Ajanta Caves Amazon Quiz: Identify Indian Art and History

Study Notes

Central Asian Arts and Crafts

Uzbekistan is known for its printed cloth.
Kazakhstan is home to ancient petroglyphs, created by nomads drawing on rocks.
Tajikistan has a long history of producing fabrics, utensils, musical instruments, carpets, furniture, and jewelry.

Carpet-Making Traditions

Turkmenistan is renowned for producing some of the world's most unique and beautiful carpets.
Kyrgyz women create a wide range of textiles, primarily from the felt of their sheep, including keteni, a type of homespun silk.

Traditional Textiles

Shirdaks are hand-made carpets or rugs.
Tush Kyiz are large, elaborately embroidered wall hangings.

West Asian Arts and Crafts

The region is rich in cultural heritage, reflected in its varied and high-quality arts and crafts.
Typical artistic forms include embroidery, calligraphy, ceramics, inlaid wood designs, wood carving, blown glass work, and hammered metal work.

Indian Arts and Crafts

Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta caves in Maharashtra, India, date back from the 2nd century BCE to the 600 CE.
The caves feature paintings and sculptures considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, similar to the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.

Indian Mythology

Shiva, the Destroyer, is often depicted as a four-armed figure.

Indian History

The Islamic Ascendancy (1192-1757), also known as the Transitional Period, saw the evolution from Vedism to Hinduism or Brahmanism.
This period saw the emergence of the two great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal was built in 1632 by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth.

Diwali Celebrations

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by Hindus in India and worldwide in October or November.
Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth.
Diyas are clay lamps used during Diwali celebrations.
Rangoli is a decorative design made with colored powders or flowers, consisting of two words: 'rang' meaning 'color' and 'aavalli' meaning 'colored creepers' or 'row of colors'.

Pakistani Architecture

Pakistani architecture can be divided into four recognized periods: Pre-Islamic, Islamic, Colonial, and Post-Colonial.

Historical Sites

Mohenjo Daro is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization city that flourished between 2600 and 1900 BCE.
Kot Diji Fort was built by Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur between 1785 and 1795.

Pakistani Art

Truck Art is a unique Pakistani art form featuring brightly colored, flamboyant trucks, painted with images of idealized landscapes, famous personalities, flowers, and trees.

Description

Explore the historical significance and artistic masterpieces of the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, which showcase Buddhist religious art. Dive into the transition from Vedism to Hinduism during the Islamic Ascendancy period in India.