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IndusCivilization
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VisualArt

IndusCivilization

1.IndianArchitecture
IndusCivilization
BuddhistArchitecture
TempleArchitecture
IndoIslamicArchitecture
ModernArchitecture

2.IndianSculpture
IndusCivilization
BuddhistSculpture
GuptaSculpture
MedievalSchoolofSculpture
ModernIndianSculpture

3.IndianPainting
WallPainting
MiniaturePainting
ModernPainting

The earliest remains of Indian architecture are to be found in Harappa,

Mohenjodaro, Ropar, Kalibangan, Lothal and Rangpur, belonging to a
civilizationknownastheIndusvalleycultureortheHarappanculture.About
5000yearsago,inthethirdmillenniumB.C.alotofbuildingactivitywenton
in these areas. Town planning was excellent. Burnt brick was widely used,
roadswerewideandatrightanglestooneanother,citydrainswerelaidout
with great skill and forethought, the corbelled arch and baths were
constructedwithknowledgeandskill.Butwiththefragmentaryremainsofthe
buildings constructed by these people it is not yet possible to know enough
about the architectural skill and tastes of the people. However, one thing is
clear, the extant buildings do not give us any clue as to aesthetic
considerations and there is a certain dull plainness about the architecture

whichmaybeduetotheirfragmentaryandruinedcondition.Theredoesnot
appear to be any connection between the cities built in the 3rd millennium
B.C., with an astonishing civic sense, of first rate wellfired brick structures,
andthearchitectureofsubsequentthousandyearsorso,ofIndianarthistory,
afterthedeclineanddecayoftheHarappancivilizationandthebeginningof
thehistoricperiodofIndianhistory,mainlythetimeofthegreatMauryasof
Magadha. These thousands years or so were a period of tremendous,
intellectual and sociological activity and could not be barren of any artistic
creations. However, due to the fact that during this time sculpture and
architecturewasutilisingorganicandperishablematerialssuchasmud,mud

brick,bamboo,timber,leaves,strawandthatch,thesehavenotsurvivedthe
ravagesoftime.

GeneralviewofHouse,Lothal
Gujarat

Two important remains of the oldest times are fortifications of the old Rajagriha town, in Bihar and the fortified capital of Sisupalgarh, perhaps the ancient
Kalinganagar,nearBhubaneswar.TheRajagrihafortificationwallismadeintheroughestpossiblemanner,unhewnstonesbeingpiledoneontopoftheother.
Thisbelongstothe6th5thcentury,B.C.HoweveratSisupalgarhinthe2nd1stcenturyB.C.stonemasonswereatworkusinglargeblocksofstonestomake
averywellmadefortentrancethatcouldbeclosedwithhugedoorsturningonhinges.
WeknowitforafactthatstonemasonryandstonecarvingwereimportedinAshoka'stimesfromPersia.Thereisabundantevidenceofstonemasonsmarks
similartothoseatPersepolis.However,woodwasstillthedominantmaterialandinarchitecturalremainsofAshokantimes,thegradualtransitionfromwood
to stone isapparent.AtPataliputra, remains havebeen foundof a great timber wallthat once surroundedthe imperialcapital, a fact clearly mentionedby
MegasthaneswhostatesthateverythinginhisdaywasbuiltoftimberinIndia.

However, there is one important exception to this and that is the rockcut architecture of India. We are
including a study of cave architecture for the simple reason that the early Indian cave temples and
monasteriesaremasterpiecesof"organisingspace"withbeautyandutilityinview.

Atypicalexampleofearlycavearchitectureisthemostdatablecaveofall,thesocalledLomasRishicavein
the Barabar Hills of Bihar. An inscription proves that this was excavated for the Ajivika sect in the time of
Ashoka himself. The cave carved out of the living rock, measures 55'x22'x20'. The entrance is a
representationinstoneofahutentrance,withtheendoftheroofconstructedofbenttimbersupportedby
cross beams, the ends of which are shown protruding. A carved frieze of elephants is a stone imitation of
similar work in wood along with a stone imitation of trellis work made of small stick of bamboo. This is an
excellentexampleshowingthedevelopmentfromearliershapesintimbertranslatedintostone.Theperiodis
the3rdcenturyB.C.

LomasRishicave,Bihar

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