G8 Arts with Teacher Melanie Nina Cullar

Learning Objectives:
Identify characteristics of arts and
crafts in South, West, and Central
Asia.
Create artworks showing the
characteristic elements of the arts
of South, West, and Central Asia.
Appreciate the beauty in Indian’s
Architectures.
Introduction

The architecture of India is

rooted in its history, culture
and religion. ... Much other
early Indian architecture was in
wood, which has not survived.
Hindu temple architecture is
mainly divided into the
Dravidian style of the south and
the Nagara style of the north,
with other regional styles.
Taj Mahal of Agra

The Taj Mahal, is an ivory-white marble

mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna
in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in
1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house
the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it
also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself.
 The Great Stupa
at Sanchi
Sanchi is a Buddhist complex,
famous for its Great Stupa, on a
hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen
District of the State of Madhya
Pradesh, India. It is located in
46 kilometres north-east of
Bhopal, capital of Madhya
Pradesh.
 Early Stupa
Before Buddhism, great teachers were buried in
mounds. Some were cremated, but sometimes
they were buried in a seated, meditative position.
The mound of earth covered them up. Thus, the
domed shape of the stupa came to represent a
person seated in meditation much as the Buddha
was when he achieved Enlightenment and
knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. The base of
the stupa represents his crossed legs as he sat in
a meditative pose (called padmasana or the lotus
position). The middle portion is the Buddha’s
body and the top of the mound, where a pole
rises from the apex surrounded by a small fence,
represents his head. Before images of the human
Buddha were created, reliefs often depicted
practitioners demonstrating devotion to a stupa.
Lotus Temple
The Lotus Temple, located in Delhi, India, is a Baháʼí House of Worship that
was dedicated in December 1986. Notable for its flowerlike shape, it has
become a prominent attraction in the city. Like all Houses of Worship, the
Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion or any other qualification.
 Lotus Temple: A Symbol Of Excellence
In Modern Indian Architecture

• The Baha'i House of Worship, popularly known

as the Lotus Temple is not only a symbol of
excellence in modern Indian architecture but
also one of the most visited religious buildings
in the world. The Temple located on a 9.7-hectare
site near Nehru Place in South Delhi, is a place of
worship open to all races, religions and castes.
• The form of this House of Worship takes the shape
the lotus, a flower considered sacred by most
Indians. It is designed to reflect the simplicity,
clarity and freshness of the Baha'i Faith and to act
as a symbol of the unity of mankind and religions.
Latus Temple: Day and Night