INDIAN

ARCHITECTURE

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 Architecture is not a modern phenomenon. It began as soon as the
early cave man began to build his own shelter to live in. Man first began to
create and fix his own shelter when he stepped out from the natural habitat
of dense jungle covers.
With the artistic faculties of man awakened in the search for larger
and better-sheltered spaces, he began to build, with inherent aesthetic sense,
shelters that seemed pleasing to the eye. Thus emerged architecture which is
a combination of needs, imagination, capacities of the builders and
capabilities of the workers.

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 Many distinctive features that we find in the architecture today
developed throughout the long period of Indian history. The earliest and
most remarkable evidence of Indian architecture is found in the cities of the
Harappan Civilization which boast of a unique town planning.
In the post Harappan period architectural styles have been classified
as Hindu, Buddhist and Jain, The medieval period saw the synthesis of
Persian and indigenous styles of architecture.
Thereafter the colonial period brought the influence of Western
architectural forms to India.
Thus Indian architecture is a synthesis of indigenous styles and
external influences which has lent it a unique characteristic of its own.

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ARCHITECTURE-ORIGINS AND INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Architecture accommodated the local and regional cultural traditions

and social requirements, economic prosperity, religious practice of different
times. Hence, the study of architecture reveals to us the cultural diversities
and helps us understand the rich traditions of India.
Indian Architecture evolved in various ages in different parts and
regions of the country. Apart from these natural and obvious evolutions from
the pre-historic and historic periods, evolution of Indian architecture was
generally affected by many great and important historic developments.
Naturally, the emergence and decay of great empires and dynasties in
the sub-continent, each in their way influenced the growth and shaped the
evolution of Indian architecture. External influences have also shaped the
nature of Indian architecture and so has the influence of different regions of
the country.
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HARAPPAN PERIOD
The excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro and several
other sites of the Indus Valley Civilization revealed the existence
of a very modern urban civilization with expert town planning and
engineering skills.
The very advanced drainage system along with well planned
roads and houses show that a sophisticated and highly evolved
culture existed in India before the coming of the Aryans. The sites
of the Indus Valley Civilization were excavated under the
Archaeological Survey of India established by the British.

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Main features of Harappan remains are:
1. The settlements could be traced as far back as third millennium BC.

2. Some important settlements were excavated on the banks of the river Indus
particularly at the bends that provided water, easy means of transportation of
produce and other goods and also some protection by way of natural barriers
of the river .

3. All the sites consisted of walled cities which provided security to the people.

4. The cities had a rectangular grid pattern of layout with roads that cut each
other at right angles.

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5. The Indus Valley people used standardized burnt mud-bricks as building
material.

6. There is evidence of building of big dimensions which perhaps were public

buildings, administrative or business centres, pillared halls and courtyards,
There is no evidence of temples.

7. Public buildings include granaries which were used to store grains which
give an idea of an organised collection and distribution system.

8. Along with large public buildings, there is evidence of small one roomed
constructions that appear to be working peoples quarters.

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EARLY HISTORIC PERIOD
An important phase of Indian architecture began with the Mauryan period. The
material prosperity of the Mauryans and a new religious consciousness led to
achievements in all fields.
In the Mauryan period (322-182 BC) especially under Ashoka architecture saw a
great advancement. Mauryan art and architecture depicted the influence of Persians and
Greeks. During the reign of Ashoka many monolithic stone pillars were erected on which
teachings of ‘Dhamma’ were inscribed.
The highly polished pillars with animal figures adorning the top (capitals) are
unique and remarkable. The lion capital of the Sarnath pillar has been accepted as the
emblem of the Indian Republic. Each pillar weighs about 50 tonnes and is about 50 ft
high.

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 Cave architecture The development of cave architecture is another
unique feature and marks an important phase in the history of Indian
architecture.
More than thousand caves have been excavated between second
century BC and tenth century AD. Famous among these were Ajanta and
Ellora caves of Maharashtra, and Udaygiri cave of Orissa. These caves
hold Buddhist viharas, chaityas as well as mandapas and pillared temples
of Hindu gods and goddesses.

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ROCK-CUT TEMPLES
Temples were hewn out of huge rocks. The earliest rock-cut temples
were excavated in western Deccan in the early years of the Christian era. The
chaitya at Karle with fine high halls and polished decorative wall is a
remarkable example of rock-cut architecture.
The Kailash temple at Ellora built by the Rashtrakutas and the ratha
temples of Mahabalipuram built by the Pallavas are other examples of rock-
cut temples. Most probably the stability and permanence of rocks attracted
the patrons of art and builders who decorated these temples with beautiful
sculptures.

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MEDIEVAL PERIOD ARCHITECTURE
Delhi Sultanate With the arrival of Turks during the thirteenth century
came a new technique of architecture- the architectural styles of Persia, Arabia
and Central Asia.
The engineering features of these buildings were the domes, arches and
minarets. The palaces, mosques and tombs built by the rulers had these
features which were blended with the features of the indigenous architecture
and a new synthesis in architecture was achieved.

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 In the buildings that came up we find the simplicity of the Islamic
structure as well as the detailed sculptures and designs they made on their
own indigenous structures. A middle path was followed in all their designs in
the architecture of this period.
Regional Kingdoms With the establishment of regional kingdoms in
Bengal, Gujarat and the Deccan, beautiful buildings having their own style
were constructed.
The Jama Masjid, the Sadi Saiyyad Mosque and the shaking towers at
Ahmadabad are a few examples of this architecture.

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COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE AND THE MODERN PERIOD
The colonial influence can be seen in office buildings. Portuguese
built many churches at Goa, the most famous of these are Basilica Bom
Jesus and the church of Saint Francis. The British also built administrative
and residential buildings which reflect their imperial glory.
Parliament House and Connaught Place in Delhi are good examples.
The architect Lutyens, designed Rashtrapati Bhavan, formerly the Viceroy’s
residence. It is built of sandstone and has design features like canopies and
jaali from Rajasthan.
The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta, the former capital of British India,
is a huge edifice in marble. It now houses a museum full of colonial
artefacts.

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 The British also left behind impressive railway terminals like the
Victoria Terminus in Mumbai. More contemporary styles of building are
now in evidence, after Independence in 1947. Chandigarh has buildings
designed by the French architect, Corbusier.
In Delhi, the Austrian architect, Stein, designed The India
International Centre where conferences are held by leading intellectuals
from all over the world and more recently, the India Habitat Centre which
has become a centre of intellectual activities in the capital.

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TOWNS & CITIES IN INDIA
India has had a very long history of town planning, which can be
traced back to 2350 B.C. As you have already learnt, the two cities of
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro had an elaborate drainage system, roads which
cut each other at right angles, a citadel which was built on a high ground and
in the lower parts lived the rest of the population. Kalibangam in Rajasthan
and Surkoda in Kutch had similar city structure.
From 600 B.C. onwards, we come across more towns and cities that
were associated with both Aryan as well as Dravidian civilization. These
were Rajgir, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Hastinapur, Ujjain, Sravasthi, Kapilavastu
and Kausambhi besides many others. We also come across many towns in
the Mauryan period known as Janapadas (small towns) and Mahajanapadas
(big towns).

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 By the beginning of the 20th century, Bombay (now Mumbai),
Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Madras (now Chennai) had become well known
important cities for administration, commerce as well as industries. Some
places like Dalhousie Square in Calcutta, Fort St. George in Madras,
Connaught Place in Delhi and the sea shores of Marine Drive in Bombay
reminded the Europeans of their home in England.
But they also wanted the coolness of their environs back home in
Europe. So new centres developed in the hill stations near these big cities to
beat the sultry summer months of India, e.g. Mussoorie, Simla and Nainital
in the North; Darjeeling and Shillong in the East; Nilgiri and Kodaikanal in
the South.

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CHENNAI
Chennai’s British influence is evident in various cathedrals,
buildings, and wide tree-lined avenues.
The High Court Building, built in 1892, was said to be the
largest judicial building in the world after the Courts of London.
The main hallmark of Fort St George, its decorative domes
and corridors, are reminiscent of new architecture.
The Ice House was used to store enormous blocks of ice cut
from the Great Lakes in northern USA and shipped to India for
refrigeration purposes during the colonial rule

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KOLKATA
It was established as Calcutta in the year 1686, as a result of
the expansion plans of the British. With the establishment of
Supreme Court at Calcutta in 1774, it became the seat of justice.
The capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to New Delhi
in 1911.
Howrah Bridge is located over the Hooghly River. It connects
the city of Howrah to Calcutta. It stands on two 270 feet high pillars
and was constructed without using any nuts and bolts. This bridge
acts as an important symbol of Kolkata. It is probably the busiest
bridge of the world.

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 Victoria Memorial Hall in Calcutta is a fabulous museum that was
established in the year 1921. It is a fantastic place that takes visitors into the
world of past history. Today, Victoria Memorial is one of the finest art
museums in Kolkata. It is a 184 ft tall edifice that was constructed on 64 acres
of land.
Located in north Calcutta, Marble Palace was constructed in 1835. It
serves as an exquisite art gallery. It displays marvelous objects of art,
sculptures, pictures & oil paintings. It also has a zoo, where you can find
different kinds of birds and animals. In fact, it has a rare collection of birds.
The construction of Writers Building began as early as in 1690. It got
its name owing to the fact that it served as the dwelling place for the junior
writers of the East India Company.

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MUMBAI
Although its site has been inhabited since pre-historic times, the city of
Mumbai dates only to the arrival of the British in the 17th century, when it came
up as Bombay.
But the most impressive style was the Victoria Terminus (modern
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus), the massive railway construction in 1887. It
looks more like a cathedral than a railway station. It contains carved stone
friezes, stained glass windows and flying walls.
The famous Gateway of India was built with yellow stone in Indo-
Saracenic style of architecture to honour the visit of King George V and Queen
Mary to India. It was completed in 1924 at a cost of Rupees 24 lakhs, which was
a fortune in those days. It has a 26 meter high archway and is complete with four
turrets and intricate lattice work carved into the yellow basalt stone.

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 Since independence, Mumbai has continued to be India’s
leading commercial and industrial city. The stock exchange, the
business centres, the famous film industry called Bollywood and
anything you call in the name of westernization and
modernization is all here.
As you know, today it is the most important financial city
of India with important industries like textiles, finance and film
making.

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DELHI
Delhi has a history much older than that. It is believed that there are
at least seven important old cities that have come together to form Delhi.

The first city of Delhi is believed to have been established on the

right bank of the Yamuna by Yudhishthira, the oldest of the Pandava
brothers by the name of Indraprastha. Surely, you remember the story of
Mahabharata, which is the legend of the Pandavas and Kauravas!

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 Another important ruler of Tughlaq dynasty was Firoz Shah. During
his reign, Delhi had an enormous population and covered an extensive
area. He constructed Firozabad, located near Firoz Shah Kotla.

However, the invasion of Timur, the king of Samarkand, in 1398,

destroyed its glory, including the city of Jahanpanah. Timur took with him
Indian architects and masons to build the mosques at Samarkand. The
succeeding rulers shifted their capital to Agra.

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 It was said that Delhi was the home to at least 24 Sufis of which the most
famous were from the Jahanpanah area. Some of them were:
1. Kutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki whose khanqah or dera was at Mehrauli;
2. Nizamuddin Auliya, whose khanqah was at Nizamuddin;
3. Sheikh Nasiruddin Mahmud, who is popularly known today as Chiragh-e-
Delhi;
4. Amir Khusro, who was a great poet, magician and scholar.

After 1707, the Mughal power weakened and Delhi became a pale
shadow of itself. In 1803, the British occupied Delhi after defeating the
Marathas. The areas around Kashmere Gate and Civil Lines became important
centres, where the British built many structures.

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 In 1911, the British shifted their capital to Delhi and built an entirely new
city called New Delhi. It was made on a majestic scale. The large structure of the
India Gate, the Viceroy House which is now the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament
House and the North and South Blocks were all made to impress the Indian
subjects of the British rule. They were meant to show the supremacy, the majestic
power as well as the regality of the British. This new city was completed by 1932.
The Connaught Place still remains an important commercial centre of the
city. Delhi remains an important commercial, cultural and political centre of India.
Massive buildings, beautiful parks, flyovers, the Metro, a beautiful airport,
educational centres, museums, big wholesale markets, Embassies and High
Commissions of all countries of the world, large malls, major industries, etc. all
contribute to making it a beautiful city.

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 Indian Architecture evolved in various ages in different parts
and regions of the country. Apart from these natural and obvious
evolutions from the pre-historic and historic periods, evolution of
Indian architecture was generally affected by many great and
important historic developments.
Naturally, the emergence and decay of great empires and
dynasties in the sub-continent, each in their way influenced the
growth and shaped the evolution of Indian architecture. External
influences have also shaped the nature of Indian architecture and so
has the influence of different regions of the country.

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END…..

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