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Apec-Art and Culture: Architecture
Apec-Art and Culture: Architecture
Apec-Art and Culture: Architecture
ARCHITECTURE
TIPS TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS- A&C
• Time-period in which they
were built
• Important features of
various styles
• Geography of the place in
which these monuments
were built
• Current Affairs
• PYQ
When did architecture began in India?
• Difficult to pin-point exactly
• Reasons: perishable nature of material used, weather events etc.
• The example of Stonehenge, England
• Such examples are there in India as well in the form of Megalithic
burials.
• Megalithic burials: Dated 1100 BCE- 300 BCE.
• Megalithic stones in South India (3rd century BCE- 1st century AD).
Places: Paiyampalli, Hallur, Naikund, Takalghat etc.
Indus Valley Civilization
Sl. No. Name of Site Location Distinctive Features
1.
Lothal On the Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat, 1. Dockyard
on the banks of Bhogava river, a 2. Remains of rice (1800 BCE)
tributary of Sabarmati 3. Practice of fire cult
4. Double/multiple burial
5. It is on UNESCO’S Tentative List of World Heritage Sites
Current affairs: The Ministry of Culture will set up a Maritime Museum at Lothal, situated on the Gulf
of Cambay (Khambat) as announced in the Union Budget 2020.
2.
Kalibangan Rajasthan, on the banks of river 1. Ploughed field
Ghaggar-Hakra 2. Many houses with wells
3. Fortified lower town
4. Rectangular or oval grave-pits, pot burial
5. Several pre-Harappan settlements
6. Presence of fire altars
3.
Dholavira Gujarat (Kuchh district) 1. An inscription comprising ten large sized signs of the Harappan script
2. Town divided into three parts: citadel, middle and lower town
3. First astronomical observatory
4. Megalithic burial
Current affairs: Dholavira has been included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites List in 2021.
4.
Banawali Haryana (Fatehabad district), on the 1. Terracotta replica of plough
dry bed of river Saraswati 2. A good quantity of barley
3. Radial roads
4. Exhibits three phases of IVC: PRE-Harappan, Harappan and post-Harappan
5.
Harappa Punjab, Pakistan, on the banks of 1. Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni (1879-1939) was a pivotal figure in the discovery of Harappa
Ravi 2. Citadel and lower town
3. Six granaries
4. Bust of the bearded man
Mohenjodaro Sindh, Pakistan, on the banks of 1. Citadel and lower town
the Indus river 2. Great Bath, a tank for community use on the citadel
3. The granary is the largest building
4. Terracotta figurine of the Mother Goddess
5. Pashupathi seal
Chanhudaro Sindh, Pakistan, on the banks of 1. A manufacturing hub for carnelian beads, steatite seals and bangles
Saraswati river
Rakhigarhi Haryana, on the Ghaggar-Hakra 1. The biggest Indus Valley site discovered so far
plain 2. Artefacts like seals, bangles, potsherds with Harappan script inscriptions all correspond to the
Mature Phase of the IVC
3. Farmana, Girawad and Mitathal are the other Harappan sites in Haryana
Surkotada Kutch, Gujarat, on the Bhogava river 1. It was discovered and excavated by Shri Jagat Pati Joshi of ASI in 1964-1968.
2. It has a fortified citadel, residential annexe, made of mud brick, mud lumps and rubble,
containing houses with bathrooms and drains
3. It has also yielded a heavy copper celt and a chisel and the usual Harappa beads, chert blades,
etc.
Alamgirpur Uttar Pradesh, close to the Hindon 1. The easternmost IVC site
River, a tributary of Yamuna
Kot Diji Sindh, Pakistan, on 1. A forerunner of Indus Valley Civilisation with settlements
the Indus River dating before 3000 BCE.
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 1 4 3 2
(d) 1 3 4 2
• Vidyashankara Temple
• The Vidyashankara Temple in Shringeri, Karnataka was built in the year 1338 A.D.
• It is a unique monument built entirely of stone combining both Hoysala (Chalukya) and Dravidian architectural styles.
• On the western side is the Garbhagriha, with Vidya Ganapati on one side and Durga on the other side of the entrance.
• On the other three sides of the Garbhagriha are shrines of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara with their consorts.
• In the eastern half of the structure is a mandapa with twelve pillars, huge monoliths carrying large figures and carrying heavy
projecting corbels on top.
• These twelve pillars are marked by the twelve signs of the zodiac in their regular order.
• The central ceiling is an exquisite piece of workmanship with lotus and pecking parrots.
• Vidyatirtha Rathotsava is celebrated on a grand scale during kartika Shukla paksha.
• Rajarani Temple
• The Rajarani temple in Bhubaneswar (A.D. 1000-1022) is a marvel of Odia architecture.
• According to some historians, it was called Indresvara or Indralingesvara after its builder, lndraratha, an illustrious Somavamsi ruler.
• Presently, this temple is without a presiding deity, and it is well-known as a temple without a deity.
• The temple’s vimana is in the Rekhaprasad style, clustered with miniature Sikharas and the Jagamohana (mandapa) is a pyramidal-
shaped Pidhadeula.
• The temple has the pancharatha plan.
• Bhimesvara Temple
• Situated in Samalkot, Andhra Pradesh the Bhimesvara Temple’s construction started in the late 9th century during Chalukyan era.
• Installed in the shrine, the Linga limestone is 16 feet tall, rising from the ground floor pedestal and entering the second floor by
entering the roof where the Rudrabhaga is adorned.
• The Samalkot Bhimeswara temple is backed by a mandapam of 100 pillars and is of excellent architectural significance.
• The temple has an Ekasila Nandi (a monolithic bull) at the temple door protecting the Shiva Lingam.
With reference to the history of Indian rock-cut architecture, consider the following statements:
[2013]
1. The caves at Badami are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India.
2. The Barabar rock-cut caves were originally made for Ajivikas by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
3. At Ellora, caves were made for different faiths.