Indian Culture Table of Contents Indian Culture – Denny Jose ......................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3 Religion and Philosophy ............................................................................................................................ 3 Hinduism (more than a religion it’s a way of life) ................................................................................. 3 Jainism ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Buddhism .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Sikhism .................................................................................................................................................. 8 Islam ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Art, Architecture and Craft ..................................................................................................................... 10 Indus Valley Civilization....................................................................................................................... 10 Mauryan Architecture ......................................................................................................................... 13 Caves and Rock cut Architecture ........................................................................................................ 16 Temple Styles .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Nagara Style/Mayamatha/North Indian ............................................................................................. 20 Kalinga architecture (Eastern Temples of Odhisha) ............................................................................ 26 Vesara Style of Architecture ................................................................................................................... 31 Chalukya Style ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Hoysala Style Architecture .................................................................................................................. 33 Dravida Style Architecture ...................................................................................................................... 34 Pallava Style ........................................................................................................................................ 34 Chola Style ........................................................................................................................................... 36 Medieval Indian Architecture ................................................................................................................. 38 Imperial Architecture .......................................................................................................................... 41 Qutab Complex ................................................................................................................................... 41 Lodhi Gardens ..................................................................................................................................... 45 Provincial Style Architecture ............................................................................................................... 45 Mandu Style (Provincial Style) ............................................................................................................ 48 Deccani Style ....................................................................................................................................... 52 Mughal Style ....................................................................................................................................... 56 1 Indian Culture Victorian Architecture ............................................................................................................................. 63 Roman Architecture ............................................................................................................................ 63 Neo Classic Architecture ..................................................................................................................... 64 Neo – Gothic ....................................................................................................................................... 65 Painting ................................................................................................................................................... 66 Sadanga of Indian Painting.................................................................................................................. 67 Mural Painting ..................................................................................................................................... 67 Vijayanagara Painting.......................................................................................................................... 72 Miniature Painting .............................................................................................................................. 73 Dance forms ............................................................................................................................................ 91 Tribhanga ............................................................................................................................................ 91 Nataraja ............................................................................................................................................... 92 2 Indian Culture Indian Culture – Denny Jose Introduction What is Culture? Social Anthropologists distinguish it into material and non – material, where the former refers to the technology, art forms, architecture and goods which we use in our daily life and the latter refers to the intellectual thoughts, traditions, beliefs, myths and legends. In short culture is a complex mix of knowledge, belief, art forms, traditions and customs. As A.L.Basham observes Indian culture is always changing. The process through which the culture influencing the social system is called institutionalism. The fundamental idea behind the Hindu form of Indian culture is based on karma and rebirth. The pluralistic tradition of Hinduism was reinforced by the institutionalism of caste system (which is also part of the Indian culture). Religion and Philosophy Hinduism (more than a religion it’s a way of life) Originally not a religion but the people living in a geographical area (river Indus). Derives its basic ideas from Vedas. Rig-Veda the earliest Veda (oldest religious composition in the world). Samaveda – melodic rendering, Yajurveda – sacrificial formula for priests, Atharvaveda – magical incantations and medicine. The early brahmanical or vedic religion did not have temples or images. The worshiped the nature gods. A synthesis of Aryan and non – Aryan ideas helped Hinduism to survive till today without being of a missionary nature. Fundamental goal – achieve moksha or liberation from the cycle of existence, till then rebirth. According to Upanishad four stages in life, Brahmachari, Grihasta, Vanaprastha, Sanyasa. Karma the fundamental law of the moral world. Philosophical thinkers made their own original speculation by creating 6 systems in Hindu philosophy which are Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika (which are not based on Vedas), Purvamimsa and Uttara mimamsa (which are based on Upanishad). Bhagavath Geetha which is a part of the epic Mahabharatha is a supplement to the Upanishads. Vasudeva – Bhagavata was a steadily growing religious movement absorbing within its fold other Vedic and brahmanical divinities like Vishnu and Narayana. History of Vishnavas started after the Gupta period. They were worshippers of Lord Vishnu. Vaishnava poet saints were known as Alvars and their poems were collectively known as prabandhas. They mainly flourished in south India. They also had an intellectual side with great teachers known as Sri Vishnava Acharyas. At the same time in the south India their flourished another sect who was shiva worshippers who were knows in the South India (specifically in Tamil Nadu) as Nayanars. Shivism had references in Panini’s Sutras. Their emotional songs were known as Tevaram Stotras and are ceremonically sung in local Shiva Temples. 3 Indian Culture Modern Hinduism dates from the new Hindu philosophy put by Shankara through his theory of Advaitha or monoism (8th century A.D). He restored the devi worship which had lost its importance in the vedic period. Hinduism mainly became part and parcel and most of the latter reforms from Ramanuja through his Visishtadvitha and from Madhava through his dvaitha (dualism) all were contributed from South Indian and slowly flourished to other parts of the country and was latter called as Bhakthi movement (Most of the reforms in South India). Main propounders of Bakhthi movement were Ramananda – Allahabad , Vallabhacharya,