential part of
the Vedic ritual as in the building of the Agnicayana fire altar, he was forced to express doubt
at his own conclusions by adding, “Nothing obliges us to consider that the shelters described
above were the normal type of private residence; a significant amount of the details that assist
us in their reconstruction are provided by descriptions of ritual “huts,” the intended use of
which is entirely different. And yet no other process of construction is mentioned in these
sources.

This appears particularly singular today, when we are able to measure, through recently
discovered archaeological sources, the degree to which architectural technologies were
known to certain prehistoric civilizations of northwest of India.”

Constituting a practice that continues to this day, the ritual-house is given to the priest who
had officiated at the rite as part of his fee. To take this structure as an example of the typical
residence is an obvious mistake, especially since such an interpretation is at variance with
other evidence from the texts regarding the size and scale of the house that will be recounted
shortly.

Significance and influence of the era (Vedic / Pre - Vedic / Harappa etc.)
The Harappan period gave us an idea about the sacred geometry and we have evidence of
archaeological forms from the period that appear to be according to Vedic norms. A
significant building has been found in Mohenjo-Daro that has a central courtyard and a
symmetric arrangement of rooms. Every other room has a low brick platform that was
apparently used for ritual. It also appears that a fire altar was placed in the courtyard. More
evidence regarding fire altars comes from Lothal. Both these cases represent apparent Vedic
ritual in an urban setting.

The historic era has shown that the Atharvavedic descriptions of the structure, that have long
been taken to describe the typical Vedic house, actually deal with the temporary shed that is
established in the courtyard of the house in connection with householder’s ritual. The
continuity between Harappan and historical art and writing has been dealt with and it filled in
the gap in the post-Harappan, pre-Buddhist art of India by calling attention to the structures
in northwest India (c. 2000 BC) that are reminiscent of Puranic ideas. It summarized and
gave evidence related to the Vedic ideas of sacred geometry and its transformation into the
classical Hindu temple form. This helped us explore the connections that tie the details of the
temple form and its iconography to fundamental Vedic ideas related to transformation.

Further, there is continuity in the worship of the goddess that goes back to the Harappan
times and even earlier in the older rock art that has been found at many places in India.

It is noteworthy that Indian themes are seen sometimes in the expatriate communities of
Indian artisans and craftsmen before their attested forms within India, pointing to the work
that remains to be done within India. We do not have evidence showing how worship was
performed in the Harappan archaeological period. But we have reference to images that were
apparently worshiped in the Astādhyāyī of Pānini, the great grammarian of the 5th/4th
century BC. There also exist interesting questions of the relationship between Indian and
Western art and diffusion of ideas. In particular, there exist interesting parallels, significance
and influences from the history of India, its arts and architecture.
Symbolism and Science:

The history of symbolism shows that everything can assume symbolic significance: natural
objects (like stones, plants, animals, men, mountains and valleys, sun and moon, wind, water,
and fire), or man-made things (like houses, boats, or cars), or even abstract forms (like
numbers, or the triangle, the square, and the circle). In fact, the whole cosmos is a potential
symbol." (Carl Gustav Jung, Man and His Symbols, 1964) A Hindu temple is a symbolic
structure that represents certain fundamental concepts of Hindu philosophy about the nature
of cosmos, and the formal characteristics of the temple are the outcome of this symbolic
representation (Trivedi, 1993). The Rig Veda used a subtle system of symbolism, so that in
later Indian thought its meaning was always open to interpretation at several levels (Michell,
1977, 1988). A universe is the result of time that follows the cosmic order in which a fraction
of moment is the microcosm of the biggest time unit (Md Rian, et al., 2007). It is most
important to understand that the temple form, from a point of view, identifies itself with the
form of the universe. This point, already been mentioned, will be elaborated as the discussion
proceeds. The symbolism of temple buildings sometimes seems to refer to the structure of the
world and sometimes to the religious relationship of men to the gods (Saussaye, 1891 ). This
dual role is fulfilled by the intricately complex symbolism which are 'open to interpretation at
several levels', thus facilitating our understanding. Every religious expression in art
represents, therefore, an encounter between man and divine (Eliade, 1985). The very
dynamics of the cosmos are expressed in the tensions of the conflict between good and evil
rather than in an ultimate resolution which never takes place (Michell, 1977, 1988). This tug
of war between the good and the bad is mundane, superficial and yet desirable (Dutta, 2013).
They are part of us - our own creation - the product of our mind and body (Dutta, 2013).
[Here], the religious man is confronted with the sacred character of the cosmos; that is, he
discovers that the world has a sacred significance in its very structure (Eliade, 1985). Eliade
says that sacred art seeks to represent the invisible by means of the visible and through the
mediation of artistic expression the attributes of religious abstraction are revealed, so to
speak, it is presented in visible form. This intent is especially true [for Hinduism], where
philosophical speculation has evolved a systematic treatment of the nature and attributes of
divinity. Her theory, that humans are interested to depict and display their God's 'form' as well
as their 'works' is substantiated through the fact that cosmos is considered to be their supreme
creation, at the same time the God Himself. To sum up, Hindu temple is therefore not only
the abode of God but also the form of God (Md Rian, 2007).
We see some complex architecture and designs of Temples but seldom think how they were
even possible to be built? Mostly, the answer is Vastu Shastra. The architecture of Hindu
Temples is basically based on the Vastu Shastra. Vastu Shastra is the texts that contain the
information about design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, geometry and space
arrangements. It provides the procedural rules and directions for the design and layout of the
buildings.
At first, the plan is made in the form of geometric design called Vastu-Purusha-Mandala.
Vastu meaning dwelling, Purusha meaning universal essence and mandala meaning circular.
Hence, Vastu-Purusha-Mandala is symmetrical, self-repeating structure based on the Hindu
texts, cardinality, and mathematical principles. The circle of the mandala represents the
square and then the square is divided into 64 or 81 divisions called Padas. Some symbolic
elements or deities is assigned to each Padas.
Geographical categorisation of Monuments along with their relevance

Temples

1) Sun temple, Konark Odisha:

The main architectural features of Odisha temples are classified in three orders, i.e.,
rekhapida, pidhadeul and khakra. Most of the main temple sites are located in ancient
Kalinga—modern Puri District, including Bhubaneswar or ancient Tribhuvanesvara, Puri and
Konark. The temples of Odisha constitute a distinct sub-style within the nagara order. In
general, here the shikhara, called deul in Odisha, is vertical almost until the top when it
suddenly curves sharply inwards. Deuls are preceded, as usual, by mandapas called
jagamohana in Odisha. The ground plan of the main temple is almost always square, which,
in the upper reaches of its superstructure becomes circular in the crowning mastaka. This
makes the spire nearly cylindrical in appearance in its length. Compartments and niches are
generally square, the exterior of the temples are lavishly carved, their interiors generally quite
bare. Odisha temples usually have boundary walls. At Konark, on the shores of the Bay of
Bengal, lie the majestic ruins of the Surya or Sun temple built in stone around 1240. Its
shikhara was a colossal creation said to have reached 70m, which, proving too heavy for its
site, fell in the nineteenth century. The vast complex is within a quadrilateral precinct of
which the jagamohana or the dance-pavillion (mandapa) has survived, which though no
longer accessible is said to be the largest enclosed space in Hindu architecture. The Sun
temple is set on a high base, its walls covered in extensive, detailed ornamental carving.
These include twelve pairs of enormous wheels sculpted with spokes and hubs, representing
the chariot wheels of the Sun god who, in mythology, rides a chariot driven by seven horses,
sculpted here at the entrance staircase. The whole temple thus comes to resemble a colossal
processional chariot. On the southern wall is a massive sculpture of surya carved out of green
stone. It is said that there were three such images, each carved out of a different stone placed
on the three temple walls, each facing different directions. The fourth wall had the doorway
into the temple from where the actual rays of the sun would enter the garbhagriha.
 2) Sibsagar Temple, Assam

Assam: An old sixth-century sculpted door frame from DaParvatia near Tezpur and another
few stray sculptures from Rangagora Tea Estate near Tinsukia in Assam bear witness to the
import of the Gupta idiom in that region. This post-Gupta style continued in the region well
into the tenth century. However, by the twelfth to fourteenth centuries, a distinct regional
style developed in Assam. The style that came with the migration of the Tais from Upper
Burma mixed with the dominant Pala style of Bengal and led to the creation of what was later
known as the Ahom style in and around Guwahati. Kamakhya temple, a Shakti Peeth, is
dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya and was built in the seventeenth century.

3) Sun temple, Modhera, Gujarat

The temples in the north-western parts of India including Gujarat and Rajasthan, and
stylistically extendable, at times, to western Madhya Pradesh are too numerous to include
here in any comprehensive way. The stone used to build the temples ranges in colour and
type. While sandstone is the commonest, a grey to black basalt can be seen in some of the
tenth to twelveth century temple sculptures. The most exuberant and famed is the
manipulatable soft white marble which is also seen in some of the tenth to twelveth century
Jain temples in Mount Abu and the fifteenth century temple at Ranakpur. Among the most
important art-historical sites in the region is Samlaji in Gujarat which shows how earlier
artistic traditions of the region mixed with a post-Gupta style and gave rise to a distinct style
of sculpture. A large number of sculptures made of grey schist have been found in this region
which can be dated between the sixth and eighth centuries CE. While the patronage of these
is debated, the date is established on the basis of the style. The Sun temple at Modhera dates
back to early eleventh century and was built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in
1026. There is a massive rectangular stepped tank called the surya kund in front of it.
Proximity of sacred architecture to a water body such as a tank, a river or a pond has been
noticed right from the earliest times. By the early eleventh century they had become a part of
many temples. This hundred-square-metre rectangular pond is perhaps the grandest temple
tank in India. A hundred and eight miniature shrines are carved in between the steps inside
the tank. A huge ornamental arch-torana leads one to the sabha mandapa (the assembly hall)
which is open on all sides, as was the fashion of the times in western and central Indian
temples. The influence of the woodcarving tradition of Gujarat is evident in the lavish
carving and sculpture work. However, the walls of the central small shrine are devoid of
carving and are left plain as the temple faces the east and, every year, at the time of the
equinoxes, the sun shines directly into this central shrine.

4) Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha Ellora

Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha Ellora But the most noteworthy of all is the one depicted on
the left wall of Kailashnath temple (Cave No.16) at Ellora. The image is dated to the eighth
century CE. It is a colossal sculpture and is considered as one of the masterpieces of Indian
sculpture. It depicts the episode of Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha when Lord Shiva along
with Parvati and others were on the mountain. The composition is divided into several tiers.
The lower tier depicts Ravana, multi-faced and multiarmed shaking the mount with ease. The
depth of carvings of the multiple hands brings out the effect of three-dimensional space.
Ravana’s body is angular pushing one leg inside. The hands are expanded on the sides of the
inside chamber created by the image of Ravana. The upper half is divided into three frames.
The centre occupied by the image of Shiva and Parvati. Parvati is shown moving close to
Shiva scared by the commotion on the hill. Her stretched legs and slightly twisted body in the
recessed space create a very dramatic effect of light and shade. The volume of sculpture is
very pronounced; the attendant fiures are equally voluminous. The gana (dwarf) figures are
shown in action, involved in their activities. The celestial beings above Shiva and Parvati
witnessing the event are shown in frozen movement. Protrusion of volume and recession in
the space are important landmarks in the images of the Ellora caves. Light and darkness has
been exploited by creating the images in full round. Their torsos are slender with heaviness in
its surface treatment, arms are slim in full round. Attendant figures on the two sides have
angular frontality. Every image in the composition is beautifully interwoven structurally with
each other.
Students Reflection

After watching this video I came to know about many interesting facts about Indian
architecture and its origin. I believe India was world’s best country with great architecture
which we can still see standing.

During the first stage i.e 1,000-1500 BC we have seen the documentation of this architecture.
Great civilisations like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro already doing somewhere near to what
we do now and that to in a very systematic way.

We have the proofs of town planning and building huge forts which even stand today. The
history of symbolism shows that everything can assume symbolic significance: natural
objects (like stones, plants, animals, men, mountains and valleys, sun and moon, wind, water,
and fire), or man-made things (like houses, boats, or cars), or even abstract forms (like
numbers, or the triangle, the square, and the circle). In fact, the whole cosmos is a potential
symbol." The symbolism of temple buildings sometimes seems to refer to the structure of the
world and sometimes to the religious relationship of men to the gods (Saussaye, 1891 ). This
dual role is fulfilled by the intricately complex symbolism which are 'open to interpretation at
several levels', thus facilitating our understanding. Every religious expression in art
represents, therefore, an encounter between man and divine (Eliade, 1985).

Hence I would like to conclude by saying people always considered monuments like Taj
Mahal, Qutubminar, Red Fort, etc. to be part of Mughal architecture but the truth is it is
actually Indian architecture because if it was Mughal then why we don’t see a Taj Mahal is
their home countries. Indian architects made it possible to build what we can call a Mughal
idea and in return they cut hands off those Indians who built it.

From painting to building India was the best and could have been on the top of nation but
because of Mughal invasion and then the British India lost its culture, architecture and
identity.
Summary and Conclusion

• Architecture began with the beginning of mankind. In the beginning Man had very
basic needs; hence the built environment or the architecture style was minimalistic
and basic.

• The first stage or era of architecture is the Pre-historic period, the era before history
began to be documented. This era spanned the time period of 1,000-1500 BC.

• The description about the noteworthy early Indian architecture provides a textual
connection for architectural forms and iconography of the period starting with the
Mauryas, and Renou used the descriptions of the constructions accompanying Vedic
ritual to visualize the form of the house in an earlier period.

• Archaeology has unearthed urbanization phase from early Harappan in Kalibangan to

the late Harappan phase when urbanization declined but was preserved in few
pockets. The urbanization in the Gangetic plains began as early as 1200 BC with the
emergence of fortified cities and appearance of Northern Black polished ware.”

• The Harappan period gave us an idea about the sacred geometry and we have
evidence of archaeological forms from the period that appear to be according to Vedic
norms.

• A significant building has been found in Mohenjo-Daro that has a central courtyard
and a symmetric arrangement of rooms. Every other room has a low brick platform
that was apparently used for ritual. It also appears that a fire altar was placed in the
courtyard. More evidence regarding fire altars comes from Lothal.

• The history of symbolism shows that everything can assume symbolic significance:
natural objects (like stones, plants, animals, men, mountains and valleys, sun and
moon, wind, water, and fire), or man-made things (like houses, boats, or cars), or even
abstract forms (like numbers, or the triangle, the square, and the circle). In fact, the
whole cosmos is a potential symbol.”

• The very dynamics of the cosmos are expressed in the tensions of the conflict
between good and evil rather than in an ultimate resolution which never takes place
(Michell, 1977, 1988).

• The main architectural features of Odisha temples are classified in three orders, i.e.,
rekhapida, pidhadeul and khakra. Most of the main temple sites are located in ancient
Kalinga—modern Puri District, including Bhubaneswar or ancient Tribhuvanesvara,
Puri and Konark.
• Assam: An old sixth-century sculpted door frame from DaParvatia near Tezpur and
another few stray sculptures from Rangagora Tea Estate near Tinsukia in Assam bear
witness to the import of the Gupta idiom in that region.

• The theme of Ravana shaking Mount Kailasha has been depicted several times in the
caves of Ellora. But the most noteworthy of all is the one depicted on the left wall of
Kailashnath temple (Cave No.16) at Ellora.
References

https://www.scribd.com/document/308331289/HISTORIC-ARCHITECTURE-THE-
ANCIENT-ART-OF-PLANNING-THE-ERA-FORGOTTEN

h t t p s : / / w w w. a c a d e m i a . e d u / 3 8 9 2 6 5 8 / M i g r a t i o n _ a n d _ D i f f u s i o n _ -
_An_international_journal_Vol.6_Nr.23_2005_pages_6-27

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Indian_architecture

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.ijsr.net/archive/
v 3 i 1 2 /
U1VCMTQzMjI%3D.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjUhtrCgIPpAhXZwTgGHTpBCjcQFjABegQICx
AG&usg=AOvVaw0QF2FGKT5DcqWDSWa6o_Vz