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Cheat Sheet Indian Architecture - History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

1. Indus Valley Architecture

1.1 Key Features

  • Grid-pattern town planning with streets intersecting at right angles
  • Advanced drainage system with covered drains along streets
  • Standardized burnt bricks (ratio 4:2:1)
  • Citadel (elevated) and lower town division
  • No monumental temples or palaces discovered
  • Use of plaster and bitumen for waterproofing

1.2 Major Structures

StructureKey Details
Great Bath (Mohenjo-Daro)39 ft × 23 ft × 8 ft deep; used bitumen for waterproofing; surrounded by corridors and rooms
Granary (Harappa)Brick platform with air ducts; divided into units; located near River Ravi
Granary (Mohenjo-Daro)Largest building; 150 ft × 75 ft; near citadel
Assembly Hall (Mohenjo-Daro)Four rows of brick pillars; square hall
Dockyard (Lothal)218 m × 37 m; world's earliest known dock; connected to Sabarmati River

2. Buddhist Architecture

2.1 Stupas

2.1.1 Components

ElementDescription
AndaHemispherical dome containing relics
HarmikaSquare railing on top of anda
YashtiCentral pillar/mast
ChhatraUmbrella-like structure on yashti (1, 2, or 3 tiers)
MedhiCircular terrace for circumambulation
VedikaRailing enclosing sacred area
ToranasOrnamental gateways (usually four, facing cardinal directions)

2.1.2 Major Stupas

StupaKey Features
Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh)Largest and best preserved; built by Ashoka (3rd century BCE), expanded by Sungas and Satavahanas; four ornate toranas with Jataka tales; no Buddha images
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)Mahachaitya; Satavahana period; marble panels with narrative sculptures; dome drum decorated
Bharhut (Madhya Pradesh)Built by Sungas; stone vedika with medallions; Jataka and Avadana stories; now dismantled
Dhamek (Sarnath)128 ft high; marks Buddha's first sermon; geometric and floral patterns

2.2 Viharas (Monasteries)

  • Residential quarters for monks around central courtyard
  • Small cells with stone beds
  • Verandah for walking meditation
  • Later included chaitya halls attached

2.3 Chaitya Halls (Prayer Halls)

2.3.1 Architectural Features

  • Apsidal (horseshoe-shaped) plan with vaulted roof
  • Central nave with side aisles separated by columns
  • Stupa at the apsidal end
  • Horseshoe-shaped window (chaitya window) for light
  • Wooden ribs supporting roof (early period)

2.3.2 Notable Chaitya Halls

Chaitya HallDetails
Karla (Maharashtra)Largest rock-cut chaitya; 45 m long, 14 m high; Satavahana period; elaborate facade; 37 pillars
Bhaja (Maharashtra)200 BCE; 14 rock-cut caves; wooden ribs visible; plain stupa
Bedsa (Maharashtra)Hinayana phase; plain interiors; massive pillars
Ajanta Cave 19 & 26Mahayana phase; ornate sculptures; Buddha images; painted ceilings

3. Rock-Cut Architecture

3.1 Major Cave Complexes

Cave ComplexKey Features
Ajanta (Maharashtra)30 caves; 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE; Buddhist; Hinayana and Mahayana phases; famous frescoes; Caves 1, 2, 16, 17 notable for paintings
Ellora (Maharashtra)34 caves (Buddhist 1-12, Hindu 13-29, Jain 30-34); 6th-10th century CE; Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) carved from single rock
Elephanta (Maharashtra)7 caves; 5th-8th century CE; Shaivite; Trimurti sculpture (20 ft); Portuguese damaged statues
Badami (Karnataka)4 caves; Chalukya period (6th century); Caves 1-3 Hindu, Cave 4 Jain; Vishnu as Varaha and Narasimha
Udayagiri-Khandagiri (Odisha)Jain caves; Chedi dynasty (1st century BCE); double-storied Rani Gumpha; Hathi Gumpha inscription by Kharavela

3.2 Monolithic Structures

StructureDetails
Kailasa Temple (Ellora)Cave 16; Rashtrakuta king Krishna I; carved top-down from single rock; twice the area of Parthenon; replica of Shiva's Kailasa; gopuram, mandapa, Nandi pavilion
Shore Temple (Mamallapuram)Pallava period; Narasimhavarman II; 8th century; granite; five-storied; faces Bay of Bengal; UNESCO site
Five Rathas (Mamallapuram)Five monolithic temples named after Pandavas; Pallava period; different architectural styles; Draupadi, Arjuna, Bhima, Dharmaraja, Nakula-Sahadeva rathas

4. Temple Architecture: Nagara Style

4.1 Key Features

  • Prevalent in North India (Indo-Gangetic plains to Himalayas)
  • Shikhara (curvilinear tower) over garbhagriha
  • No elaborate boundary walls or gopurams
  • Temple stands on stone platform (jagati)
  • No water tanks within temple complex

4.2 Components

ElementDescription
GarbhagrihaInnermost sanctum housing main deity; windowless
MandapaPillared hall for worshippers
ArdhamandapaEntrance porch
AntaralaVestibule connecting mandapa and garbhagriha
ShikharaCurvilinear spire above garbhagriha
AmalakaCircular ribbed stone atop shikhara
KalashaPot finial on top

4.3 Sub-styles

Sub-styleCharacteristics
Latina/Rekha-PrasadaSimple square base; single shikhara curved
PhamsanaBroader, shorter; pyramidal; no amalaka
ValabhiRectangular base; wagon-vaulted roof
SekhariMain shikhara with multiple miniature shikharas

4.4 Major Nagara Temples

TempleDetails
Khajuraho Group (Madhya Pradesh)Chandela dynasty (950-1050 CE); 85 original, 25 surviving; Kandariya Mahadeva largest; sandstone; erotic sculptures; UNESCO site
Lingaraja Temple (Bhubaneswar)Dedicated to Shiva; Somavamshi king Jajati I (11th century); 180 ft high; deul and jagamohana
Jagannath Temple (Puri)12th century; Anantavarman Chodaganga; Rath Yatra festival; 214 ft high
Sun Temple (Konark)Narasimhadeva I (1250 CE); chariot design with 24 wheels; 7 horses; UNESCO site; Black Pagoda
Vishvanatha Temple (Khajuraho)Dedicated to Shiva; Chandela; perfect proportions; open mandapa
Lakshmana Temple (Khajuraho)Dedicated to Vishnu; Yashovarman (954 CE); panchayatana style (five shrines)

5. Temple Architecture: Dravida Style

5.1 Key Features

  • Prevalent in South India (Krishna River to Kanyakumari)
  • Vimana (pyramidal tower) over garbhagriha
  • Elaborate gopurams (gateway towers) at entrances
  • Enclosed by prakara (boundary walls)
  • Temple tank (kalyani) within complex
  • Multiple enclosures (prakaras)

5.2 Components

ElementDescription
VimanaPyramidal tower over sanctum; storied structure
GopuramMonumental entrance tower; taller than vimana in later periods
MandapaPillared halls; multiple types (kalyana, ardha, maha)
PrakaraEnclosure wall with ambulatory path
DwajasthambhaFlagstaff pillar in front of sanctum
BalipithaAltar for offerings

5.3 Evolution by Dynasties

5.3.1 Pallava Period (6th-9th century)

TempleFeatures
Shore Temple (Mamallapuram)Granite; two shrines (Shiva and Vishnu); earliest structural temple; UNESCO site
Kailasanatha (Kanchipuram)Rajasimha; sandstone; 58 small shrines; prototype of later Dravidian temples
Vaikuntaperumal (Kanchipuram)Three-storied; dedicated to Vishnu; Nandivarman II

5.3.2 Chola Period (9th-13th century)

TempleFeatures
Brihadeshwara (Thanjavur)Rajaraja I (1010 CE); 216 ft vimana; single granite block capstone (80 tons); UNESCO site; frescoes
Gangaikonda CholapuramRajendra I; similar to Thanjavur; 185 ft high; graceful concave curve
Airavatesvara (Darasuram)Rajaraja II (12th century); chariot-shaped; intricate carvings; UNESCO site

5.3.3 Vijayanagara Period (14th-16th century)

  • Massive gopurams dominating skyline
  • Elaborate pillared mandapas (kalyana, 100-pillar, 1000-pillar)
  • Rearing horse/yali pillars
  • Rayagopurams (royal towers)
  • Examples: Virupaksha (Hampi), Vittala Temple (stone chariot), Hazara Rama Temple

5.3.4 Nayaka Period (16th-18th century)

  • Towering gopurams (taller than vimanas)
  • Corridor streets within temple complex
  • Meenakshi Temple (Madurai): 12 gopurams, tallest 170 ft, 1000-pillar hall
  • Ranganathaswamy (Srirangam): largest functioning temple; 7 prakaras; 21 gopurams

6. Temple Architecture: Vesara Style

6.1 Characteristics

  • Hybrid of Nagara and Dravida styles
  • Prevalent in Deccan region (Karnataka)
  • Stepped pyramidal vimana
  • Star-shaped platforms
  • Ornate pillars with lathe-turned effect

6.2 Major Temples

6.2.1 Chalukya Temples

TempleDetails
Durga Temple (Aihole)6th century; apsidal plan; unique Buddhist chaitya influence; elevated platform
Lad Khan Temple (Aihole)Flat-roofed; earliest structural temple; pillared hall
Virupaksha Temple (Pattadakal)UNESCO site; Chalukya queen Lokamahadevi; 740 CE; blend of northern and southern styles

6.2.2 Hoysala Temples

TempleDetails
Chennakesava (Belur)1117 CE; Vishnuvardhana; star-shaped platform; soapstone; Darpana Sundari sculpture
Hoysaleswara (Halebidu)1121 CE; twin shrines; elaborate friezes; 10,000 sculptures; lathe-turned pillars
Keshava Temple (Somanathapura)1268 CE; trikuta (three shrines); perfect symmetry; star-shaped; 64 cells

7. Indo-Islamic Architecture

7.1 Key Features

  • True arch, dome, and vault construction
  • Calligraphy and geometric patterns (no figural representation)
  • Pietra dura (inlay work)
  • Use of red sandstone and marble
  • Charbagh (four-quartered garden layout)
  • Minarets flanking structures
  • Jharokhas, jaalis (perforated screens), chhatris

7.2 Delhi Sultanate Period (1206-1526)

7.2.1 Slave Dynasty (1206-1290)

MonumentDetails
Qutub MinarQutb-ud-din Aibak; 73 m high; five storeys; red sandstone and marble; victory tower; UNESCO site
Quwwat-ul-Islam MosqueFirst mosque in India; 1192; used temple pillars; Arabic inscriptions; later expanded
Alai DarwazaAlauddin Khilji (1311); first true arch in India; red sandstone with marble; horseshoe-shaped arches
Iron PillarWithin Qutub complex; 7.2 m high; rust-resistant; Sanskrit inscription; Gupta period

7.2.2 Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414)

  • Massive, fortress-like structures; sloping walls
  • Limited ornamentation; austere
  • Tughlaqabad Fort: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq; double fortification
  • Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq: sloping walls; first Indo-Islamic tomb with chhatri
  • Firoz Shah Kotla: palace complex; Ashoka pillar relocated here

7.2.3 Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526)

  • Octagonal plan tombs
  • Double dome technique introduced
  • Tombs in Lodi Gardens: Muhammad Shah Sayyid, Sikandar Lodi, Bara Gumbad

7.3 Provincial Sultanate Styles

KingdomKey Examples
Bengal SultanateAdina Mosque (largest in India, 1374); curved cornices; terracotta decorations
Jaunpur SultanateAtala Mosque; huge screen arches; propylon style
Gujarat SultanateSidi Saiyyed Mosque (Ahmedabad): intricate jaali work; tree of life; Jama Masjid (Ahmedabad): 260 pillars; Indo-Islamic fusion
Bahmani KingdomGol Gumbaz (Bijapur): Ibrahim Adil Shah II; largest dome in India (44 m diameter); whispering gallery; four minarets

8. Mughal Architecture

8.1 General Features

  • Synthesis of Persian, Turkish, and Indian styles
  • Extensive use of pietra dura, marble, red sandstone
  • Bulbous domes, slender minarets
  • Charbagh layout
  • Elaborate ornamentation with floral and geometric motifs

8.2 Period-wise Development

8.2.1 Babur (1526-1530)

  • Introduced charbagh concept
  • Kabuli Bagh Mosque (Panipat)
  • Aram Bagh (Agra): first Mughal garden

8.2.2 Humayun (1530-1556)

MonumentDetails
Humayun's Tomb (Delhi)Built by Haji Begum (1570); first garden tomb; red sandstone and marble; double dome; Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas; UNESCO site; prototype for Taj Mahal
Purana Qila (Delhi)Sher Shah Suri period; Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque; octagonal Sher Mandal

8.2.3 Akbar (1556-1605)

MonumentDetails
Fatehpur SikriBuilt 1571-1585; red sandstone; UNESCO site; Buland Darwaza (54 m, victory gate), Panch Mahal (five-storied pavilion), Diwan-i-Khas, Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chishti (marble with jaali)
Agra Fort1565-1573; red sandstone; semicircular plan; Jahangiri Mahal, Khas Mahal; UNESCO site
Akbar's Tomb (Sikandra)Completed by Jahangir; five-tiered structure; blend of Hindu-Islamic; white marble top storey

8.2.4 Jahangir (1605-1627)

MonumentDetails
Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah (Agra)Nur Jahan for her father; 1628; first all-marble Mughal structure; extensive pietra dura; prototype for Taj Mahal; "Baby Taj"
Shalimar Bagh (Kashmir)Terraced Mughal garden; three terraces; 587 fountains

8.2.5 Shah Jahan (1628-1658) - Peak of Mughal Architecture

MonumentDetails
Taj Mahal (Agra)1632-1653; Mumtaz Mahal's tomb; white marble; 73 m high dome; four minarets (43 m); pietra dura; UNESCO site; Yamuna riverfront; symmetrical charbagh; Ustad Ahmad Lahauri (architect)
Red Fort (Delhi)1638-1648; red sandstone; Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, Rang Mahal, Moti Masjid; Peacock Throne; UNESCO site
Jama Masjid (Delhi)1650-1656; largest mosque in India; red sandstone and marble; three domes; two minarets (40 m); courtyard holds 25,000
Moti Masjid (Agra Fort)1648-1654; pristine white marble; private mosque; three domes
Shalimar Bagh (Lahore)410 fountains; three-level terraced garden

8.2.6 Aurangzeb (1658-1707)

  • Decline in architectural activity
  • Bibi Ka Maqbara (Aurangabad): built by Azam Shah for mother; replica of Taj Mahal; inferior quality; "Dakkan ka Taj"
  • Badshahi Mosque (Lahore): red sandstone; second largest mosque courtyard
  • Moti Masjid (Red Fort, Delhi): small marble mosque

9. Regional Architectural Styles

9.1 Rajput Architecture

MonumentDetails
Hawa Mahal (Jaipur)Sawai Pratap Singh (1799); pink sandstone; 953 jaali windows; five-storied; honeycomb structure; allowed royal ladies to observe street
City Palace (Jaipur)Sawai Jai Singh II; blend of Rajput and Mughal; Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal
Amber Fort (Jaipur)Raja Man Singh I; red sandstone and marble; Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace); Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas
Lake Palace (Udaipur)Jag Niwas; white marble; mid-18th century; island palace on Lake Pichola
Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur)Rao Jodha (1459); 125 m above city; red sandstone; seven gates; intricate jaali work

9.2 Kerala Architecture

9.2.1 Key Features

  • Sloping tiled roofs (due to heavy rainfall)
  • Laterite stone base with wooden superstructure
  • Gabled roofs, verandahs
  • Minimal ornamentation on exteriors
  • Nalukettu (central courtyard house plan)

9.2.2 Notable Temples

TempleFeatures
Padmanabhaswamy (Thiruvananthapuram)Dravidian and Kerala styles; gopuram 30 m; granite; reclining Vishnu; seven-tiered gopuram
Vadakkunnathan (Thrissur)Classic Kerala style; circular shrine; murals; Shiva temple
Sabarimala18 sacred steps; hilltop shrine; simple architecture

9.3 Colonial Architecture

9.3.1 Indo-Saracenic Style

  • Fusion of Indian, Islamic, and Gothic revival elements
  • Domes, chhatris, pointed arches with Victorian elements
BuildingDetails
Victoria Terminus/CST (Mumbai)Frederick William Stevens; 1887; UNESCO site; Gothic revival with Indian elements; central dome; turrets
Gateway of India (Mumbai)George Wittet; 1924; Indo-Saracenic; yellow basalt; commemorates George V visit (1911)
Rashtrapati Bhavan (New Delhi)Edwin Lutyens; 1929-1930; 340 rooms; central dome (height 56 m); Mughal gardens
Victoria Memorial (Kolkata)William Emerson; 1906-1921; white marble; Indo-Saracenic; museum
Madras High CourtIndo-Saracenic; red sandstone; 1892; lighthouse tower

9.4 Modern Architecture

StructureDetails
Lotus Temple (Delhi)Fariborz Sahba; 1986; Bahai House of Worship; 27 marble petals; nine sides
Akshardham (Delhi)2005; pink sandstone and marble; traditional Vedic architecture; 234 pillars; no steel used
IIM AhmedabadLouis Kahn; 1962-1974; exposed brick; geometric forms; modernist
IIM BangaloreB.V. Doshi; terraced architecture; amphitheater design
Capitol Complex (Chandigarh)Le Corbusier; 1952-1965; High Court, Secretariat, Legislative Assembly; Open Hand Monument; UNESCO site

10. Forts and Palaces

10.1 Major Forts

FortDetails
Golconda Fort (Hyderabad)Qutb Shahi dynasty; 13th century foundation; acoustics system; Fateh Rahben (victory cannon); diamond trade center
Gwalior Fort8th century; Tomar dynasty; Man Singh Palace (15th century); turquoise tiles; Teli ka Mandir, Saas-Bahu temples
Jaisalmer Fort1156; Rawal Jaisal; yellow sandstone (Golden Fort); living fort (population resides); UNESCO site
Chittorgarh FortLargest fort in India (700 acres); UNESCO site; Rana Kumbha Palace; Vijay Stambh (37 m victory tower); Kirti Stambh (Jain tower of fame)
Red Fort (Agra)Akbar (1565-1573); red sandstone; Jahangiri Mahal, Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal; UNESCO site

10.2 Hill Forts of Rajasthan (UNESCO)

  • Six forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, Jaisalmer
  • Built between 5th and 18th centuries
  • Rajput military architecture
  • Water harvesting systems

11. Architectural Elements and Techniques

11.1 Construction Techniques

TechniqueDescription
CorbellingArch created by progressively projecting stone courses; used in early Indian temples
True ArchVoussoir stones with keystone; introduced by Islamic architecture
Double DomeOuter dome for exterior appearance, inner dome for interior proportion; Lodi period onwards
Pietra DuraInlay work of semi-precious stones in marble; perfected under Shah Jahan
TrabeatePost-and-lintel system; beams across pillars; used in temples
ArcuateArch and dome construction; Islamic architecture

11.2 Decorative Elements

ElementDescription
JaaliPerforated stone/marble screens; allows light and air
JharokhaOverhanging enclosed balcony; projecting windows
ChhatriElevated dome-shaped pavilion; ornamental
GuldastaDecorative pinnacles on corners
ArabesqueIntricate geometric and floral patterns; Islamic architecture
MuqarnasStalactite-like ornamentation in vaults

11.3 Materials Used

  • Red Sandstone: Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort, Agra Fort
  • White Marble: Taj Mahal, Itmad-ud-Daulah
  • Granite: Southern temples (Shore Temple, Brihadeshwara)
  • Laterite: Kerala temples, Goan structures
  • Burnt Brick: Indus Valley, Buddhist stupas
  • Soapstone (Chloritic Schist): Hoysala temples (easy to carve)

12. UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Architectural)

SiteLocation
Ajanta CavesMaharashtra
Ellora CavesMaharashtra
Elephanta CavesMaharashtra
Mamallapuram Group of MonumentsTamil Nadu
Great Living Chola Temples (Brihadeshwara, Gangaikonda, Airavatesvara)Tamil Nadu
Group of Monuments at PattadakalKarnataka
Group of Monuments at HampiKarnataka
Khajuraho Group of MonumentsMadhya Pradesh
Qutub Minar and its MonumentsDelhi
Humayun's TombDelhi
Red Fort ComplexDelhi
Fatehpur SikriUttar Pradesh
Taj MahalUttar Pradesh
Agra FortUttar Pradesh
Sun Temple (Konark)Odisha
Hill Forts of Rajasthan (6 forts)Rajasthan
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkGujarat
Rani ki Vav (Queen's Stepwell)Gujarat
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus)Maharashtra
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of MumbaiMaharashtra
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Chandigarh Capitol Complex)Chandigarh
Jaipur CityRajasthan
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