UNIVERSITY OF THE ASSUMPTION

CEA

RESEARCH: INDIAN
ARCHITECTURE

Student:
JANA ANTOINETE RAMOS

Professor:
AR. JAYSON CREDO

February 23, 2023

 INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
ONE OF THE MOST ENDURING ACHIEVEMENTS OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION IS UNDOUBTEDLY
ITS ARCHITECTURE. INDIAN ARCHITECTURE, WHICH HAS EVOLVED THROUGH CENTURIES, IS
THE RESULT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS. DIFFERENT TYPES OF
INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL STYLES INCLUDE A MASS OF EXPRESSIONS OVER SPACE AND TIME,
TRANSFORMED BY THE FORCES OF HISTORY CONSIDERED UNIQUE TO INDIA. AS A RESULT
OF VAST DIVERSITIES, A, VAST RANGE OF ARCHITECTURAL SPECIMENS HAVE EVOLVED,
RETAINING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONTINUITY ACROSS HISTORY.

TYPES OF ARCHITECTURES:

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
LIKE ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF SOCIETY, THE COLONIZATION OF INDIA ALSO HAD A
GREAT IMPACT ON ARCHITECTURE. COLONIZATION MARKED A NEW CHAPTER IN INDIAN
ARCHITECTURE. THOUGH THE DUTCH, THE PORTUGUESE AND THE FRENCH MADE THEIR
PRESENCE FELT THROUGH THEIR BUILDINGS, IT WAS THE ENGLISH WHO HAD A LASTING
IMPACT ON ARCHITECTURE OF INDIA. IN THE BEGINNING OF COLONIAL RULE THERE WERE
ATTEMPTS AT CREATING AUTHORITY THROUGH CLASSICAL PROTOTYPES. IN ITS LATER
PHASE THE COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE CULMINATED INTO WHAT IS CALLED THE INDO-
SARACENIC ARCHITECTURE. THE INDO-SARACENIC ARCHITECTURE COMBINED THE
FEATURES OF HINDU, ISLAMIC AND WESTERN ELEMENTS.

EXAMPLES:

SANTHOME CHURCH, CHENNAI

The church is one of the only three known

churches in the world built over the tomb of an
apostle of Jesus, the other two being St Peter's
Basilica in Vatican City and Santiago de
Compostela Cathedral at Galicia in Spain.

ALL SAINTS CATHEDRAL,

ALLAHABAD

All Saints' Cathedral, also known as Patthar Girja,

is an Anglican cathedral located in Prayagraj,
India. Modelled after 13th-century Gothic style
churches, it is among the Gothic Revival buildings
built by the British during their rule in India.
 ST. GEORGE'S CATHEDRAL, CHENNAI

George's Cathedral was the tallest wooden

church in the world, its tower reaching a height
of 143 feet. It held this record until 2003 when
the 246-feet-tall Peri Monastery near Să pâ nţa in
northern Romania was completed.

GOLE MARKET, NEW DELHI

Gole Market is a neighborhood in the heart of

New Delhi, India built within a traffic
roundabout by Edwin Lutyens in 1921. It is one
of New Delhi's oldest surviving colonial
markets and is considered an architecturally
significant structure.

MEDAK CATHEDRAL, TELANGANA

The nativity window was installed in 1947 and

the crucifixion window was installed in 1958. The
Medak Church is renowned for its large pointed
stained glass windows that tell the story of the
Bible in a kaleidoscope of colors though visible
only in solar light.

INDO ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD SAW GREAT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF
ARCHITECTURE. WITH THE COMING OF MUSLIMS TO INDIA, MANY NEW FEATURES
CAME TO BE INTRODUCED IN BUILDINGS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSLIM STYLE OF
ARCHITECTURE OF THIS PERIOD CAN BE CALLED THE INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
OR THE INDIAN ARCHITECTURE INFLUENCED BY ISLAMIC ART.
EXAMPLES:

QUTUB MINAR, NEW DELHI

The World Heritage site was built as tower of victory -

possibly inspired by Afghan minarets - by Qutbuddin
Aibak, the first sultan of Delhi, after defeating the Hindu
rulers in 1192. The red-and-buff sandstone monument
contains some of the earliest structures of Muslim rule
in the country.

ALAI DARWAZA, NEW DELHI

It has a special significance in Indo-Islamic architecture

as the first Indian monument to be built using Islamic
methods of construction and ornamentation and is a
World Heritage Site.

RED FORT, NEW DELHI

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as the palace fort

of his capital Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is famous
for its massive enclosing walls. The fort's construction
was completed over a span of ten years, between 1638
and 1648.

AGRA FORT, AGRA

Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India. It

was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal
Dynasty till 1638, when the capital was shifted from
Agra to Delhi.

TAJ MAHAL, AGRA

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna River in
the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan
(reigned from 1628 to 1658), to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE
INDIAN ARCHITECTURE IS AS OLD AS THE HISTORY OF THE CIVILIZATION. THE
EARLIEST REMAINS OF RECOGNIZABLE BUILDING ACTIVITY IN THE INDIA DATES
BACK TO THE INDUS VALLEY CITIES. AMONG INDIA'S ANCIENT ARCHITECTURAL
REMAINS, THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC ARE THE TEMPLES, CHAITYAS, VIHARAS,
STUPAS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES.

EXAMPLES:

AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE, DELHI

Touted as the world's largest comprehensive Hindu

temple by the Guinness World Record, Delhi's
Akshardham is known for its aesthetic beauty, unique
exhibitions, sprawling campus, and tranquility.

VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE, KARNATAKA

Virupaksha Temple is the main center of pilgrimage at

Hampi, and had been considered the most sacred
sanctuary over the centuries. It is intact among the
surrounding ruins and is still used in worship

KARLA CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

the largest Hinayana Buddhist chaitya (temple) in India.

Karla caves is one of the most famous Buddhist rock-cut
cave sites in India with only 15 caves within. The main
Chaityagriha is one among the largest in India. It is important from architectural, sculptural and
inscriptional points of view.

ELLORA CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

The Ellora Caves are authentic in terms of the forms and

designs, materials and substance, and locations and
setting of paintings, rock-cut architecture, sculptures,
and unfinished temples of three different faiths, i.e.
Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Jainism.

CAVE ARCHITECTURE
THE CAVE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEGUN DURING
THE ANCIENT TIME. THESE CAVES WERE USED BY BUDDHIST AND JAIN MONKS AS
PLACES OF WORSHIP AND RESIDENCE.

EXAMPLES:

MAHABALIPURAM, TAMIL NADU

It’s known for its temples and monuments built by the

Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The
seafront Shore Temple comprises 3 ornate granite
shrines. Krishna’s Butter Ball is a massive boulder
balanced on a small hill near the Ganesha Ratha stone
temple.

AJANTA CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

The Ajanta Caves are approximately thirty rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the
second century BCE to about 480 CE in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India.

BHAJA CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

Bhaja Caves is a group of 22 rock-cut caves dating back

to the 2nd century BC located in the city of Pune, India.
The caves are 400 feet above the village of Bhaja, on an
important ancient trade route running from the Arabian
Sea eastward into the Deccan Plateau.

BEDSE CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

Bedse Caves are a group of Buddhist Caves that can be

dated back to the 1st Century BC. The caves complex is
a beautiful example of Buddhist Architecture.

SITTANAVASAL, TAMILNADU

Sittanavasal Cave is a 2nd-century Tamil Śramaṇ a

complex of caves in Sittanavasal village in Pudukottai
district of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name is a distorted
form of Sit-tan-na-va-yil, a Tamil word which means
"the abode of great saints". The monument is a rock-cut
monastery or temple.

ROCK CUT
THE ROCK-CUT STRUCTURES PRESENT THE MOST SPECTACULAR PIECE OF
ANCIENT INDIAN ART SPECIMEN. MOST OF THE ROCK-CUT STRUCTURES WERE
CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES. IN
THE BEGINNING REMARKABLE BUDDHIST AND JAIN ROCK-CUT STRUCTURES WERE
BUILT IN AREAS SUCH AS BIHAR IN THE EAST AND MAHARASHTRA IN THE WEST.
NUMEROUS CAVES WERE EXCAVATED BY THE BUDDHIST MONKS FOR PRAYER AND
RESIDENCE PURPOSES. THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS IS CHAITYAS (PRAYER HALLS)
AND VIHARAS (MONASTERIES).

EXAMPLES:

KAILASA TEMPLE, ELLORA

A megalith carved from a rock cliff face, it is considered

as one of the most remarkable cave temples in the world
because of its size, architecture and sculptural treatment,
and "the climax of the rock-cut phase of Indian
architecture".

PANCHA RATHAS, MAHABALIPURAM

A complex of five monolithic, rock-cut, granite structures

located in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu, the Pancha
Rathas – meaning “five chariots” in Sanskrit – are
attributed to the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, and
were carved between 630–668 CE.

BARABAR CAVES, BIHAR

Barabar Caves were constructed by emperor Ashoka for

the use of Ajivaka ascetics, Hence, it is renowned as the
place of origin of the Ajivika sect. Barabar hill caves are
Buddhist caves. One can also find a few Hindu and Jain
sculptures.
BADAMI CAVE TEMPLES, KARNATAKA

It is famous for its rock cut monuments such as the

Badami cave temples, as well as the structural temples
such as the Bhutanatha temples, Badami Shivalaya and
Jambulingesvara Temple. It is located in a ravine at the
foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds
Agastya Lake.
 AJANTA CAVE, MAHARASHTRA

Ajanta Caves exemplifies one of the greatest achievements

in ancient Buddhist rock-cut architecture. The artistic
traditions at Ajanta present an important and rare
specimen of art, architecture, painting, and socio-cultural,
religious and political history of contemporary society in
India.

TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
IN ANCIENT INDIA, TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE OF HIGH STANDARD DEVELOPED IN
ALMOST ALL REGIONS. THE DISTINCT ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION
IN DIFFERENT PARTS WAS A RESULT OF GEOGRAPHICAL, CLIMATIC, ETHNIC, RACIAL,
HISTORICAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITIES. ANCIENT INDIAN TEMPLES ARE CLASSIFIED IN
THREE BROAD TYPES. THIS CLASSIFICATION IS BASED ON DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL
STYLES, EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLES. THREE MAIN STYLE OF
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE ARE THE NAGARA OR THE NORTHERN STYLE, THE DRAVIDA OR
THE SOUTHERN STYLE AND THE VESARA OR MIXED STYLE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE
ARE ALSO SOME REGIONAL STYLES OF BENGAL, KERALA AND THE HIMALAYAN AREAS.

EXAMPLES:

BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE, THANJAVUR

At a height of more than 200 feet (60 m), the main shrine of

the temple is the highest pyramidal shrine tower in south
India. Legend says its domed cupola—which weighs more
than 80 tons—was transported to the structure's apex via a
gently sloping ramp that was 4 miles (6.5 km) long.

JAGADAMBI TEMPLE, MADHYA PRADESH

Devi Jagadambika Temple or Jagadambika Temple is one of

a group of about 25 temples at Khajuraho, Madhya
Pradesh, India. Khajuraho is a World Heritage Site. The
temples of Khajuraho were built by the rulers of the
Chandela dynasty between the 10th and the 12th centuries.
 SUN TEMPLE, MODHERA

As per Archeological Survey of India Modhera Sun Temple

was built in 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the
Chaulukya dynasty. As you enter the historical complex,
you first come across the magnificent kund known as the
Ramakund, built in rectangular shape containing 108
shrines to various gods and demi-gods.

KONARK SUN TEMPLE, ORISSA

Konark Sun Temple is famous for its unique architecture.

Its geometrical patterns and carved wheels used to serve
as sun dials. One can witness three images of Sun God at
three directions to catch the rays of the Sun at dawn, noon
and sunset.

CHENNAKESHAVA TEMPLE, KARNATAKA

Chennakeshava Temple and Keshava Temple, is a

Vaishnava Hindu temple on the banks of River Kaveri at
Somanathapura, Karnataka, India. The temple was
consecrated in 1258 CE by Somanatha Dandanayaka, a
general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III.