The architecture of India is rooted in its history, culture and religion.

Among a number of
architectural styles and traditions, the contrasting Hindu temple architecture and Indo-Islamic
architecture are the best known historical styles. Both of these, but especially the former,
have a number of regional styles within them. An early example of town planning was the
Harappan architecture of the Indus Valley Civilization. People lived in cities with baked brick
houses, streets in a grid layout, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, granaries,
citadels and clusters of large non-residential buildings. Much other early Indian architecture
was in wood, which has not survived. (Architecture of India, retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_India)

The architecture of India includes present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka. These countries later on got separated by political boundaries but, still share a
common cultural heritage. The diversity of Indian culture is represented in its architecture.
Indian architecture comprises a blend of ancient and varied native traditions, with building
types, forms and technologies from west, central Asia, and Europe. (Indian Architecture,
retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/Bekark/history-of-indian-architecture)

Indian architecture has influenced the surrounding regions of the world, especially
eastern Asia, due to the spread of ideas with Buddhism. A number of Indian architectural
features such as the stupa (temple mound), sikhara (temple spire), pagoda (temple tower),
torana (and temple gate), have become famous symbols of Hindu- Buddhist culture, used
extensively in East Asia and South-East Asia. Early Indian architecture is the story of how
powerful and popular religions celebrated their beliefs through monumental design. 

MAURYAN ROCK-CUT ARCHITECTURE

For the first time during the Maurya empire,

monuments began to be built out of stone. The influence
of Greek, Persian and Egyptian culture was evident is
some of the shapes and decorative forms. In the 3rd
century BCE, with the reign of Ashoka and his interest in
stone construction, the Buddhist school of architecture
began.

ASHOKA'S BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE

Many stupas were commissioned by Ashoka to

hold the relics of the Buddha. These were simple in design
with a hemispherical shape and a low base. The most
famous of these stupas is the Sanchi Stupa or Great Stupa
at Sanchi which is the oldest of the stupas. Other famous
stupas include Amaravati Stupa and Gandhara Stupa.

Column capital with Greek and

Persian influence
 Ashoka built monasteries
influenced by the Gandhara architectural
style, which was the style of the region
during this time and characterized by
sculptures of the Buddha. Typically, the
main buildings were enclosed within a
walled courtyard with the monastery
towards the north and the stupa to the
south. He also constructed palaces. The
Entry to a Barabar Cave with elephants carved over most famous was the palace near Patna. It
the lower archway is said that a Chinese traveler thought it
was made by spirits because its
carvings were so well done. (Ancient
Indian Architecture: Characteristics, Evolution & Examples, retrieved from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/ancient-indian-architecture-characteristics-evolution-
examples.html)

Indian architecture is that vast tapestry of production of the Indian Subcontinent that encompasses
a multitude of expressions over space and time, transformed by the forces of history considered unique to
the sub-continent, sometimes destroying, but most of the time absorbing. The result is an evolving range
of architectural production that none the less retains a certain amount of continuity across history.

Famous Hindu Akshardham temple in South Delhi

 The Ajanta Caves in India are 29 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century
BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious
art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri
Lanka. The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built
around 600 CE.

Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located
in the Indian state of Maharashtra, near Jalgaon, just outside the village of Ajintha. Caves are only about
59 kilometers from Jalgaon Railway station (on Delhi - Mumbai, Rail line of the Central railways, India);
and 104 kilometers from Aurangabad (from Ellora Caves 100 Kilometers).
BUDDHIST AND JAINA ARCHITECTURE

Buddhism gained prominence during the reign of

the emperor Ashoka. It is primarily represented by three
important building types- the Chaitya Hall (place of
worship), the Vihara (monastery) and the Stupa
(hemispherical mound for worship/ memory)- exemplified
by the magnificent caves of Ajanta and Ellora and the
monumental Sanchi Stupa. The Greek influence led the
Indian architecture of the time, especially the rock-cut art,
to fall under one of the two categories: the Mathura school
of art which was strictly Indian in spirit and did not adopt
from the Greek styles, and the Gandharva school of art
which incorporated influences of the Greek art. The
division of Buddhism into Hinayana and Mahayana phases
also influenced the nature of rock-cut art, the former being
represented by artifacts used by the Buddha, and the latter
by images of the Buddha. The Jaina temples are
characterized by a richness of detail that can be seen in
the Dilwara Temples in Mt. Abu.

Ellora Cave Architecture World Heritage Site

Other Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu Caves and Temples

THE HINDU TEMPLES

The reference to temples in literature go

back early with Panini (520 BC - 460 BC)
and Patanjali mentioning temples which
were called prasadas. Early beginnings of
Hindu temple architecture have been traced
to the remains at Aihole and Pattadakal in
present day Karnataka, and have Vedic
altars and late Vedic temples as described by
Panini as models. Later, as more
differentiation took place, the Dravidian/
Southern style and or the Indo-Aryan/
Northern/ Nagara style of temple
architecture emerged as dominant modes,
epitomized in productions such as the
magnificent Brihadeeswara Temple,
Thanjavur, and the Sun Temple, Konark.
The older terminologies of Dravidian and Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal
Indo-Aryan are not used in current practice
because of their racial and dubious origins.
Buddhist elements and motifs have
influenced temple architecture to a considerable extent.

Early temples were rock-cut, later structural temples evolved. The Kailasanatha temple at Ellora is a good
example of the former, excavated from top to bottom out of a massive rock face.
The pyramid formed an essential architectonic element in any temple composition- stepped in the
Dravidian style, stepped and slightly curved in the Northern style. The structural system was essentially
trabeated and with stone being the basic raw material for the Indian craftsman, construction could be
carried out with minimal or no mortar. Decoration was fundamental to Indian architecture and is seen in
the myriad details of figured sculpture as well as in the architectural elements. The concept of fractals has
been used to examine the form of the Hindu temple, both in terms of its planning and external
appearance.

The garba-griha or the womb chamber forms the central focus housing the deity of the temple and is
provided with a circumambulation passage around. However, there are also many subsidiary shrines
within temple complexes, more particularly in the South Indian (the Dravidian style) temple. As the
Hindu temple is not meant for congregational worship, the garba-griha is small in scale when compared to
the whole temple complex. However, it is articulated externally by the vimana or the sikhara. Pillared
halls or mandapas are found preceding the garba-griha.

The spatial experience of a South Indian temple complex is considered particularly rich and meaningful.
In many of them, such as the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam, the concentric enclosures or
prakaras along with the series of gopurams or entrance gateways reducing in scale as they move towards
the garbha-griha set up a rhythm of solids and voids as well as providing a ritual and visual axis.The
principles of temple architecture were codified in treatises and canons such as Manasara, Mayamatam,
and Vaastu Shastra. These offered an ordering framework yet allowed a certain latitude for contextual
articulation.

Today most of the ancient Hindu architecture thrives in temples of south India and south-east Asia as the
subsequent forces of Islam transformed the cultural landscape of India more dominantly in the north.

INFLUENCE OF ISLAM AND THE MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE

With the advent of Islam, the erstwhile Indian architecture was slightly adapted to allow the traditions of
the new religion, but it remained strongly Indian at its heart and character. Arches and domes began to be
used and the mosque or masjid too began to form part of the landscape, adding to a new experience in
form and space. The sahn or the open courtyard for congregational worship with the enclosing cloisters or
liwans and the sanctuary at the Western end offered a different architectural vocabulary. The fundamental
difference lay in the fact that Islam prohibited idol worship and therefore a concentrated point of focus
such as the garba-griha was unnecessary. However, the mihrab on the Western wall of the sanctuary
articulating the Qibla or the direction towards Mecca offered a notional focus. As idolatory was
prohibited, the main means of adornment was surface decoration through the use of geometry, arabesque
and calligraphy. Later, mosques began to be built with original material. The Jami masjid at Delhi is a
representative example of an Indian mosque. Islamic architecture was also represented by distinct
regional styles that drew a lot of inspiration from the local context.
 Taj Mahal

The most famous Islamic buildings in

India emerged during the Mughal period. Mughal architecture built on the traditional Hindu architecture
with influences from the Persian world. Over time, Hindu and Islamic architecture produced a synthesis
that is exemplified in the glorious production of Akbar- the city of Fatehpur Sikri, considered by many to
be superior to the Taj Mahal (often seen as representing India) in terms of what it has to teach to
civilisation- syncretism, tolerance and the best of different worlds, and the Taj itself, renowned for its
beauty in white marble, its intricate engravings, its minarets and its setting.

The most popular Islamic building type in India is the tomb or the mausoleum which evolved from the
basic cube and hemisphere vocabulary of the early phase into a more elaborate form during the Mughal
period where multiple chambers are present and tombs were set in a garden known as the char-bagh. The
tomb chamber houses the cenotaph below which is the grave. Well known examples are the Gol Gumbaz,
Bijapur and the Taj Mahal, Agra. (Ancient Indian Architecture, retrieved from
https://www.crystalinks.com/indiarchitecture.html)

10 MASTERPIECES SHOWING DIVERSITY IN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

1. Taj Mahal:
 Taj
Taj Mahal- Photo:E. de Gracia Camara-Courtesy:UNESCO World Heritage Center

Mahal is without a doubt, one of the most impressive pieces of architecture not only in India but all
around the world. For years, it has been the face of Indian architecture for people all over the world. Built
in 1653 on the orders of the Mughal ruler Shahjahan as a resting place for his beloved queen Mumtaj
Mahal, it is a symbol of love. Considered to be one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture, the
white marble building comprises of a square plinth having a central structure topped by a huge dome and
surrounded by four minarets at each corner. It is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world in
the modern era. It attracts about 3 million tourists every year thus being a hotshot for visitors globally. 

2. Lotus Temple:
 Lotus Temple, Courtesy-Fariborz Sahba Architects

It is one of the modern buildings that have come up in recent times and has managed to achieve a
status and fame that attracts tourists from all over the world. Conceptualized on the form of
Lotus flower, it is a Bahai’i House of worship that is open to all religions and stands for the
secularism and openness of the country. Designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba, the
structure is composed of 27 petals aligned in groupings of three thus forming a circular periphery
that is co-aligned by the ritualistic beliefs of Baha’i community.

3. Amber Fort, Rajasthan:

 Amber Palace- Photo:Maria J. Gutiérrez Conde-Courtesy-UNESCO World Heritage Center

Amber Fort is one of the hill forts in Rajasthan. A specimen of Hindu architecture in a Rajputana
style, this fort is 11km away from the city of Jaipur. Made of Red-Sandstone and Marble, it is famous for
its self-sustaining features. Having Moata Lake as its permanent water source and highly advanced
ventilation system done by brilliant design, the whole structures is a prominent display of the royalty as
well as the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan.

4. Ajanta-Ellora Caves:
 Ajanta & Ellora Caves- Courtesy:Archaeological Survey of India

Built during the time period of 2nd century B.C. to 6th century A.D., these caves are the finest
examples of rock-cut caves. Honed out of volcanic ballistic formations while existing in a linear pattern,
there are 34 caves, containing the remnants of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples. These walls are
equipped with engravings showing the life of Lord Buddha. The purpose of these caves was to provide a
sanctuary for the monks to meditate. Ellora in particular is famous for world’s largest monolithic
excavation leading to discovery of the great Kailasa temple.

5. Chand Baori:

It is the deepest step-well in the

world. Situated in the state of
Rajasthan, it was built in 9th century
as a source of water for people in
the neighboring villages. The whole
structure is a square construction,
100 feet deep with 3500 steps and a
periphery of 140 meters. It shows
the geometrical intelligence of
architects and local craftsmen of that
era. This step-well stands as a
perfect example that shows how
Vernacular architecture is of, for
and by the people.

6. Sun Temple, Konark:

Lying in the coast of Bay of Bengal,

it is considered one of the best
examples of Dravidian Architecture.
Also known as the Black Pagoda, it
is considered as one of the grandest
temples in India. Built in 13th
century, it has a form of a giant
chariot with twelve intricately
crafted wheels led by seven horses.
A true marvel that shows the
advanced craftsmanship as well as
love and devotion of that era for art.
7. Sanchi Stupa:

Built in 3rd century B.C., an

outstanding specimen of Buddhist
art & architecture, it is one of the
prominent monuments from
ancient India. A stupa is generally
a hemispherical dome structure
containing relics of Lord Buddha.
In this particular stupa, Lord
Buddha has been symbolically
represented by footprints, thrones,
wheels etc. and all of them are
exquisitely ornamented.

8. Victoria Memorial:

It is a memorial that was commemorated on the death of Queen Victoria by the Viceroy of India,
Lord Curzon and opened for public in 1921. Designed by Sir William Emerson, President of the Royal
Institute of British Architects, it is in a Indo-Saracenic revivalist style. According to Lord Curzon,

“Let us, therefore, have a building, stately, spacious, monumental and grand, to which every newcomer
in Calcutta will turn, to which all the resident population, European and Native, will flock, where all
classes will learn the lessons of history, and see revived before their eyes the marvels of the past.”
Made from Makrana marbles from Rajasthan, the museum has a vast collection of remnants from the
period of British Empire rule in India. Architectural elements like the great dome, clustered with four
subsidiary, octagonal domed chattris, the high portals, the terrace and the domed corner towers have been
used with great precision.

9. IIM Ahmedabad:
 IIM Ahmedabad, Courtesy of Indian Institute of Management

Designed by American architect Louis I Kahn, it is one of the best institutional buildings in the
country.This building is  considered to be a great example as to how Modern architecture can seamlessly
co-exist with traditional architecture, all that is needed is creativity and will. India Vernacular architecture
could easily be seen in the selection of materials as well as use of geometrical compositions to give shape
to something awe-inspiring. Also the stress given on not just limiting learning to classrooms therefore
making spaces like hallways and plazas much more prominent. Also the use of voids in the facade of the
building is one of its best features.

10. Thikse Monastery:

 Thiksey Monastery- Courtesy: Vaibhav Sharma

This Buddhist monastery lies in the lap of Indus valley. Blessed by nature, it is built on a hill. The whole
building is subdivided into parts according to their importance. So residents live in the lower parts while
shrines are at the top. Apart from that, it is located at an altitude of 3,600 meters. Having 12-storey, it is
the biggest monastery in Ladakh region. One can also find some rare and precious stupas, statues,
thangkas, wall paintings and swords in the monastery. Architecturally, the most amazing features are the
use of vernacular techniques in every element of buildings, whether it be walls, columns or roofs thus
proving to be a great source of knowledge.

Source: 10 Masterpieces showing Diversity in Indian Architecture, retrieved from

https://www.arch2o.com/diversity-indian-architecture/