Hindu India

by Stierlin, Henri; Miller, Chris; Stierlin, Anne; Stierlin, Anne

• ISBN13: 9783822876497
• ISBN10: 3822876496
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-11-01
• Publisher: Taschen America Llc

Summary

There is nothing new under the sun... and then there are the temples of India. For many who have roamed the byways of the subcontinent, it is these myriad mind-expanding palaces of faith that fill the spirit and make the fare worthwhile. They are enough to give you religion. 3-D songs of praise to the fecund possibilities of both environment and human intention, they are as diverse as the landscapes of Asia and yet share a grace and delicacy of invention. Focusing on Jain as well as Hindu constructions, this exemplary volume takes us on a revelatory historical journey to trace both the traditions and developments in their design, from the wood and cave temples of the first few hundred years AD, through early experiments in stone to the three dominant architectural strands. Whether it be Nagara in the north, Vesara in the central highlands or the Dravda "walled city" complexes of the south, each style is fully presented and analysed in a series of detailed photographs, drawings, plans and excavations. Just as the temple sancta themselves become more sacred the further in you penetrate, so this book offers greater rewards the longer you spend in its company.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION A Religious Architecture	7	(10)
THE FIRST ROCK-CUT TEMPLES From Man-Made Caves to Stone-Built Temples	17	(44)
THE GREAT FLOWERING OF MEDIEVAL TEMPLES From the Chalukya School to the Cholas of Thanjavur	61	(42)
THE TOWERS OF BHUBANESHWAR The Eastern Indian Aesthetic	103	(24)
THE CULMINATION OF MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE: KHAJURAHO A Consummate Architectural Achievement	127	(40)
NEW ARCHITECTURE IN THE DECCAN The Hoysala Style and the `Soapstone' Temples	167	(22)
THE APOTHEOSIS OF SOUTHERN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE From the Hampi Princes to the Nayaks of Madurai	189	(38)
CONCLUSION The Weight of Tradition	227	(1)
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE	228	(4)
GLOSSARY	232	(2)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	234	(1)
INDEX	235	(2)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS	237