Indian Architecture

Indian Architecture 

Indian Architecture is a very famous, old and have the unique style of arts. India has lot of different architecture design so it has it's won identity and importance. It is not just about 100 to 200 years old architecture, it begins from past 3300 BC of Indus Civilization.

Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BC-1700 BC)

Harappan Swimming Fall

The Indus Valley Civilization was the Bronze age time civilization (3300–1700 BC; mature period 2600–1900 BC) that was located in the northwestern region of the India, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India. Flourishing around the Indus River basin, the civilization was primarily centred along the Indus and the Punjab region, extending into the Ghaggar to Hakra rivers valley and Ganga-Yamuna Doab region. Geographically, the civilization was spread over an area of more than 1,260,000 square km, by this it the largest ancient civilization in the world.

Pashupati

 Inhabitant of the ancient Indus river valley was developed new technique in handicrafts and produced the coppers, bronze, tin and lead. The civilization is noted for its cities built of brick, roadside drainage system, and multi-storied houses. The baths and toilets system of which the cities had is known as one of the most advanced in the ancient world. The grid layout plan of the city with roads at exact right angles is a modern system which we are using that was implemented in the cities of this old civilization itself. The urban agglomeration and production scale of this civilization was the unsurpassed at the time and for many future centuries.

EARLY HISTORIC PERIOD(600 BC -200 AD) 

Badami

 The Buddhist stupas, a dome shaped curve monuments, was used in India as a commemorative monuments associated with the storing sacred relics. The stupa type architecture was adopted in Southeast, East Asia, where it is became prominent as a Buddhist monuments use for the enshrining sacred relic. Fortified cities with the stūpas, viharas, and temples were constructed during the Maurya empire period. 321to185 BC. Wooden architecture was populated and rock cut architecture became the solidified. Guard rails consisting of post, crossbars, and a coping became a feature of the safety surrounding of a Stupas. Temple was build on elliptical, circular, quadrilateral, or the apsidal plan are constructed using bricks and timbers. The Indian gateway arches, the torana, reached the East Asia with the spread of Buddhism . Some scholars has hold that torii is derives from the torana gates at the Buddhist historic site of Sanchi (3rd century BC – 11th century AD).

Somanatapura Keshav Temple

An important phase of the Indian architecture begin with the great Mauryan period. The material prosperities of the Mauryans and a new religious consciousness led to the achievements in all field. Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador of Selucas Nikator who had visited the Mauryan court described the Chandragupta Maurya’s palace is an excellent architecture achievement. It was a large palace carved out of wood with unique style.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD ARCHITECTURE(200 AD-1200 AD)

Art in Ajanta Ellora Caves

With the arrival of Turks during the thirteenth century came a new technique of architecture- the architectural styles of Persia, Arabia and Central Asia. The engineering features of these buildings were the domes, arches and minarets. The palaces, mosques and tombs built by the rulers had these features which were blended with the features of the indigenous architecture and a new synthesis in architecture was achieved.

Art By Gupthas

This happened because the Turkish rulers of Delhi utilized the services of the local Indian craftsmen who were very skillful and had already constructed beautiful buildings.The Bahamani sultans borrowed from the styles of Persia, Syria, Turkey and the temples of Southern India. The Jama Masjid at Gulbarga is quite well known. And also the famous to historical caves Ajanta & Ellora are created in this period by various empires.

Islamic influence and Mughal Era (1526 AD-1857 AD)

 

Tajmahal

Mughals were rolled india for almost 300 years, and they give the major contribution to the indian architecture created unique and verity of creature. It also included the one of the wonder Tajmahal.

Patepur Sikri

Mughal tombs of the sandstone and marble shows Persian influenced. The Red Fort at Agra (1565–74) and the walled city of the Fatehpur Sikri (1569–74) were among the architectural achievements of this time is the Taj Mahal, built as a tomb for Queen Mumtaz Mahal by Shah Jahan at 1628–58. Employing the double domes, the recessed archways, white marble and parks while stressing on the symmetry and the detail was visible during the reigns of Shah Jahan. Quranic verses were described the walls of the building. However, the depiction of any living being an essential part of pre-Islamic traditions of India was forbidden under the Islams. The Architecture during the Mughal Period has shown the very good blend of Indian style with the Persian styles.

Colonial Era (1500 AD—1947 AD) 

Out siders rolled India more than 200 years in that time they also contributed some their own style of architecture.

British colonial Era:1615 to1947

Mumbai Victoria tarminal

The British arrival in 1615 overthrew the Mughal empire. Britain reigned India for over three hundred years and their legacy still remains through building and infrastructure that populate their former colonies.

The major cities colonized during this period were Madras, Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Agra, Bankipore, Karachi, Nagpur, Bhopal and Hyderabad^[

St Andrews Kirk, Madras is renowned for its colonial beauty. The building is circular in form and is sided by two rectangular sections one is the entrance porch. The entrance is lined with twelve colonnades and two British lions and motto of East India Company engraved on them. The interior holds sixteen columns and the dome is painted blue with decorated with gold stars.

The staple of Madras was Fort St. George, a walled squared building adjacent to the beach. Surrounding the fort was White Town settlement of British and Indian area Black Town later to be called Georgetown.

Black Town described in 1855 as "the minor streets, occupied by the natives are numerous, irregular and of various dimensions. Many of them are extremely narrow and ill-ventilated ... a hallow square, the rooms opening into a courtyard in the centre."

Garden houses were originally used as weekend houses for recreational use by the upper class British. Nonetheless, the garden house became ideal a full-time dwelling, deserting the fort in the 19th Century.

Calcutta – Madras and Calcutta were similar bordered by water and division of Indian in the north and British in the south. An Englishwoman noted in 1750 "the banks of the river are as one may say absolutely studded with elegant mansions called here as at Madras, garden houses." Esplanade-row is fronts the fort with lined palaces.

  French Era: 1673 to1954

Pondi Church

The French colonized a fishing village (Pondicherry) in Tamil Nadu and transformed it into a flourishing port-town. The town was built on the French grid pattern and features neat sectors and perpendicular streets and divided into two sectors, French Quarter (Ville Blanche) and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire). French styled villas were styled with long compounds and stately walls, lined houses with verandas, large French doors and grills. Infrastructure such as banks, police station and Pondicherry International Port still hold the French presence.

To preserve Pondicherry an organization named INTACH was formed. Authorization is needed from INTACH, to annihilate any original French Architecture.

French expanded their empire by colonizing coastal towns, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh, Karaikal in Tamil Nadu and Mahe in Kerala with a French atmosphere of quiet towns around beaches. French spelling on signage and traffic signs still remains.

  Duchtes Era: 1605 to 1825

Dutch entered India with only interests of Trade in early 17th Century. During their 200 years in India, they colonized the many palces included Surat, Bharuch, Venrula, Ahmedabad, Malabar Coast, Kochi and Sadras.

Surat :Is a Dutch factory in 1630’s Bharuch: Trading Post of the Dutch East India Company had the Dutch cemetery. Venrula: It is the warehouse was built for 3000 Guilders by the Leendart Janszoons and castle for the protection of Dutch. Ahmedabad: The Dutch cemetery was lies on the bank of Kankaria. It holds a mix of Indian and European styled grave, with the domed tombs, pyramid, walled and plain grave stone. Malabar Coast Kochi: The Dutch Palace was originally built by the Portuguese, it was fell into the hands of the Dutch when the Portuguese lost the control of Kochi. Dutch cemetery runs parallel to the beach and is the oldest European cemetery in India. It holds 104 tombs that visually narrate the Dutch influence in the Architecture during this era. The cemetery is guarded by heavy walls and entrance pillar still carries the original calligraphic inscription 1724 David Hall : which was the residence of the famous Dutch commander and governor of the Kochi, Adriaan van Reed lot Drakestein was build in 1695. The hall has been restored as a cultural centre and arts café for young, visual and performing the artists. Bastion bungalow : This Dutch styled building near Fort Kochi beach was built to protect their harbor. Thakur House : the Dutch built this bungalow look as the sea as a club. Sadras : 17 km  from the rock cut temples of Mamallapuram is the another Dutch settlement. Pullicat : Pullicat lake is 55 km north of Madras is the million years old and the second largest lagoons in India. It was most important in trading post of the Dutch. They built two big cemeteries. One was ruined due to the negligence and at the entrance is flanked by the stone pillars, having 76 tombs. Images of skeletons are carved into the gravestones, symbolizing the life and death.

  Portuguese Era: 1498 to 1961

Church In Goa

The Portuguese arrived India as merchants in the 1498 and were more driven by a Catholic missionary zeal than gaining powers in the India. Portuguese gained a foothold in the Goa and ruled it for 400 years.

Portuguese dominance in the Goa still remains evident. Colonizers' missionary spirit built many magnificent cathedrals, churches, basilicas and seminaries. The Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, former capital during the Portuguese rule. The three storied Renaissance styled church was built of plaster and laterite in the 1605, and holds the mortal remains of the famous St. Francis Xavier. The interior is built in a Mosaic-Corinthian styles and adorned with wood and gold leaf. The walls embrace old painting of saints as the floor is laid with pure white marble

  Republic India (1947 to present)

Vidhan Soudha

In recent times there has been a movement of population from rural areas to urban centres of industry, leading to price rise in property in various cities of India. Urban housing in India balances space constrictions and is aimed to serve the working class. Growing awareness of ecology has influenced architecture in India during modern times.

High Court

Climate responsive architecture has long been a feature of India's architecture but has been losing its significance as of late. Indian architecture reflects its various socio-cultural sensibilities which vary from region to region. Certain areas are traditionally held to be belonging to women. Villages in India have features such as courtyards, loggias, terraces and balconies. Calico, chintz, and palampore—of Indian origin—highlight the assimilation of Indian textiles in global interior design. Roshandans, which are skylights-cum-ventilators, are a common feature in Indian homes, especially in North India.