Professional Documents
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Art and Culture Themes
Art and Culture Themes
Art and Culture Themes
Topics asked
1) IVC
2) Rock Cut Architecture
3) Chola Architecture
4) Buddhist Architecture
Temple Architecture :
Generally, you can focus on these dimensions -> Origin, Specific Features, Location, Diagram,
Particular sculptures.
Beginning : With Gupta Period, due to gradual coming of Bhagvatism -> people started
worshiping images of Vishnu (most), Shiva , Durga etc.
Phases (Broad Idea)
o Gradual Progression of Temples- > from flat roofed monolithic temples to elaborate
sculptured architecture.
o Five Stages ->
1st -> flat roof + square shape + low platforms + No Shikhara . Eg- Temple No.
17 at Sanchi.
Then gradually -> platforms raised, passageways (for pradakshinapatha),
garbhagriha,
3rd -> Shikhara added, panchyatan style (5 shrines) [ Diagram] . Eg->
Dashavatar Temple (UP), Durga Temple at Aihol e
4th -> Shrines become rectangular.
5th -> introduction of circular temples.
[Relevant Diagrams]
Types :
1)Nagara – ( above discussed is Nagara)
Started with Gupta -> then developed in Post Gupta and then in Early Medieval India.
Structure – Mandapa (Hall), Garbagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum), Shikhara (mountain like
spire)(variations of Shikhara – Rekha, Phamsana, Valabhi), Vahana (vehicle of main diety) ,
Amalaka[draw diagram]
Other Imp Feature – No water Tanks, built on upraised platforms, pillared approach (diff
sculptures carved on pillars)
Regional Variations –
o Odisha – By Ganga Dynasty ; Shikhara -> Deul ; Mandapa -> Jagmohana ; lavish
decorated exterior walls; square plan instead of rectangular (as in Nagara); Boundary
wall like in Dravidian.
Eg – Jagannatha Puri Temple (Images of Krishna, Balram, Subhadra found);
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu associated with this temple ; Also called White
Pagoda
Eg – Sun Temple at Konark – Black Pagoda;
o Khajuraho (World Heritage Site)- Chandela Rulers ; Erotic Sculptures (Kamasutra by
Vatsayana); Also decorated interior walls; Hindu, Jain religion temples found here;
Panchyatan style, Built on relatively raised platform; Eg –Kandariya Mahadeo
Temple, Lakshman Temple at Khajuraho;
o Solanki School (GJ, RJ)(Maru-Gurjara Style) – Solanki rulers; devoid of carvings;
Toranas found; Many Sun-Temples found;
4) Others
Hoysala Art – Near Mysore ; Halebid, Belur; Stellate Plan (Star like) [Diagram] ; lesser in
height; Hoyasaleshwara Temple at Halebid;
Vijayanagar – 14th c. CE; Hampi; combined features of Chola, Hoysala, Pandyas, Chalukyas;
Influenced by Deccan Sultanate Arch.;
o Features – Raigopurams (extremely large gateways), musical pillars, Kalyana
Mandapa, Boundaries, Horse Images, Secular buildings.
o Vitthalaswami Temple, Virupaksha Temple, Lotus Mahal.
Nayaka School/ Madurai School – 16th-17th c. CE; similar to Dravidian; Unique features =
Prakarms/ Huge corridors + large gopurams ; Eg – Meenakshi Temple at Madurai.
Pala and Sena School –
o Pala – 8th – 12th c. ; Buddhist ; lots of chaityas, viharas, stupas built; style adopted by
Mughal rulers (Eg – Bangla Dome style was adopted). Universities of Nalanda,
Vikramshila;
o Sena – both Hindu, Buddhist Architecture; sloping roof – their imp style ; Eg –
Siddhesvara Mahadeva Temple.
Outside India : 1) Angkor vat in Cambodia – Hindu Temple, due to chola and other dynasties
influence 2) Pashupatinath Temple – Kathmandu 3)Anand Temple in Bagan (Myanmar) 4)
Aditya Sun Temple of Multan.
[B] – Literature
Topics asked
1) Sangam
2) Krishna Deva Raya(Vijayanagar)
3) Persian (New NCERT)
2 ways –
Kingdom/chronology wise
Language wise (Sanskrit, Buddhist, Jain etc)
Mauryan Empire:
Mudrakraksha - Vishkadatta ; Sanskrit Drama written during Gupta Period; about how C.
Maurya, Kautilya overthrew Nandas + about socio-economic conditions
Arthashastra – Chanakya ; 3 parts (King, council + Civil, criminal law + Diplomacy and war) ;
Most imp source of Mauryan history.
Megasthanese Indica – about social life + admn. + military org.
Others –
o Jatakas, Puranas
o Ceylonese chronicles Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa throw light on role of Ashoka in
spreading Buddhism in Srilanka.
o Ashokan inscriptions called Dhammalipi covering religion, morality, social and admn
matter can be compared to Dharmashastras (lawbooks) of Sanskrit.
Post-Mauryan Literature :
Satvahana – Sattasai by Hala (Prakrit)
Kushana –
o Patronized Sanskrit literature. Inscriptions in Chaste Sanskrit.
o Secular literature – Kamasutra by Vatsayana
o Buddhist –
Development of Mahayana Buddhism -> composition of Avadanas (life history
and teachings. Eg- Mahavastu, Divyadana.
Ashvaghosha wrote Buddhacharita.
Patronized Buddhist scholars like Vasumitra, Ashvaghosa, Nagarjuna.
Sangam literature – in South; (Already asked ; But do read about it..was asked in 2013..can be
repeated)
Guptas :
Sources –
o Puranas -> tell about geneology of Guptas.
o Devichandraguptam, Mudrakrakshasa by Visakadatta – about rise of Guptas
o Fa-Hein – left valuable account of scoio-religious condition of empire.
Main – Sanskrit lang, NAgari script.
Samudragupta – patron of poets and scholars (Eg -> Harisena)
C.Gupta II – patronized literary figures like Kalidasa, scholars like Amarsimha
Kumaragupta – laid Nalanda University foundation
Major literature – (remember 4-5)
o Kalidasa – Abhijanashakuntalam (love story), Malvikaagnimitra, Vikramavasiya,
Raghuvamsa, Kumarasambhava, Ritusamhara, Meghdutta
o Sudraka – Mrichkatika
o Bharavi – wrote Kritarjuniya (story of conflict b/w Arjuna and Shiva)
o Vishnusharma – Panchtantra stories.
o Amarsimha (Buddhist scholar) - Amarkosha
o Ramayana, Mahabharat -> given final touches
o Bhagavadgita -> teaches obeyance of Dharma (duties)
o Compilation of Smritis (Law books).
o Skt Grammar works of Panini and Patanjali.
Scientific literature
o Aryabhatta (Astronomy, Mathematician) -> Aryabhatiya – explaining scientific
occurrence of solar and lunar eclipse. First to declare Earth was Spherical. Had
knowledge of zero and decimal system. Calculated position of planets.
o Varahamihira –
Panchsiddhantika – 5 Astronomical systems
Brihadsamhita – variety of subjects (Astronomy, Astrology, Geography , Arch.
Etc)
o Medicine
Vagabhata (one of the medical trio ; other two -> Charaka, Shushruta during
Kushanas). He wrote Ashtangsamgraha (8 branches of medicine)
o Romak Siddhanta on Astronomy. Indicated Roman, Greek influence.
Cholas
o Tamil literature reached peak during Cholas
o Sivakasintamani by Thiruthakkadevar
o Ramayana composed by Kamban, Periyapuranam by Sekkilar -> masterpieces of this
age.
o Tamil Grammar -> Kalladam, Yapperungalam, Nannul.
Rashtrakutas – (IMP)
o Sanskrit literature- TRIVIKRAMA wrote NALACHAMPU; HALAYUDHA wrote
Kavirahasya; Viracharya (Mathematician) -> Ganitasaram. [Cram as much as
possible]
o Jain literature flourished
Amoghavarsha Patronised Jain Scholar
Jinasena composed Parsvbhaudaya (Biography of Parsava)
Gunabhadra wrote Adipurana (Life stories of various Jain Saints)
o Kannada literature saw beginning
Kavirajamarga -> by Amoghavarsha -> 1st poetic work in Kannada
Pampa (Kannada poet)- wrote Vikramsenavijaya
Poona (Kannada poet) – wrote Santipurana.
Medieval Literature
During Mahmud of Ghazni – Firdausi -> SHAHNAMAH ;
DELHI SULTANATE
o Patronized learning and literarure. Learned men from PERSIA got encouragement.
o Theology, poetry, history -> encouraged
o Sanskrit and Persian -> Imp link languages.
o Regional languages : (this will be updated with few more points)
Hindi – Chand Bardai famous poet.
Bengali literature developed
Bhakti cult -> development of GJ, Marathi.
Vijayanagar -> patronized Telugu and Kannada.
Kalhana -> Rajatarangini.
Amir Khusrao Persian writer
Created new style of poetry -> Sabaq-i-
hindi or Indian style
Wrote Hindi verses.
Khazain-ul-Fatuh -> speaks about
Alauddin’s conquests.
Tughlaq Nama
Minhas-i-Siraj Tabaqat-i-Nasari – general history of
Muslim Dynasties upto 1260.
Zia Nakshabi Tutu Nama – Book of the Parrot
1st to translate Sanskrit stories into
Persian.
Barani Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi -> contains Tughlaq
dynasty history.
Sculpture
o Chola Sculpture – Nataraja Images; Lost Wax Technique; These images found in SE Asia
as well -> which shows that Chola Architecture was famous in other nations as well. (due
to naval capability)
Other Misc :
Gupta Period – Golden Period ? How ? -> Temple Architecture, Buddhist Arch, Cave Arch etc.