Social science
Chapter 3
___📖 Chapter Notes: Cultural Heritage of India – Sculpture & Architecture
Notes
1. Basic Definitions
Sculpture: The art of shaping figures, designs, or facial expressions into stone, wood, or metal
using a chisel and hammer.
Architecture: Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Vastu’ (meaning construction). It refers to the art
of constructing buildings, houses, towns, forts, minarets, temples, mosques, stepwells, and
tombs.
2. Ancient Indian Town Planning (Indus Valley Civilization)
Towns were divided into three main sections:
Fort of Rulers (Citadel): Built on the elevated upper part of the town for governance and
protection.
Houses of Administrative Officers: Situated on the upper part, protected with fortified walls;
houses had 2 to 5 rooms.
Residences of Common People: Situated on the lower part, constructed mainly using hand-made
bricks.
3. Major Sites of Indus Valley Civilization
A. Mohan-Jo-Daro
Discovery (1922): Excavated by Rakhal Das Banerjee and Dayaram Sahni under Sir John Marshal
and Colonel Meke in Larkhan district (now in Pakistan).
Meaning: "The heap of the dead."
Town Features:
Houses: Built on high plinths to protect against floods and dampness. Rich people had
double-storeyed houses (5–7 rooms); poor people had single-storeyed houses (2–3 rooms).
Roads: Main roads were 9.75 meters wide, built straight without turns, intersecting at right
angles (North–South & East–West). Roadside pits suggest street lamp posts.
Drainage System: Unique, planned system with cesspits connected to main drains. Comparable
only to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
Public Bath: Used for festivals and rituals; featured fresh water inlet, dirty water outlet, changing
rooms, and hot water facilities.
Public Buildings: Ruins of two large buildings (town hall/granary/theatre) and barracks for
soldiers.
B. Harappa
Discovery (1921): Excavated by Dayaram Sahni in Montgomery district, Punjab.
Significance: First site discovered, giving the name Harappan Civilization.
Copper-Stone Age: Named due to abundant copper and stone tools found here.
Other Major Sites: Ropar, Alamgirpur, Kalibangan, Lothal, Dholavira, Deshalpur, Rangpur, and
Rozadi.
C. Dholaveera
Location: Khadirbet, Bhachau taluka, Kutch district (Gujarat), ~140 km from Bhuj.
Excavation (1990): Carried out under Ravindra Singh Bisht.
Distinct Features: Palaces and main walls were painted white; strong fortified walls made of clay,
stone, and brick encircled the town.
D. Lothal
Location: Dholka taluka, Ahmedabad district (Gujarat), between Bhogavo and Sabarmati rivers
(18 km from Bay of Khambhat).
Dockyard: A massive dockyard was built on the lower eastern part to anchor ships during high
tides, proving it was a rich international trade port.
Infrastructure: Had three layers of habitat, storage shops, and a water purification system.
4. Mauryan Art & Architecture
Golden Period: Reign of Emperor Ashoka was the golden period for Buddhist architecture and
sculpture.
Stupa Definition: An oval/dome-shaped construction under which sacred relics of Lord Buddha
are placed in a box.
5 Famous Stupas of Ashoka's Time:
Stupa of Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) – Originally made of bricks, half its current size.
Stupa of Sarnath
Stupa of Berat
Stupa of Nandangadh
Stupa of Devanimori (Gujarat)
Structural Components of a Stupa:
Harmika: Railing around the top of the oval stupa.
Medhi: Elevated circular path around the stupa for pradakshina.
Pradakshina Path: Circular path where worship places remain on the right side of devotees.
Toran: Artistic gateway built on two high pillars connected by a horizontal beam.
Ashokan Pillars & Rock Edicts:
Pillar Inscriptions: Carved from a single rock (monolithic), polished to a high shine, written in
Brahmi script.
Pillar at Sarnath:
Features four lions facing four directions back-to-back.
Carved with Dharmachakras (Wheel of Law) along with sculptures of an elephant, horse, and
bullock.
The Dharmachakra is in India's National Flag; the Four Lions form India's National Emblem.
Stone Inscriptions (Rock Edicts): Found at Girnar foothill (Junagadh), Palitana Jain Temples,
Hathisinh Jain Temple (Ahmedabad), and across India (Peshawar, Dehradun, Dhauli, etc.).
5. Regional Styles & Classical Architecture
A. Dravid Style (South India)
Flourished under the Satavahana and Chola kings near Krishna and Godavari rivers.
Outstanding specimens: Stupas at Nagarjuna-konda and Amravati.
B. Gupta Period (Golden Period of Art)
Flourished in sculpture, painting, music, and architecture.
Examples: Parvati Temple (Jabalpur), Shiva Temple (Bhumara), Gopmandir (Jamnagar), Buddha
statue at Sarnath, Vishnu statue at Mathura, and Varah statue at Udayagiri.
C. Cave Architecture
Key sites: Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta (Mumbai), Bagh (Gwalior), and Udayagiri.
Ashoka's cave inscriptions: Found at Berber mountain (Gaya).
6. Caves of Gujarat
Junagadh Caves:
Bava Pyara Group: 16 caves in 3 intersecting layers (1st–2nd century A.D.).
Uperkot Caves: Double-storeyed (2nd–4th century A.D.).
Khapra & Kediya Caves: Floored caves with 20 pillars (3rd century).
Khambhalida Caves (Gondal): Discovered in 1959 A.D.; features Chaitya Gruh with Bodhisattvas.
Talaja Caves (Bhavnagar): 30 caves on Taaldhwajgiri mountain; features Ebhál Mandap and
Chaitya Gruh.
Sana Cave (Gir Somnath): Beehive-like arrangement on Sana mountain.
Dhank Cave (Rajkot): Built in early 4th century.
Jhinjhuri Jhar (Rajkot): Built in 2nd century.
Khapra-Kodiya Caves (Kachchh): Discovered by K. K. Shastri in 1967 A.D.
Kaliya Dungar Caves (Bharuch): Features an 11-foot monolithic statue of a lion with two bodies
and one mouth.
7. Temples & Gopuram Architecture
A. Chariot Temples (Pallava Dynasty)
Monolithic rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram named after the Pandavas.
Largest: Dharmaraja Chariot Temple.
Smallest: Draupadi Chariot Temple.
B. Temple Components:
Garbha Gruha (Gabharo): Dark rectangular inner room where the idol is placed.
Gopuram: Monumental gateway of South Indian temples (pioneered by Pandya rulers; famous in
Kanchi and Madurai).
Mandap: Large pillared hall in front of the main shrine.
Shikhar (Pinnacle): Pointed top structure over the Garbha Gruha, often gold or brass-plated.
Viman: Pyramidal/semi-circular multi-storeyed temple structure.
C. Major Indian Temples:
Sun Temple of Konark (Odisha): Built in chariot form.
Brahadeshwar Temple (Tanjavur): Built by Rajraja (Chola dynasty), ~200m high with a 13-storey
Gopuram.
Meenakshi Temple (Madurai): Features 4 large Gopurams.
Khajuraho Temples: Built by Chandela rulers in Bundelkhand.
D. Jain Temples (Derasar):
Samet Shikharji (Madhuvan, Bihar): 20 Tirthankars attained Nirvana here.
Delwara Temples (Mount Abu, Rajasthan): Made of white marble. Vimal Vasahi (built by Vimal
Shah) and Luna Vasahi (built by Vastupal).
Gujarat: Palitana (Shetrunjya) and Shankheshwar.
E. Sun Temple of Modhera (Gujarat):
Built in 1026 A.D. during King Bhimdev-I (Solanki Dynasty).
Feature: Designed so the first ray of the rising sun falls on a gem in the crown of the Sun God
idol, lighting up the entire sanctum.
Style: Carvings in Iranian school of Art; surrounded by 108 small temples around the water tank.
8. Medieval & Gujarat Architecture
A. Medieval India:
Delhi/Ajmer: Qutub Minar, Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, and Adhai-Din-ka Jhopara (by
Qutub-ud-din Aibak).
Bengal: Adina Mosque, Tomb of Jalal-ud-Muhammad Shah.
Jaunpur: Atala Mosque with lotus designs.
Malwa: Mandu buildings & marble Tomb of Hoshang Shah.
Vijaynagar Empire: Vitthala Swami and Hazar Rama temples at Hampi.
B. Step-wells (Vav) of Gujarat:
Adalaj ni Vav (Gandhinagar)
Dada Hari ni Vav (Ahmedabad)
Rani ni Vav (Patan)
Dabhoi Step-well
C. Terminology of Mosque Architecture:
Galiyara: Entrance/exit corridor.
Kibla: Hall or wall facing the direction of Kaaba (West in India) where Namaz is offered.
Liwan: Pillar-supported room inside a mosque.
Maksura: End of the mosque wall separated by a railing/curtain.
Mahrab: Niche in the Kibla wall at human height showing the direction of Mecca.
Sahan: Open courtyard where devotees gather for prayer.