SIKKIM

 Sikkim is a mountainous state in India

surrounded by Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.
Originally the Lepcha ethnic tribe lived here
and later, a Tibetan tribe migrated in the 17th
century. Thus the architecture of
 Sikkim mirrors mainly the traditions of these
two tribes. The noteworthy buildings mostly
comprise Buddhist gompas (monasteries)
because the state has cultural links with
Ladakh and Tibetan Buddhism.

 Situated in the eastern Himalayas, the serene

environment of Sikkim offers its tourists with
a rare experience. The temples, monasteries
and ruined palaces make Sikkim one of the
most visited places of east India. 
DELHI
 Delhi officially known as the National Capital
Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a  union
territory  of India containing  New Delhi, the
capital of India..

 It is a massive metropolitan area in the

country’s north. In Old Delhi, a neighborhood
dating to the 1600s, stands the imposing
Mughal-era Red Fort, a symbol of India, and
the sprawling Jama Masjid mosque, whose
courtyard accommodates 25,000 people.
Nearby is Chandni Chowk, a vibrant bazaar
filled with food carts, sweets shops and spice
stalls.
 Tibetan Architecture
 Tibetan architecture is one of the most simple, colourful and splendid
form of art.
 Its simplicity brings out the temperament and character of the lives and
people of the place.
 Tibetan Buddhist architecture, in the cultural regions of the Tibetan
people, has been highly influenced by China and India.
 For example, the Buddhist prayer wheel, along with two dragons, can be
seen on nearly every temple in Sikkim.
 Many of the houses and monasteries are typically built on elevated, sunny
sites facing the south.
 Rocks, wood, cement and earth are the primary building materials.
 Flat roofs are built to conserve heat and multiple windows are constructed
to let in the sunlight.
 Due to frequent earthquakes, walls are usually sloped inward at 10 degrees.
 Delhi Architecture
 The Architecture of Delhi dates back more than a thousand years. As
the capital of several great empires of India, including Rajput
kingdom, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, and British Raj, the city of
Delhi has been a center for art and architecture
 Tibetan Buddhist architecture, in the cultural regions of the Tibetan
people, has been highly influenced by China and India.
 For example, the Buddhist prayer wheel, along with two dragons, can
be seen on nearly every temple in Sikkim.
 Many of the houses and monasteries are typically built on elevated,
sunny sites facing the south.
 Rocks, wood, cement and earth are the primary building materials.
 Flat roofs are built to conserve heat and multiple windows are
constructed to let in the sunlight.
 Due to frequent earthquakes, walls are usually sloped inward at 10
degrees.
THE PRAYER TURBINES CALLED
MANÉ The rich colours of the museum of tibetology

HAND-CARVED PILLAR OF TIBETOLOGY RABDENTSE RUINS OF THE 17TH CENTURY

 Tibetan Furniture
 Furniture from Tibet has always been quite
rare. Except for the wealthy, Tibetans used
very little furniture in their homes, and
the population of Tibet has always been so
small that not much was ever made.
 Most of it was probably always found in
the monasteries, and of course most of
these monasteries were destroyed by the
Chinese during the “Cultural Revolution”
along with huge amounts of furniture.
 Made primarily from pine and other
Himalayan soft woods, it is noted more for
its sometimes lavishly painted surface
and/or carved decoration than for its TRADITIONAL TIBETAN
joinery. FURNITURE
Tibetan Motifs & Symbols
 The eight Buddhist auspicious
symbols consist of – a parasol, pair of
golden fish, the great treasure vase, a
lotus, the right turning conch, the
endless knot, the banner of victory
and the wheel of dharma.
 The symbols differed between
different groups, for example the
Jains and Newar Buddhists.
 In Buddhism these symbols of good
fortune represent the offerings that
were made by the gods to
Shakyamuni Buddha immediately
after he attained enlightenment. 8 SYMBOLS OF GOOD
FORTUNE
 Sri-Yantra
 The Sri Chakra or Shri Yantra is formed by nine interlocking
triangles that surround and radiate out from the bindu
point, the junction point between the physical universe and
its unmanifest source.
 It represents Sri Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance on all
levels, in abstract geometric form. It also represents Tripura
Sundari, “the beauty of the three worlds.” Four of the
triangles points upwards, representing Shiva or the
Masculine. Five of these triangles point downwards,
representing Shakti or the Feminine.
 Thus the Sri Yantra also represents the union of Masculine
and Feminine Divine.
 Together the nine triangles are interlaced in such a way as to Sri-Yantra
form 43 smaller triangles in a web symbolic of the entire
cosmos or a womb symbolic of creation.
 This is surrounded by a lotus of eight petals, a lotus of
sixteen petals, and an earth square resembling a temple with
four doors.
Wood Art in Sikkim Monasteries – Windows, Doors
and Pillars

 The design of the Buddhist

Monasteries in Sikkim is heavily
influenced by Tibetan designs and
bears a close similarity to the visuals
seen on the other side of the
Himalayas.
 But the use of softer colors, floral
motifs and curvilinear patterns give
the Sikkimese monasteries a unique
character that is probably prettier.
 Architectural style
 The entire complex of the Rumtek Monastery encloses a beautifully
structured shrine temple and a monastery for the monks. There are also
monks’ quarters where the Karmapa resides and where most of the
important relics are enshrined.
 The main structure of the Rumtek Monastery is strictly as per the
traditional architectural designs of the Tibetan monasteries.
 The entire structure is magnificently covered with beautiful murals,
frescoes, carved and painted woodwork, and traditional Tibetan style
paintings.
 The rooftop of the Rumtek Monastery is comprised of four storied
golden sculpture, known as ‘ghanzira’.
 Within the monastery are the paintings of the Kagyu lineage, the eight
great Bodhisattvas, the sixteen Arhats, and the Genduk Chogngi,
amongst others