Indus Valley Civilization PDF

# Chapter 1: Introduction ## The Indus Valley Civilization (B.C. - 3000-2000) * The development in the dawn-age of the country has been designated the "The Indus Valley civilization" as the record its culture has been founded buried in the soil of the river Indus and Ghaggar-hakra river in Pakist...

# Chapter 1: Introduction ## The Indus Valley Civilization (B.C. - 3000-2000) * The development in the dawn-age of the country has been designated the "The Indus Valley civilization" as the record its culture has been founded buried in the soil of the river Indus and Ghaggar-hakra river in Pakistan. * This is also called **Bronze Age civilization**. * The two cities at present explored are the **Mohenjo-Daro** (Sindh "the place of dead") in Sindh and **Harappa** in the southern Punjab. ## Their Architectural Style * Although the investigation as revealed a culture in which the building had no great artistic value. * City was divided into wards and protective purpose. * The walls of the building were constructed with a pronounced batter or slope * They used burnt brick laid in mud mortar as "**English Bond**" * They introduced large structure probably market, halls, store rooms or offices, several halls possibly for religious usage and at **Mohenjo-Daro** a very complete bathing establishment. # Mauryan Dynasty (400 B.C.) * The capital of the Mauryan dynasty was Patliputra near patna. * Buddhist monuments are the major building art at this period. * Their origins were mainly wooden. # Ashoka (250 B.C.) * Ashoka inaugurated Buddhism as the state religion of the country. * This is the era of production of "Ashokan School". * This is the beginning of rock architecture. * The principal contributions made by this school to the art and architecture of the time were six in number, consisting of the following: 1. A series of edicts inscribed on the rock 2. A number of Tumuli or stupas 3. Monolithic pillars 4. Monolithic accessories to shrines 5. A vast palace 6. Group of rock cut chamber ## Examples: Stupa at Sanchi * Stupa comes from word 'thupa'. * It's a relic of Buddha. * The gateway is called "Torana". * Gateways of Sanchi are five in numbers. * These **torana** recalls the doorway of Romanesque and Gothic churches. * The height of the gateway is 34 feet. * Diameter of outer railing is 120 feet and height is 11 feet. * The diameter of outer circle if 106 feet and height is 13.5 feet. # Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath * The purpose of the pillar is solely monumental. * The pillar hold a high place, boldly designed and finely proportioned. * Animals are the main feature of the scheme. * Loin headed spouts on Greek and Roman buildings also # Buddhist Rock Cut Architecture: The Early or Hinayana Phase * In the word rock cut architecture to all the intents and purpose is not architecture it is sculpture, but on a grand and magnificent scale. * It took the form of Buddhist monastic establishments consisting of large halls and chambers. * They are large and well planned temples, skillfully chiseled out of solid cliff. * They involve no constructional principal. * Their columns signify no adjustment of support to load, the arches carry no weight, in whole the structural stability not required. ## Examples: Ajanta, Ellora, Junnar (pune), Gautmiputra (nasik) and elephant (Mumbai) * It was excavated during first and second centuries B.C. by Buddhist of the Hinayana community. * This is a Buddhist monastery. * This is a UNESCO world heritage site since 1983. # Ellora * 5th to 7th centuries) at Aurangabad * Its ancient name is Elapura * Built by Rashtrakuta dynasty. * It contains Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples. * There are 34 cave excavated out of the face of the Charanandari hills. * This is UNESCO world heritage site. # The Gupta Period (A.D. 350 to 650) * This period is an introduction of planned architecture and the beginning of the stone masonry. * It was when the art was in such a formative state that there emerged the earliest known conception of the Hindu "house of God." * In Gupta period it appears as a room of stone called "GarbahGirah" literally "womb house", a small chamber, square in plan, it's a place where idol was kept. # The Dravidian Style (600 A.D. to 900) * Pallava whose production provided the foundation of the Dravidian style. * The Dravidian style was being practiced almost entirely in Tamil country. * This style came under five phases: 1. Pallavas 2. Cholas 3. Pandayas 4. Vijayanagar 5. Madurai # Pallavaa (600 to 900 A.D.) * Chief example of Pallava architecture are to be found in the country around the town of Conjeeveram (kanchipuram). * Pallava architecture, mainly executed during the regin of Narsimhvarman. * All the example of this group is found on one site at town of Mamallapuram. * They introduced Mandapa (pillared hall) and Rathas (monolithic temple) and these structures were wholly rock cut. * The first Pallava building to be constructed of dressed stone was "shore temple". # Shore Temple (700-728 A.D.) at Mahabalipuram * The architectural elegance of the shore temple goes to king Rajsimha also known as Narasimhavaman II. * It overlooks the shore of bay of Bengal. * Built with block of granite. * It is the oldest structural temple of south India. * It has been classified as a UNESCO world heritage site since 1984. # Cholas (900-1150 A.D) * "Vinama" is most important feature of the temple of the Cholas. * Vinama is sanctuary itself. * Most the temples of this style are constructed of well dressed granite blocks accurately coursed and bonded. * The great building produced during chola dynasty is the temple of Gangaikondacholapuram" and "Tanjore temple". # Pandayas (1100-1350 A.D.) * "Gopuram" or "cow gate" is the main part of this era. * A typical example of gopuram is a building oblong in plan and rising up into a tapering tower. * The average angle of slope from the vertical is 25º and width at its truncated apex is approximately one half of its base * Examples: -Jumbukeshwara, Chidambarani, Tirumalai # Vijayanagar (1350-1565 A.D.) * The richest beauty of the Vijayanagar type of temple is number of pillars and piers and their sculpture. * Repetition of the "horse motif" in the pillars is the major part. * The principal temple in the city of Vijayanagar are "Vithala" and "hazararama". * Examples:-Varadarajaswami " a hunted pilleredmandapa" Ekambarnatha "thousand pillared mandapa" # Madura (A.D. 1600) * The number of temple of Madura class is near 30. ## Example: Meenakshi Temple * Meenakshi temple "fish eyed" at Madurai. * It has a sheet of water surrounded by steps and pillared portico called "pool of golden lilies". # Srirangam Temple * Near Tiruichirapalli in south india * This is also known as Tiruvarangatrupati, Periyakoil, BhoologaVaikundam, Bhogamandabam. * Srirangam is considered the biggest Hindu temple of the world. * It is bonded by the Kaveri River # The Northen or Indo Aryan Style, Orissa:- (A.D. 800 -1250) * Temples of Orissa provided the most logical beginning for study of Indo-Aryan style. * The main city of the development is Bhubaneswar, where there are thirty examples. * Expect Bhubaneswar there are two largest and the most important building, the temple of Jaggannath at puri and the temple of sun at Konark. * The terminology of temple is totally different from Dravidian style. The generic name of the temple is "duel", the mandapa is known as "Jagmohana" here, the two buildings usually supplemented were first the " Nat Mandr" or Dancing hall and secondly in front of this the "BhogMadir' or hall of offering. * The style of roof is pyramidal. * The Orissan temple as a whole is astylar order. * These temples does not consist pillars * Stone masonry has been used and aided by a system of interlocking flanges so that no mortar no cementing material is needed. ## For the purpose of study the temple of Orissa may be resolved into three groups. * **Early period: AD 750 to 900** * Examples- All are located at Bhubaneswra * Parasrameswar * Vaitel Deul * Uttareswara * Isvareswara * SutruGaneswara * Bharateswara * Lakshmaneswara * **Middle Period: AD 900 to 1100** * Examples- All are located at Bhubaneswar except Jagannath. * Mukteswara * Lingraja * Brahemeswar * Rameswara * Jagannath located at Puri. * **Later period: AD 1100 to 1250** * Examples- All are located at Bhubaneswar except Sun temple. * Ananda Vasudev * Siddheswara * Kedareswara * Jameswara * Megheswara * Sari Deul * Someswara * Rajarani * Sun Temple at Konark # Lingraja The King of 'LINGAM' * Dedicated to harihara a form of combination of shiva and Vishnu. * Also called as 'great temple'. * This is the largest temple of Bhubaneswara. * The temple is believed to be built by the somavanshi king Jajatikesri in 11th century. * The temple is built of sand stone and laterite (a soil rich in iron and aluminum). # Jagannath Temple * Located at Puri, Orissa. * Also called as 'white pagoda'. * The image of jagannath is wooden. * This is the highest temple in Orissa. # Sun Temple * Located at Konark, Orissa. * Also called as 'black pagada'. * Built by king Narsimhadeva. * The temple is UNESCO world heritage site since 1984. # Other Examples of Northern or Indo Aryan Style * **Khajuraho Group** * The most refined form of Indian architecture in the Indo-Aryan style is to be found in group of temple at Khajuraho in central India. * Khajoraho group of monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples located at Chattarpur district in Madhya Pradesh. * These temples were built during the supremacy of the Chandela rajas. * There are over 30 temples in number. * Khajoraho temple moves in upward direction, its trend is towards height. * Khajoraho roofs are domical in shape. * Best example of Khajoraho type temple is KandariyaMahadev., which is the largest of entire series of shiva temples. * Khajoraho group is UNESCO world heritage site. * **Kandariya Mahadeva** * **Rajputana** * Vimala temple at Mount Abu * Tejpal temple at Mount Abu * **Gujarat** * Navalakha temple, Gumli * Surya temple, Modhera * Rudra Mala, Siddhapur * Somnath, Kathia * **Gwalior** * Teli Ka Mandir * Saas Bahu Temple