art of india
TRANSCRIPT
ART OF
India
Incredible India
Getting to know
India
Getting to know INDIA
• located in Southeast Asia
• the 7th largest country by geographical area
• origin of the 4 world’s major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism
• annexed by the British East India Company from the early 18th century
Getting to know INDIA• colonized by the United Kingdom from the mid-19th century
• became an independent nation in 1947 marked by a non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi
• Known for
• Taj Mahal
• Sari
• Bollywood
• diamonds
Art of
India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Music of
India
Music of INDIAClassical music
diverged into 2 main traditions from a common musical root since about the 13th century.
1. Hindustani musicfound predominantly in the peninsular regions influenced by ancient Hindu musical traditions,
historical Vedic philosophy and native Indian sounds
enriched by the Persian performance practices of the Mughals
the Sama Veda, a sacred text, was sung as Samagana and not chanted
2. Carnatic musicmeans “soothing to ears”completely melodic, with improvised variationsmain emphasis is on vocal music
Music of INDIAFolk music
1. Bauls means “divinely inspired insanity”
an order of musicians who play a form of Vaishnava music using a khamak, ektara and dotara.
a group of mystic minstrels with a syncretic form of Vaishnavism influenced by Sufism and Buddhism
are itinerant singer-poets whose music is earthy, and reflects on the infinite amid quotidian contexts of work and love
2. Bhangra lively form of music and dance that originated in
the Punjab region to celebrate Vaisakhi, the festival of the Sikhs
lyrics reflect the long and often tumultuous history of the Punjab
3. Dandiyaa form of dance-oriented folk music that has also
been adapted for pop musicpractised in (mainly) the state of Gujrat
Music of INDIAFolk music
4. Ganasangeetsung in chorus carrying some social messageusually about Freedom, community strength, patriotism
protest songs about anti-imperialism/pro-socialism due to British occupation in India
5. Uttarakhandi Musicpure and blessed music having the feel and the touch
of nature and subjects related to naturerelated to the various festivals, religious traditions,
folk stories and simple life of the people of Uttarakhand
6. Haryanavi Musicsung and played in the state of Haryanamainly string instruments are used
7. Lavanicomes from the word Lavanya which means beautyusually sung by female artistes combination of traditional song and dance, which
particularly performed to the enchanting beats of 'Dholak', an drum like instrument.
Music of INDIAFolk music
8. Filmisongs from Indian filmsmakes up 72% of the music sales in India
9. Qawwalia Sufi form of devotional music based on the principles
of classical musicperformed with one or two or many lead singers, several
chorus singers, harmonium, tabla, and dholak10. Rabindra Sangeet
created a library of over 2,000 songsprimarily influenced by Hindustani classical, sub-
classicals, Karnatic, western, bauls, bhatiyali and different folk songs of India
examples of which are the national anthems of India and Bangladesh
Music of INDIAFolk music
11. Rajasthana soulful, full-throated music with Harmonious
diversityhaunting melody of Rajasthan evokes from a variety of
delightfully primitive looking instrumentscreative symphony of string instruments, percussion
instruments and wind instruments accompanied by melodious renditions of folk singers
enjoys a respectable presence in Bollywood music as well
Modern music1 Indi-pop music
based on an amalgamation of Indian folk and classical music, and modern beats from different parts of the world
much of Indian Pop music comes from the Indian Film Industry
has taken an interesting turn with the "remixing" of songs from past Indian movie songs, new beats being added to them
2 Rock & metal music its origins in 1960s and 70s when international stars
such as The Beatles visited India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Dances of
India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Films of
India
Film of INDIA
Indian Art Cinema•known to film critics as "New Indian Cinema" or sometimes "the Indian New Wave"•Also called as "art films“ and “parallel cinemas” as opposed to mainstream commercial cinema. •usually government-aided cinema.•owed much more to foreign influences, such as Italian Neo-Realism or French New Wave, than they did to the genre conventions of commercial Indian cinema•In South India, art cinema or the parallel cinema was well-supported in the state of Kerala
Film of INDIA
Indian Commercial Cinema
•the most popular form of cinema in India •Better known as “Bollywood”•made not only in Hindi but also in many other regional languages of East and South India•another important feature of commercial cinema in India is music•Songs are sung by professional play-back singers and lip-synched by dancing actors and actresses
Film of INDIA
Regional Cinema India
•Many of the larger languages support their own film industry. •Some of the popular regional film industries in India are Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi. •The Hindi/Urdu film industry, based in Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is called Bollywood. •Similar neologisms have been coined for the Tamil film industry Kollywood and the Telugu film industry. •Tollygunge is metonym for the Bengali film industry, long centered in the Tollygunge district of Kolkata.
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Painting of
India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Sculpture of
India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Body Art of
India
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Architecture of
India
Architecture of INDIAColonial ArchitectureLike all other aspects, colonization of Indian also had an impact on architecture style. With colonization, a new chapter in Indian architecture began. The Dutch, Portuguese and the French made their presence felt through their buildings but it was the English who had a lasting impact on architecture.
Indo Islamic ArchitectureThe medieval period saw great developments in the field of architecture. With the coming of Muslims to India, many new features came to be introduced in buildings. The development of Muslim Style of Architecture of this period can be called the Indo-Islamic Architecture or the Indian Architecture influenced by Islamic Art. The Indo-Islamic style was neither strictly Islamic nor strictly Hindu.
Ancient ArchitectureIndian architecture is as old as the history of the civilization. The earliest remains of recognizable building activity in the India dates back to the Indus Valley cities. Among India's ancient architectural remains, the most characteristic are the temples, Chaityas, Viharas, Stupas and other religious structures.
Architecture of INDIACave ArchitectureThe cave architecture in India is believed to have begun in the third century BC. These caves were used by Buddhist and Jain monks as places of worship and residence. Initially the caves were excavated in the western India. Some examples of this type of cave structure are Chaityas and Viharas of Buddhists.
Rock CutThe Rock-cut structures present the most spectacular piece of ancient Indian art specimen. Most of the rock-cut structures were related to various religious communities. In the beginning, remarkable Buddhist and Jain monuments were produced in areas such as Bihar in the east and Maharashtra in the west.
Temple ArchitectureIn ancient India, temple architecture of high standard developed in almost all regions. The distinct architectural style of temple construction in different parts was a result of geographical, climatic, ethnic, racial, historical and linguistic diversities. Ancient Indian temples are classified in three broad types. This classification is based on different architecturalstyles, employed in the construction of the temples.
Architecture of INDIA•the civilization in India had flourished along the banks of her rivers, off the sea-shores & in semi arid regions.
•wood, mud, bricks, tatches woven of palm & coconut leaves have been used—depending on the locale
•huge stones had also been used to create archways, temples
ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES and STYLES
1. Stambha2. Stupa3. Buddhist (Chaitya & Vihara) rock-cut
structures 4. Jaina & Hindu rock-cut architecture5. Hindu Temples
a. Nagara (North Indian) Styleb. Dravida (South Indian) Stylec. Vesara (Western Indian & the
Deccan) Style6. Hoysala Architecture7. Mughal Architecture8. Mumbai Architecture9. Sikh Architecture10. Modern Architecture
Architecture of INDIA1.Stambha
• Stambhas (pillars) were set up in the Buddhist sacred places & along the highways.
• Emperor Ashoka made a major contribution, setting up at least 30 such pillars.
• functions as a bond, which joins the heaven (Svarga) and the earth (prithvi)
In Indian architecture, different types of Stambhas have been mentioned and they serve different purpose, including the following:
1. Flagstaffs, called dhvaja stamnhas, are placed opposite the main shrine, on an axis with the main deity
2. The Kirttistambhas, erected to commemorate victories3. Most well known stambhas of India are the ones erected during the
reign of Ashoka the Great, and they bear different types of royal edicts.
Architecture of INDIA1.Stambha
• consists of a circular column or shaft slightly tapering towards the summit (monolithic).
• On top of this shaft is the Persepolitan bell or the inverted lotus shaped base.
• Above this is the abacus on top of which rests the crowning sculpture. These three portions were carved out of a single stone (monolithic).
Architecture of INDIA1.Stambha
• erected during various periods have shown a development in style & structure.
• Some fine examles are the Basarh Bakhira (with lion capital), Laurya Nandangarh in Champaran district of Nepal (with a seated lion capital on an inverted lotus & carved abacus).
• The famous iron pillar from the Gupta period is a fine specimen, withstanding exposure to rain & storm, yet remaining smooth and unrusted bearing testimony to the mastery of Indian metal-casting.
The Saranath stambha with its four lions seated back to back as its crowning sculpture is a fine specimen. Following the Buddhists, the Hindus & the Jains also had columns. (Garuda pillar at Besnagar).
Architecture of INDIA1.Stambha
Vijay Stambha or “Tower of Victory”• an imposing structure located in Chittorgarh fort in Rajasthan, India• constructed by Mewar king Rana Kumbha between 1442 AD
and 1449 AD to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of Malwa and Gujarat led by Mahmud Khilji
• Dedicated to Vishnu• 37.19 m high and 9 storied tower is one of the most remarkable in
India • built partly of red sand stone and partly of white marble • enriched by numerous images of Hindu gods and goddesses with
inscriptions at bottom of each• took 10 years to be complete• stands on a pedestal 10 feet high.• Each of the nine stories are distinctly marked with openings and
balconies• The interior staircase winds alternately through the central chamber
and surrounding gallery.• entire tower is covered with architectural ornaments and inscribed
images of gods and goddesses, seasons, weapons, musical instruments etc
• portraits of the architect of this tower Jaita and his 3 sons, Napa, Puja and Poma are carved on the 5th floor of the tower
• 157 narrow steps leading to the terrace from where one can have a beautiful view of Chittorgarh town and the fort
• The uppermost floor has been sealed off and is no longer accessible to visitors.
Architecture of INDIA
• basically funeral mounds - low circular mounds ringed by boulders
• mostly a Buddhist art, though Jains also seemed to have built stupas
• was to enshrine body relics in the form of small pieces of calcinated bone of the Buddhist monks & teachers.
• consists of a solid hemispherical dome on which stands a kind of kiosk
• railing surrounds this (vedika) and even when the construction was of stone, it continued to resemble wooden railings of the past in design.
2. Stupa
Architecture of INDIA2. Stupa
The Great Sanchi Stupa• located in Madhya Pradesh• the best specimen of stupa• dome shaped building • the panels are inscribed with many drawings
that depict the life of Buddha• Brahmi script carved at different places in
the stupa• construction of the Stupa was approved by
Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century• built to house the relics of Buddha
The Great Amaravathi Stupa• located in Amaravati, Amdrah Pradesh• large Buddhist monument • centre for religious activity and worship for
hundreds of years• great dome about 18 m high with 2 lions
facing each other placed by the gateway• Dome and railings were made of pale
green limestone painted with bright colors• upper part of the dome was probably
decorated with plaster garlands--made of real vines and flowers were used to decorate buildings for festivals and special occasions
Architecture of INDIA
• practice of creating a structure by carving it out of solid natural rock
• rock-cut structures that were hewn out for Buddhist and Jain monks
• Chaityas were places of worship• Viharas were residence of monks• The Buddhist and Jain monks
usually stayed away from the towns therefore they developed Chaityas and Viharas in the hillside
• most were constructed in western India
• the most remarkable aspect of the rock cut architecture at Karle and other such sites is its close similarity to wood construction
• Some of the prominent places having Chaityas and Viharas are Karle, Nashik, Bhaje and Kanheri
3. Buddhist (Chaitya & Vihara) rock-cut structures
Architecture of INDIA3. Buddhist (Chaitya and Vihara) rock-cut
structures
Bhaje Cave• more ancient than the Karle cave• carved out somewhere in the 2nd century
BC• houses 2 Chaityas, 13 viharas and a
couple of dining halls.
Karle Cave• regarded as the largest and the best example of the Heenyan Cave Complexes• contain 1 Chiatya • 1 of the 2 lion pillars(saranath) at the entrance of the caves--only one has survived the shocks of
time.• have 2 additional entrances on both sides of the main entrance where Buddhist monks wash their
feet before they came in for meditation or prayer• huge prayer halls are one of the main characteristics of the caves in Buddhist style• This hall is 124 ft long and 46.5 ft wide has 31 beams made up of teak wood--symmetrically
perfect structure of 31 pillars on both sides • At the back of the prayer hall, the holy shrine (chaitya) has been carved out.
Most of the viharas in the Karle caves are two storied and the place where Buddhist monks stayed for meditation• near the entrance of the Karle Caves you see the beautiful temple of Goddess Ekveera.
Architecture of INDIA4. Jaina & Hindu rock-cut architecture
• can be seen mainly at Badami, Aihole, Ellora, Elephanta, Aurangabad & Mamallapuram
• The Rashtrakutas produced the Brahmanical Kailasa temple at Ellora--17 Brahmanical caves & 6 Jaina caves
• Aihole has 2 rock-cut temples—1 Jaina & 1 Brahmanical• Badami has 4 cave temples executed at various levels of
the sand stone hill• in the South, it is intiated by the Pallavas (dynasty) of KanchiLaksitayatna Trimurti cave temple
• a Hindu temple located in Mandagapattu• its early pallava style has bulky pillars, not too many
embellishments either in the form of relief sculptures, door guardians are not too bold in their depiction
• carved at the edge of another hillock, overlooking boulders
Jain cave temple • a Jaina temple located in
Ellora caves• characterized by intricate
detailing and rich paintings in the ceilings
Architecture of INDIA5. Hindu Temples
• earliest temples were constructed of perishable materials like timber & clay
• Next came the cave rock-cut structures• Elaborate structural temples with ornate architecture &
sculpture came into existence much later
• 3 basic styles according to Silpasastras (standards for religious Hindu iconography and rules of Hindu architecture)
1. Nagara – (North India) the tower is beehive shaped
2. Dravida – (South India) the tower consists of progressively smaller storeys of pavilions
3. Vesara – combination of both
Architecture of INDIANAGARA• beehive shape • square at the centre, but there
are projections on the outside leading to cruciform shape
• originated during the Gupta period (320 -650 AD)
• found mostly in North and Central India specifically in Orissa, Rajasthan and Gujarat
• consists of 2 buildings, the main shrine taller and an adjoining shorter mandapa
• main difference between the two is the shape of the Sikhara
• Some temples of this style are : • The Parasurameswara temple at
Bhuvaneshwar • Brahmesvara temple in
Bhuvaneshwar • Lingaraja temple
Anantha Vasudeva temple • Rajarani temple • Sun temple at Konarak • Jagannath temple at Puri
Jagannath Temple • famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath (Krishna)• located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa,
India. • The name Jagannath means Lord of the Universe• Every year there is a festival called Ratha Yatra , in which
the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated chariots
Architecture of INDIADRAVIDA• pyramid shape• consisting of several progressively smaller
storeys• Vimanam and the Gopurams are the
distictive characteristics of the Southern style
• stands on a square base • majority of the existing buildings are
located in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka
• Some temples of this style are :• The Rathas in Mahabalipuram-Tamilnadu• Srivilliputtur Andal Temple• Virupaksha temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka• Kailash temple in Ellora
Meenakshi Amman Temple • a historic Hindu temple located in the holy city
of Madurai, Tamil Nadu• Dedicated to Lord Shiva - who is known here
as Sundareswarar or Beautiful Lord- and his consort, Parvati who is known as Meenakshi• houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers
including 2 golden Gopurams for the main deities, that are elaborately sculptured and painted
Architecture of INDIAVESARA• emerged lately as the existence of two basic
temple styles: Nagara and Dravida• Dervied from the word vishra meaning an area
to take a long walk• prevalent in Deccan and Western part of India
and central parts of South Asia• coloured sandstone (pink, buff colour or pale
yellow) or granite stones are used to construct these temples
• Early temples of this style are: • Lakshmana temple at Sirpur • Vaidyanatha Mahadeva temple at
Baijnath • Sikara temple at Baroli • Kesavanarayana temple at Amarkantak • Viratesvara temple at sohagpur
Lakshmana Temple • dedicated to Lord Vishnu• located in Khajuraho, India• the name Jagannath means Lord of the Universe• one of the most exquistely decorated, covered
almost completely with images of over 600 gods in the Hindu Pantheon• famous for the explicitly sexual carvings on the
southern side of the temple
Architecture of INDIA6. Hoysala Architecture
• considered an intermediate between the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian traditions
• temples have a star shaped base with the main structure standing on a raised platform
• 3 shrines structured around a central pillared hall, each with a tower
• Pillars with horizontal mouldings, produced by a mechanical process
• there are intricate grille windows, an abundance of sculptural details
• sikharas unlike the northern style (parabolic) are constructed in well defined horizontal tiers
• constructed out of a very fine grained soap stone (chloritic schist)—great quality of the stone is its softness when first quarried but turning very hard on exposure to air
• Some of the temples of this style • Chennakesava temple, Belur • Hoysaleswara temple, Halebid• Kesava temple, Somnathapura
Architecture of INDIA6. Mughal Architecture
• earliest temples were constructed of perishable materials like timber & clay
• Next came the cave rock-cut structures• Elaborate structural temples with ornate architecture &
sculpture came into existence much later
• 3 basic styles according to Silpasastras (standards for religious Hindu iconography and rules of Hindu architecture)
1. Nagara – (North India) the tower is beehive shaped
2. Dravida – (South India) the tower consists of progressively smaller storeys of pavilions
3. Vesara – combination of both
Architecture of INDIA6. Mumbai Architecture
• distinctive style developed by the Mughals in the 16th and 17th centuries
• symmetrical and decorative in style• All the early Mughal Rulers except Aurangzeb were great
bui1ders• the Mughals constructed excellent mausoleums,
mosques, forts, gardens and cities.• main features are:
• bulbous domes• slender minarets with cupolas at the four corners• large halls• massive vaulted gateways• delicate ornamentation
Architecture of INDIA6. Modern Architecture
• earliest temples were constructed of perishable materials like timber & clay
• Next came the cave rock-cut structures• Elaborate structural temples with ornate architecture &
sculpture came into existence much later
• 3 basic styles according to Silpasastras (standards for religious Hindu iconography and rules of Hindu architecture)
1. Nagara – (North India) the tower is beehive shaped
2. Dravida – (South India) the tower consists of progressively smaller storeys of pavilions
3. Vesara – combination of both
Art of INDIA
AUDITORY Arts (Music)
COMBINED ArtsA. DancesB. Films
VISUAL ArtsC. PaintingD. SculptureE. Body ArtF. Architecture
Getting to know INDIA