ART OF MIDDLE

KINGDOM OF LATE
MIDDLE AGES AND
SOUTH INDIAN ART

PRESENTED BY:
SHAGUN JAIN
JATIN SHARMA

Middle kingdoms of India(orClassical India) refers to the political

entities in India from the 3rd century BCE and the 13th century CE.
The"Middle" periodlasts for some 1500 years, and ends in the 13th
century with the rise of theDelhi Sultanateand the end of theLater
Cholas(Rajendra Chola IIIdied in 1279).
The period is known as theclassical period of India, during which
India is estimated to have had the largest economy of the world
controlling between one third and one fourth of the world's wealth.

CHALUKYA DYNASTY

There style blends the Indo-Aryan Nagara and

Dravidian style, called as Chalukya style.
There style includes two types of
monuments1. The rock cut caves
2. Structural temples

BADAMI CAVE TEMPLES

They are a complex of temples located at Badami, a town in the
bagalkot district in the north part of Karnataka.
The entrance of the cave is like a veranda, it has four columns
which is beautifully sculpted with mind blowing images of Lord
Shiva in different dancing positions.
Three basic features1. Pillared veranda
2. Columned hall
3. Sanctum cut out deep into rock.

The running frieze of Ganas in various

postures are caved in relief on each plinth.

The outside verandas of the cave temples are

rather plain, but the inner hall contains rich
and prolific sculptural symbolism.

There are four cavesCAVE 1-This is Shaivite cave. The important carvings in this cave are
an 18-armed dancing Shiva, a two-handed Ganesha, Mahishasura
Mardini, Ardha Nareeshwara & Shankarnarayana.
The ceiling is adorned by a
serpent motif & other carved
figures.

CAVE 2-This cave has Vaishnavite influence

with panels of Trivikrama & Bhuvaraha.
On the ceilings are carvings of Anantasayana,
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva &other Ashtadikpalas.
CAVE 3- The cave has carvings pertaining
to both Shaivite & Vaishnavite themes.
Panels of Trivikrama, Narasimha,
Shankaranarayana, Bhuvaraha,
Anantasayana & Harihara are engraved
in a vigorous style. There are some fine
bracket figures on the pillars of this cave.

CAVE 4- There is an image of Mahavira

adorning the sanctum. Other carvings
here are of Padmavathi & other Thirthankaras.

CHOLA DYNASTY

TheCholadynasty(alsocalledChodaandCholan)wasan
ancientdynastyofsouthernIndia.

TogetherwiththeCheraandPandyadynasties,theCholas
formedthethreemaindynastiesofIronAgeIndia,whowere
collectivelyknownastheThreeCrownedKings.

BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE
The

temple is most famous due to its uniqueness as among

the greatest glories of the Indian architecture.
Another striking feature about the temple apart from the
blown out size of almost anything here, are the colours.

The

fresco painting can be seen in the ceilings of the

corridors and also in the ceilings of the many sub-shrines.

They are an invention of the Cholas and the painting, which are
about 1000 years old are still brightly colourful.

The temple has Chola frescoes on the walls around the sanctum
sanctorum potraying Shiva in action, destroying demonic forts,
dancing and sending a white elephant to transport a devotee to
heaven.

These

frescoes, portray the mythological episodes of the journey of

Saint Sundarar and the Chera King to heaven, the battle scene of
Tripurantaka (Lord Siva) with Asuras (demons).

The

Chola artists have proved their mettle by portraying even the

Asura women with a sense of beauty

TEMPLES OF KHAJURAHO

TheKhajurahotemplesfeatureavarietyofartwork,ofwhich10%is
sexualoreroticartoutsideandinsidethetemples.

Someofthetemplesthathavetwolayersofwallshavesmallerotic
carvingsontheoutsideoftheinnerwall.

Somescholarssuggestthesetobetantricsexualpractices.

OtherscholarsstatethattheeroticartsarepartofHindutraditionof
treatingkamaasanessentialandproperpartofhumanlife,andits
symbolicorexplicitdisplayiscommoninHindutemples.

Thetempleshaveseveralthousandstatuesandartworks,with
KandaryaMahadevatemplealonedecoratedwithover870.

CoreHinduvaluesareexpressedinmultitudeofways.

EventheKamascenes,whenseenincombinationofsculptures
thatprecedeandfollow,depictthespiritualthemessuchasmoksha.

The vast majority of arts depict

various aspects the everyday life,
mythical stories as well as symbolic
display of various secular and spiritual
values important in Hindu tradition.

For example, depictions show women

putting on makeup, musicians making
music, potters, farmers, and other
folks in their daily life during the
medieval era.

Some sculptures at the Khajuraho monuments

dedicated to Vishnu include theVyalas, which
are hybrid imaginary animals with lions body,
and are found in other Indian temples

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