HI- TECH INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING

AND TECHNOLOGY, GHAZIABAD

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Subject Name: Essence of Indian Traditional Knowledge (BNC-602)
Faculty Name: Ms. Riddhi Chauhan

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​ MODULE- 5
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Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts
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Indian Architecture
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Architecture is not a modern phenomenon. It began as soon as the early caveman began to
build his own shelter to live in. Indian architecture evolved in various ages in different parts
and regions of the country. Caves, stupas, pillars, temples and Indo- Islamic architecture are
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variety of architecture formed in India which is very important part in Indian art and
architecture.
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Types of Architecture found in India

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●​ Cave architecture- Cave architecture is often called as rock- cut architecture. Indian
rock cut architecture is one of the main forms of architecture seen in case. It is the
practice of creating a structure by carving it out of the solid natural rock. The earliest
caves were natural caves used by people for a variety of purposes such as shrines shelter.
Indian rock-cut architecture is mostly religious in nature. There are more than 1500
rock cut structures in India. Some of the famous caves are Ajanta Caves, Ellora
Caves, Elephant Cave etc.

●​ Stupa Architecture- A stupa is a dome- shaped sacred burial mound of brick which
was used to house Buddha’s relics or to commemorate significant facts and events related
 to Buddhism. The term Stupa comes from Sanskrit and it means heap. Stupas are
usually built on a foundation laid with blocks of stone or bricks. On this foundation, a
hemispherical dome was raised. In India Sachi, Sarnath and Amaravati are among the
oldest known stupas.

●​ Pillar Architecture- Erection of pillars is an age-old tradition in India. Development

in the field of pillar architecture is a proper way commence during the Mauryan
age. The Mauryan pillars were rock cut. There had proclamations inscribed on them and
were used to spread the message of the Buddha by Emperor Ashoka. The top portion of
the pillar is called capital and it typically has animal figures like bull, lion, elephant etc.

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These capital figures are carved standing on the square or circular abacus. The
abacuses are on the base which could be a stylised inverted Lotus. Examples of pillars
with capital figures are Sarnath, Basarah-Bakhira, Rampurva, Sankisa etc.

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●​ Temple Architecture- A temple is defined as an enclosed place of worship having a roof
or a covered structure. The world temple is denied from the Latin word templum.
Temple is the dwelling place of God and it is used for worship by devotees. The basic
elements that comprise a Hindu temple are: ha
o​ Garbhagriha- It is a cave like santum with houses the main icon of the temple.
o​ Mandapa- The entrance of the temple
o​ Shikhar/ Vimana- It is a mountain likes spire on top
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o​ Amalaka- Stone like disc seen at the top of the temple
o​ Kalasha- It is the topmost part of the temple
o​ Antarala- It is a vestibule between the Garbhagriha and the Mandapa.
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o​ Jagati- This is a raised platform where devotees can sit and pray
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●​ Indo- Islamic Architecture- After the Turkish conquest of North India in the 13th
century, building activity on a large scale began. Muslims absorbed many aspects of local
architectural traditions. A mix of many techniques, stylized shapes and surfaces
decorations evolved through a continuous amalgamation of architectural elements from
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various styles. Such architectural entities that showcased multiple styles are known as
Indo Islamic architecture. Type of architectural buildings are mosques for daily prayers,
Jama Masjids, Tombs, Minars, Gardens, Sarai etc.
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Sculpture
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Sculpture in the Indian subcontinent essentially consists of sculpture of stones metals

and terracotta. The first known sculpture in the Indian subcontinent is from the Indus
Valley Civilization, when small items of bronze sculpture and terracotta sculpture were
produced. Images are in the form of cult object (religious objects) such as Mother Goddess,
Toys, Animals and human beings. After the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization there
is little record of sculpture until the Buddhist era. Thus, the great tradition of Indian
monumental sculpture in stone appears to begin relatively late, with the reign of Ashok from
272 to 232 BC and the pillars of Ashoka be erected around India. Besides religious secular
 elements were also present in India’s sculptures. Figures of Gods and Goddesses, kings,
Queens, birds, animals and trees were made by Indian artists.
Gupta age sculpture was simple sober and graceful. The artist used both stone as well as
metal to make images. Lost wax method was used for making metal images. During post
Gupta. Early mediaeval age the art of sculpture flourished along with temple building
activities. Images of God, Goddess, Doorkeepers, Animals etc. were made by using stone.
Finest example of sculpture come from Khajuraho. In Jagannath Temple of Odisha, the
images are made up of wood. Some famous schools of art were Mathura School of Art,
Gandhara School of Art, Amaravati School of Art, Greeko- Buddhist and Indo- Greek
School of Art.

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Seals

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●​ Sales were used for authentication of transactions by state as well as private individuals
and organisations.
●​ Seals can be compared with stamp of present times.
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The earliest seals were found in Indian sub-continent belong to Pre-Harappan phase.
Thousands of seals have been discovered by archaeologists from the Harappan sites.
Most of the sales were made of steatite (sharp white soft stone). A few of them were
also made for terracotta, gold, ivory.
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●​ Seals are finest piece of miniature art because various symbols and images are found on
them. Unicorn (bull with single horn) is most common animal. Fish is most common
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living sign. Elephants, Tiger, Rhino, Crocodile, deer are also depicted. Circle, cross,
dots, Swastik symbol, tree and leaves of peepal also depicted. The Pashupati
Mahadev seal found at Mohenjo-Daro is one of the most famous examples.
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●​ The seals throw light on Relationships and interactions of the people of light on
relationship and interaction of people of Harappan civilisation with outside world.
●​ The seals throw light on the language and script of the Harappan civilization. Till now
more than 2500 Harappan seals have been discovered.
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Coins
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Coins issued by Indian rulers to the ages are important examples of human art belonging to
the ancient age because these coins of different types of symbols on them. The coins throw
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light on the socio economic political and cultural life of people belonging to that period.
Coinage of India begin anywhere between early first millennium BC to 6th century BC. These
coins were popularly known as punch marked coins because different symbols were inscribed
on them using punches. The earliest punch mark coins were irregular pieces of metal. Die
cast coins were issued in India in the Saurashtra region in the 5th century BC. These coins
were called Karshapana because their weight was one Karsha (unit of measurement) each.
The English word cash has originated from the word Karsha only. Punjab coins were
generally made of silver while some were made of copper also. Some of the most common
symbols used on punch marked coins were Sunmark, Crescent, Chakra, Swastik, Snake.
 During the postmortem. Most remarkable progress was witnessed in the field of coinage.
Indo Greek and Khushana rulers made immense contribution to the development of coinage.
Indo Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India.

Significance of Coinage
A study of Indian coins enlightens us with a great deal about the history of ancient India.
Points give us the names of the Kings who ruled at various times in different parts of the
country. Information provided by coins helped in collaborating evidence from other sources
such as the Puranas etc. Coins help us in determining chronology. Coins mention the year in

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which they are issued. The existence of a large number of coins issued during the different
years of the reign of King help us to place the exact dates for the accession and the death of
the king. The place of discovery of coin helps to determine the extent of the territory of a
king. Coins also throw light on trade and commercial relations. The discovery of a large

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number of women coins in India confirmed that there was straight between India and Roman
Empire. Purity of coins indicates economic prosperity of people and the state. Discovery of
large number of gold and silver coins with high level of purity indicate that level of
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prosperity was high. The figures of the various kings appear on coins and from them we can
have an idea regarding the head dress of those kings. Coins give us genuine information
regarding the history of ancient India as there is no possibility of them being tempered with.
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Puppet
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A doll or a figure controlled by a person So that it appears to be moving on its own is called
Puppet. The world puppet has been derived from the Latin word pupa which literal meaning
is doll. Puppetry is a performing art or a form of theatre that involves manipulation of
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puppets. Puppetry is a dying art. Various reasons are: Lack of patronage in the modern age.
Competition from electronic media which is preferred mode of entertainment. Puppetry art is
usually confined to only devotional and mythological stories. With changing times puppetry
does not take up modern social issues. Puppetry lacks modernisation in terms of script,
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lightning, sound and the other stage effects. Puppetry has been classified as:
●​ String Puppets- It has joined body and limbs that allows movement. Puppets are made of
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wood, wire or cloth stuffed with cotton, rags or sawdust. Eg. Kathputli (Rajasthan).
●​ Glove puppets- the Globe puppets are worn on hands just like a glove. Eg. Pava-
kathakali (Odisha).
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●​ Rod Puppets- These puppets have mostly three joints. The head supported by Amin
Road is joint at the neck and both hands attached to rods are joined with shoulders. Eg.
Yampuri (Bihar).
●​ Shadow Puppets- Shadow puppets are flat puppets that are operated against the rear of a
tightly stressed white cloth screen. Eg. Ravanachhaya (Odisha).

Dance
 The two major dance forms In India are classical and fork dance. The major difference
between classical and folk dance is the origin. Classical dance has a deep- rooted relationship
with the Nitya Shastra where the specific features of each of the classical dance forms have
been mentioned. Folk dance on the other hand emerged from the local tradition of the
respective state ethnic or geographic regions.

Basic elements of classical dance

The Nitya Shastri written by Bharat Muni is the most prominent souls for establishing the
characteristics of the dancers.

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There are two basic aspects of classical dance
●​ Lasya- It denotes Grace, Bhava, rasa and Abhinaya. It is symbolic to the feminine
features of dance as an art form.

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●​ Tandava- This is symbolic to the male aspects of dance and has more emphasis on
rhythm and movement.
There are three basic elements of classical dance
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●​ Nritta- these are the basic dance steps and are performed rhythmically but devoid of any
expression or mood.
●​ Natya- it means dramatic representation and refers to the story that is elaborated through
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the dance recital.
●​ Nritya- It refers to the sentiment and the emotions evolved through dance. It includes the
mime and the different methods of expression including mudras in the dance.
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The Guru- Shishya Parampara forms the core of the Indian classical dance form. The basic
meaning is that each dance form is related to a Guru (teacher) and he/she transfers that
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knowledge of dance to Shishya (student).

The 8 basic technicalities that are expressed in the classical dance are given below
Shringer (Love), Hasya (Humorous), Karuna (Sorrow), Rudra (Anger), Veer (Heroism),
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Bhayanak (Fear), Bibhats (Disgust), Adhbhut (Wonder).

Various classical dances in India are Bharatnathyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (Uttar
Pradesh), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Kathakali (Kerala), Sattriya
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(Assam), Manipuri (Manipur), Mohiniyattam (Kerala).

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Music
The fundamental elements of Indian music are
●​ Shruti- Commonly refers to musical pitch. It is the shortest interval of which that human
ears can detect and a musical instrument or single can produce. According to Natya
Shastra, there are 22 shruti.
●​ Swara- It refers to type of musical sound that is a single note, which defines a relative
position of a note rather than a defined frequency. There are 7 swaras in the form of Sa,
 Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni. These seven words are related to sounds of certain words and
animals.
●​ Raga- Raga prescribes a set of rules for building a melody. It is characterized by a
combination of notes picked up out of the total 22 shruti. Ragas involves arrangement
of swaras in different sequence. All these ragas are categorized in such a way that there
will be in increasing and decreasing order of swaras. Following are some important ragas
o​ Raga Bhairav- It is a morning raga
o​ Raga Marwa- It is sung during late afternoon hours in sunset
o​ Raga Pahadi- It is an evening raga
o​ Raga Yaman- It is an evening raga. It is sung from sunset till late evening

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o​ Raga Jog- It is sung after midnight in the wee hours of morning
o​ Raga Malhar- It is associated with rain
o​ Raga Deepak- It is associated with fire
●​ Tal- Tal refers to the beat set for a particular composition (a measure of time). It is a

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sequence of beats performed by singers using hands and fingers at fixed time cycles.
These rhythmical cycles vary from 3 to 128 beats. Tal is intricately related to Laya
which refers to a repetitive nature of any activity.
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Theatre
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Traditional theatre is a combination of acting, singing, dance, music, dialogue and narration.
It started as a narrative form of art where recitations, dance and music played a central
role in depicting the local history, societal ethos etc. It is based on spontaneous creativity
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emerging from circumstances. Traditional theatre is often a key feature of cultural promotion.
The main elements of theatre are
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●​ Plot
●​ Character
●​ Thought
●​ Diction
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●​ Music
●​ Spectacle
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Following are the traditional art forms of India- Bhavai (Gujarat and Rajasthan),
Nautanki (Uttar Pradesh), Rasleela (Uttar Pradesh), Swang (Haryana and Punjab),
Bhand Pather (Kashmir), Maach (Malwa in Uttar Pradesh), Anika Naat (Assam),
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Dashavatar (Konkan and Goa).

The medieval period witnessed the emergence of regional language literatures but it did not
produce dramatic work comparable to ancient classics. Some innovations happened in
religious drama due to socio- religious reform. Indian drama was a reborn during British
colonial in 18th and 19th century. The impetus came from two sources- the rich heritage of
Indian drama and the exposure to Western dramatic classics through English.
Translations started appearing simultaneously of Sanskrit Classics and western classics. An
 unpredicted development in theatre was the rise of entertainment theatre. This arose in order
to provide entertainment to the increasing population of big cities consequent upon
industrialization. The new urban theatre is popularly known as Parsi Theatre. This genre
was an interesting mixture of western naturalistic drama, opera and several local elements.

Drama
Bharat’s Natya Shastra was the earliest and most elaborate treatise on drama written
anywhere in the world. India has the longest and richest traditions in theatre going back to at
least 5000 years. The origin of drama in India is closely related to ancient rituals and seasonal

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festivities. The growth in drama took place with the introduction of garden in the
‘curtain’ in the Kushana’s era. Traditionally the theatre consisted of the auditorium stage
and the backstage which is behind the stage. Curtains separates the stage and the backstage.
The drama was performed without scenery and decorations. It was more of acting and

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gestures by the actors. Costume and makeup were regulated by a convention so that roles
were immediately recognizable. Most type of drama had a hero, a heroine, a villain and a
Vidushaka as a comedian. Themes were mainly based on love. The drama generally opened
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with a benediction song followed by a prologue in the form of dialogue/discussion between
the chief actor and his actress giving the title, nature and occasion of the play. Violence and
death were forbidden to be performed in the stage. At the end of the play came a
concluding verse- a virtual world of thanks.
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Painting
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The tradition of paintings has been carried on in the Indian subcontinent since the ancient
times. With time, Indian classical painting evolved to become a sort of blend of the various
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traditions influencing them. Indian paintings provide on aesthetic continuum that extends
from the early civilization to the present day. In the beginning Indian painting was essentially
religious in purpose but as year passed Indian paintings become a fusion of various culture
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and traditions. During the colonial era, Western influences started to make an impact on
Indian art. By the time of Independence in 1947, several schools of art in India provided
access to modern techniques and ideas. Galleries were established to showcase these artists.
Indian got a boost with the economic liberalisation of the country since early 1990s. Artist
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from various fields started bringing in varied style of work post liberalization. Indian art thus
works not only within the confines to academic traditions but also outside it
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Classification of Indian paintings-

●​ Mural paintings- murals are large birds executed on the walls of solid structural directly.
●​ Miniature paintings- They are executed on a very small scale for the books or albums on
perishable materials such as paper and the cloth.

Martial arts
 India is famous for its martial arts that have developed since ancient times. The term martial
art refers to creativity exhibited by warriors while fighting against their opponents. These
warriors use different gestures, postures and techniques to overcome their opponents.
Nowadays these artforms are used in rituals, celebrations, in sports, means of physical fitness
as a self- defence. Many of the arts are related to dance, yoga etc. Define martial arts forms
of India are Kalaripayattu (Kerala), Silambam (Tamil Nadu), Gatka (Punjab), Musti
Yuddha (Varanasi), Thang Ta (Manipur), Lathi (Punjab & Bengal), Mardani Khel
(Maharashtra), Pari Khanda (Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha), Inbuan Wrestling (Mizoram),
Thoda (Himachal Pradesh).

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Fair and Festivals
People in India celebrate their religious and cultural occasions by organizing cultural
activities in the form of fairs and festivals, Every Indian state and socio- cultural group

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has its unique traditions which reflect in their celebrations. People use folk music,
dances and order forms of entertainment to enjoy these important occasions. Vibrant,
fascinating and beautiful Indian fairs and festivals reflect the cultural strength and diversity of
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India. Modern Indian festivals can be broadly divided into three categories namely
national or political, religious and economic. Most Indian festivals are connected to
seasons and economic activities. Fairs and festivals help in breaking the monotony of life.
Cultural activities organised on these occasions invigorate everyone. Economic activities get
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a boost because artisans and craftsmen set up their stalls to sell their products at fairs. These
occasions also give boost to tourism because they attract millions of tourists every year. The
voice of Indian heritage and culture is carried by these celebrations beyond Indian
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boundaries. Festivals are secular as well as a religious in nature. Festivals such as

Independence Day and Republic Day are examples of secular festivals. Holi, Diwali,
Chhath and Onam etc are examples of religious festivals.
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Major religious festivals celebrated in India are Holi, Maha Shivratri, Diwali, Navrtari,
Vinayaka Chaturthi, Guru Purnima, Thai Pongal, Raksha Bandhan etc.
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Important fairs of India are Kumbh Mela, Pushkar Mela, Kullu Mela, Rath Yatra of
Puri, Hola Mohalla, Urs of Ajmer Sharif, Goa Carnival etc
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Indian Cinema
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The world Cinema is a short form of cinematography. It refers to the art of filmmaking.
Various era of Indians Cinema. Following are the eras of Indian cinema-
●​ Early Indians Cinema (1898 - 1945)

o​ Age of Silent Films- The earliest films were silent films. The dialogues delivered by
actors were not audible to viewers because technology was not advanced enough to
record both visuals and audio simultaneously. The plot used to be told through writings
using title cards. These silent films were not completely silent. They were accomplished
 by live sounds. A small orchestra used to play music during the film as per the nature of
scene.

o​ Age of Talking Films or Talkies- With the start of 1930s, a new era of talkies
commenced in Indian cinema. Talkies was a sound film or a motion picture having
synchronized sound. The first talkie in India was Alam Ara. This release set a new
trend and regional talkies also started after Alam Ara.

o​ Golden era of Indian Cinema (1940 to 1960)- In the late 1940s, Indian Cinema picked
up the new masala themed film depicting music, dance and romance. This era was led by

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directors like Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Vimal Roy and Mehboob Khan. They brought
new depth to the themes prevalent in India. This era laid the foundation stone of Indian
cinema inspiring generations of filmmakers. With the independence of India in 1947, a
statutory body was created by enacting the Cinematograph Act in 1952 with the name of

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Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It was placed under the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting.

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o​ Classic decades of Indian Cinema (1970 to 1980s)- The films of this phase were
characterised by a mixture of genre of romance and actions. This phase was dominated by
filmmakers like Ramesh Sippy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Vijay Anand. Iconic films
like Zanjeer and Sholay became huge commercial success and went on to become trend
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setters in Indian cinema. The term Bollywood was coined during the 1970s with the
establishment of Convention of Commercial Bollywood films (CCBF).
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o​ New Bollywood phase of Indian Cinema (1990s to present)- During the late 1980s
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Indian Cinema faced a phase of stagnation because of increasing use of violence, issues
related to quality of music and rise in cases of video theft. With the release of Yash
Chopra’s epic film Chandni, Indians Cinema rejuvenated itself and an era of romance
started. The beginning of the 21st century marked commencement of an era of
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technological evolution. The new technology, advancement in terms of animation,

special effects, digital projectors, latest production techniques etc. improve the
quality of Indian films and increase its popularity among the masses.
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