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The Indian Architectural Chronicle – A Journey Through History, Culture and Styles
India is one of the earliest civilizations of the world with a history of over five thousand years. While ‘History’ is most commonly understood as a systematic repository of events and factual information from the past, ‘Culture’ of a given geographia at a given time is the living narrative of this historical development and the ‘Built’ is one of the most lucid expressions of this culture. The great architectural legacy of the country uniting its history, culture and manifold traditions make for one of the most inquisitive and enchanting chronicles of the world and the human race.
The pluralism in Indian Architecture
Played on the lyre of time, sung by the bards and written in the stones of splendid buildings, here is presented a précis of this timeless chronicle - The Indian Saga! The Saga of the romance of a land with atomic diversity and indivisible unity! The Saga of great men and women; of dust, heat and courage and of rising and falling empires! The Saga of pillars of power, of visionary capital cities, of lone forts in deserts, of towers for azaan (prayer to call), of monuments of faith and of the mausoleums of epic love!
In India - the land of diversity - varying geography along with critical differences in place histories, living styles and beliefs of people, have contributed to the emergence of a rich pluralism in the built space and the architecture.
The monuments of this land stand witness to several historical episodes and socio-politico-cultural swings: the early civilizational developments of the Indus Culture, the prosperous and large pan-Indian Mauryan and Gupta empires, the invading forces of the Arabs and Turks, the indomitable spirit of the local chieftains, the magnum opus of the Great Mughals, the splendours of the British Raj and the changing skyline of a post-independent developing nation.
The diversity of Indian culture and the tale of historical events is represented in its architecture and its archeological treasures.
The earliest forays into architecture
One of the earliest known civilization, the Indus Valley Civilization also called the Harappan culture reflected in the cities of Lothal and Dhaulavira in Gujarat and Ropar in Punjab showcase early attempts at permanent human settlement and urbanism. These cities consisted of an elevated citadel and a lower town with residential quarters laid out on a grid plan with an effeciently developed drainage system.
The Maurya and Gupta age– The age of Buddhist architecture
From the late Vedic period, the story of India through its architecture then moves to the Maurya and Gupta age of Buddhist structures - stupas or relic mounds, chaityas or meditation halls with stupa at the end and viharas or monasteries. Many of these also show magnificent examples of Indian rock-cut architecture of the time as seen in the caves of Ajanta and Ellora. The Stupas at Bhaja, Karla, Sanchi, Sarnath and many more in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar can stir associations to the metaphysical world.
The temple architecture of South India – Showcasing art, skill and culture
The great temples of the medieval era encapsulate a conceptual cosmos and also illustrate the great physical endeavors and refined skills of the artisans and the craftsperson of those days. In India, the southern Dravida and the northern Nagara styles emerged as dominant styles of temple architecture, usually differentiated through their shikhars or superstructures - the former being a pyramidal shikhar more appropriately called a vimana while the latter adorns a curved shikhar. The Pallava masterpieces - the rathas and the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram, the magnificent Chola temple at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu and the Sun temple at Konark in Orissa epitomise the tradition of Dravidian style of temple building by various dynasties of Southern India. The spatial experience of a microcosm is explicit in the temple city of Srirangam, Tamil Nadu and the Sri Ranganathaswami temple there that has several prakaras or concentric enclosures each marked by gopurams or entrance gateways. Khajuraho temples in Madhya Pradesh- the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples are probably the best example of Nagara style of temple architecture. They are famous the world over for their sculptural and plastic art. Some Hindu temples like the Kailasanatha temple at Ellora, Maharashtra were also rock-cut and were excavated from massive rock faces. The principles of temple architecture are codified in ancient treatises and canons such as Manasara and VaastuShastra which are till date are widely refered for all kinds of constructions in India.
The Great Mughal Period – Some of India’s greatest attractions
The arrival of Islamic forces during medieval times led to vital developments in Indian political and socio-cultural situation which came to be mirrored in the resultant architecture which was adapted to the ideology of the new religion. Victory towers, Mosques and Mausoleums began to appear and change the urban silhoutte of cities and highways. True arches, domes and vaults began to be used in construction however this new architecture absorbed certain indigenous elements and traditions. Qutub Minar at Mehrauli in Delhi is believed to have been raised as a victory tower, as a celebration of conquest, of the first Muslim ruler of the Indian sub-continent. It is part of a World Heritage complex. The Jami masjid of Delhi is a beautiful example of hundreds of mosques which exist from the medieval times. Similarly, Gol Gumbaj, Bijapur is one of the many illustrious mausoleums of the times. The culmination of Indo-Islamic architecture was founded in the Shahjahani era of Mughal period in the 17th century that established a sophisticated synthesis of indigenous craftmanship, regional elements with ideas from Persia and West Asia and gave such wonders of the world as the Taj Mahal.
The coming of the Europeans – Blending of several new styles
The subsequent European colonization of India through Dutch, Portuguese, the French and the British adventurers and traders paved the way for the entry of several styles from the west, including Baroque, Neo-Classical and Neo-Gothic styles. However, it was the British who had a lasting impact. The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai- the erstwhile Victoria Terminus and the Albert Hall in Jaipur are reminiscent of the Raj. The creation of New Delhi by Lutyens and Baker in early 20th century with tree-lined broad avenues and impressive buildings largely rule the present impressions of Delhi.
After Independence – “Modern” architecture
The achievement of Independence and the introduction of Modern Architecture, led to a progressive vision of Indian architecture fuelled by Nehruvian ideals towards which the planning of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier was realized. The post-modern India with the completion of sixty years of its independence presents a pressing need for meaningful architecture rooted in the Indian context-its unique history and culture.
Hundreds and thousands of architectural and sculptural wonders of various ages dot all parts of the country and provide the most eloquent testimony to Indian history and culture. The architecture of this country narrates an Indian Saga of the great patron dynasties, the great kings like Ashoka and Akbar who ordained it, the saints who motivated it, the merchants and craftsmen who produced it and all the ordinary men who loved it.
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—About our writer:
Jinisha,
A Conservation Architect with keen interest in the research of Indian Architecture and Art History. She is also a travel freak.
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Developing India-centric content for a new web portal targeted at NRIs
