Ancient Indian Architecture !!!

[velu]

Recently i came across one documentary about yali statues with irremovable stones inside their mouth in some shiva temples.

Did some googling and found that even some vishnu temples too have few yali statues with irremovable stone balls in their mouth. 

 

Really impressed by our ancestors. Carving a statue on a stone itself is a difficult task and on top of that they carved a movable stone inside the mouth of the statues which cannot be removed without breaking it.  

 

I really think , they spent time in these activities like how we are killing our time in the social media.

 

 

 

 

 

[Stradlater]

South Indian architecture is on a different level. Magnificent buildings.

Sadly in North most of them were destroyed. Even then there are some really fine Jain and Hindu temples in Rajasthan existing till day.

[zen]

Proud of Ind’s ancient history

[coffee_rules]

 

 

[coffee_rules]

 

 

[velu]

2 minutes ago, Stradlater said:

South Indian architecture is on a different level. Magnificent buildings.

 Sadly in North most of them were destroyed. Even then there are some really fine Jain and Hindu temples in Rajasthan existing till day.

 

as you said most of the south indian temples stayed intact .. even in south there were lot of wars between various kingdoms but i have not come across anyone destroying the temples until 16/17 century ..

also when some dynasty build some temple, next dynasity added something to that temple instead of destroying it ..

 

like recently i visited kalahasti (  ) , temple was built by both cholas and pallavas at different timeline

[velu]

and another one .. hanging pillar at lepakshi at Anantapur 

 

 

l

[Stradlater]

17 minutes ago, velu said:

 

as you said most of the south indian temples stayed intact .. even in south there were lot of wars between various kingdoms but i have not come across anyone destroying the temples until 16/17 century ..

also when some dynasty build some temple, next dynasity added something to that temple instead of destroying it ..

 

like recently i visited kalahasti (  ) , temple was built by both cholas and pallavas at different timeline

Chola temple architecture was simply beautiful. They took the Pallava initiative to a whole new level with their independent, distinct technique thus creating some fabulous architectural marvels of their times.

 

[Gollum]

Hope GOI promotes these ancient marvels just like they do with Delhi Sultanate and Mughal architecture. I get a feeling there was more thrust on Islamic architecture under Congress rule when Marxist history professors were in charge of culture department, ASI, National Museum etc. I am not denying the beauty of the Taj Mahals and Qutb Minars but there are many more masterpieces across the country and much older too. South is lucky they have their architecture still surviving.

 

 

[Gollum]

43 minutes ago, Stradlater said:

South Indian architecture is on a different level. Magnificent buildings.

Sadly in North most of them were destroyed. Even then there are some really fine Jain and Hindu temples in Rajasthan existing till day.

Aye. My favourite childhood memory of Rajasthan tour is the Dilwara temple in Mount Abu, simply stunning !!!

[sandeep]

Great thread.  Please keep posting more pictures.  Sadly I haven't traveled much in India and haven't seen most of the spectacular sites we have in India - apart from Ajanta-Ellora and a few sites in and around Ahmedabad/Baroda (Gujarat).  I have gone to Cambodia though, where you get to see the work of Indian artisans who built the Cambodian's King version of Vishnulok on Earth at Angkor Wat.  

 

Indian sculptors and architects were definitely all-world and best in class - if you see their work with an inquiring eye, you will be blown away with the quality, attention to detail and creativity of some of the works that still exist.  

[Stradlater]

9 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Aye. My favourite childhood memory of Rajasthan tour is the Dilwara temple in Mount Abu, simply stunning !!!

Yeah and the ones from Ranakpur as well.

Rajasthan is lucky to have some of the finest buildings made in India.

Even the partly destroyed temples have something magical about them. Even an agnostic/atheist like myself can't resist the pull.

[coffee_rules]

Sun temple, Gujarat

 

 

[kira]

Edited 

Edited August 1, 2018 by kira

[coffee_rules]

 

Mewar Vijay Stambh

 

[coffee_rules]

Musical stone pillar - Hampi

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by coffee_rules

[coffee_rules]

 

 

The last one Kailas Temple in Ellora is truly amazing. I can't believe somebody here can say people is ancient times are dumber than a modern teenager.

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by coffee_rules

[Stradlater]

Also @velu @Gollum @sandeep it's not just limited to Temples.

I don't know if you guys have ever seen the forts of Rajasthan , imo they represent the epitome of Indian craftsmanship. The buildings inside them with fine intricate carvings, majestic features and brilliant use of colour gives the whole place a magical feeling.

 

The fort of Jaiselmer is situated in such a desolation that it still baffles me how they managed to erect such a splendor in a grim place like that and that too in the 11th century!!

And not just forts , the havelis of marwari Baniyas from Shekhawati and Marwar region are so exquisitely alluring that you would feel enamored by the whole feeling.

My village has countless such havelis and tourists from far flung places such as France and Germany regularly visit to view them.

[Stradlater]

6 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

 

Mewar Vijay Stambh

 

Vijay Stambh although built by Rana Kumbha after his victory over Mahmud Khilji also has sayings in Arabic carved on the walls  alongside hindu idols!

[coffee_rules]

This one..