Indian Archi

Question 1

The spherical dome symbolized the infinite space of the sky in a stupa.

Answer 1

Anda

Question 2

The gateway in a stupa.

Answer 2

Torana

Question 3

It is the spire or tower over the temples. It was inspired by the clad peak of the Himalayas.

Answer 3

Shikhara

Question 4

Muslims under religious injunction avoided the use of human figurines rather they opted for geometrical patterns (arabesque), floral patterns, inscriptions in various styles, inlay on marble also called,

Answer 4

Pietra Dura

Question 5

The part in which the idol of the deity in a Hindu Temple is installed or placed.

Answer 5

Garbhagriha

Question 6

Style of temple architecture that became popular in northern India. In North India, it is common for an entire temple to be built on a stone platform with steps leading up to it. Another unique characteristic is that it does not usually have elaborate boundary walls or gateways. Thegarbhagriha is always located directly under the tallest tower.

Answer 6

Nagara

Question 7

In this style of architecture which lasted for a period of two-hundred-and-fifty years, they created buildings with locally available materials, combining the regional styles with the typical Muslimfeatures such as domes, arches, the minarets, and the mihrabs. Initially, they constructed on the ruins of Hindu, and Jain temples, and later they derived their own style in building art.

Answer 7

Provincial Style

Question 8

One of the earliest extant examples of the garden tomb characteristic of Mughal-era architecture, situated in Delhi, India. In 1993 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. A landmark in the development of Mughal architecture, it was commissioned in 1569, after the death of the Mughal emperor in 1556, by his Persian queen Hamida Banu Begam. It was designed by Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas. The structure inspired several other significant architectural achievements, including the Taj Mahal.

Answer 8

Humayun’s Tomb

Question 9

Dome-shaped structures are used to house sacred relics of the monks and are hence also known as “Relic-shrines”. Earth materials are covered with stones or bricks. The plan, elevation, and basic structure are all derived from the circle.

Answer 9

Stupa

Question 10

The huge tower at the entrance of a temple. It serves as the gateway to the temple complex. It is one of the most prominent things in a temple.

Answer 10

Gopuram

Question 11

Built The mosque was built in 1510-1515 and is the last building of the style to show any marked originality. The mosque illustrates a departure from conventional mosque design in that it is composed entirely of arcades of arches. It has 8 square piers supporting the arches from the interior of the mosque. Walls are composed entirely of perforated stone screens which have given the building a worldwide reputation. One of the subjects shown in the tracery is the ‘palm-and-parasite’ motif.

Answer 11

Sidi Sayyid Masjid

Question 12

It is the earliest granite temple in the world. It was built by Chola Emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 AD. The vimana tower above the sanctum sanctorum is one of the tallest in South India at216ft. This temple is one of the greatest specimens of Chola architecture. The temple complex is rectangular in shape. There are five main sections: the sanctum with the towering superstructure (Sri vimana), the Nandi Hall in front(Nandi-mandapam), and in between these the main community hall (mukhamandapam),the great gathering hall (mahamandapam), and the pavilion that connects the great hall with the sanctum (ardhamandapam).

Answer 12

Brihadeshwara Temple

Question 13

Built The scheme of the mausoleum is on a grand scale, its perimeter walls enclosing a large square garden, while the tomb structure situated in the center of the enclosure is a square in the plan of 320 ft side and over 100 ft high. In the middle of each side of the enclosure is a gatehouse, three of which are false doorways added for symmetry and the southern being the main entrance. The main gateway is a minor monument, with pleasing proportions and bold inlaid ornamentation along with 4 graceful white marble minarets, one above each corner.

Answer 13

Akbar’s Tomb

Question 14

it is tthe stairway in a stupa.

Answer 14

Sopana

Question 15

Mausoleum complex in Agra, western Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned1628–58) to immortalize his wife Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”), who died in childbirth in 1631, having been the emperor’s inseparable companion since their marriage in 1612. In its harmonious proportions and its fluid incorporation of decorative elements, it is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. Other attractions include twin mosque buildings (placed symmetrically on either side of the mausoleum), lovely gardens, and a museum.

Answer 15

Taj Mahal

Question 16

One of the man-made Barabar Caves in the Barabarand Nagarjuni hills of Jehanabad district in the Indian state of Bihar. This rock-cut cave was carved out as a sanctuary. It was built during the Ashokanperiod of the Maurya Empire in the 3rd century BC, as part of the sacred architecture of the Ajivikas, an ancient religious and philosophical group of India that competed with Jainism and became extinct over time.

Answer 16

Lomas Rishi Cave

Question 17

Ancient structures were influenced by the ascetic lifestyle of the Vedic period and the tendency of hermits to retire in solitude. Buddhist shrine or prayer hall with a stupa at one end made for large gatherings of devotees and made in rock-cut due to permanency of structure.

Answer 17

Chaitya

Question 18

Pinnacle of Hinayana Chaitya construction measuring 124ft by 46.5ft by 45ft. At the front is simha stambha, a 50 ft tall free-standing pillar on both sides of the façade, detached to evoke reverence Each stands on a wide rock cylinder base, 16 sides shaft, fluted abacus, above the capital, and a harmika pedestal. Behind is a vestibule, front made of the rock-cut screen with triple entrance and clerestory.

Answer 18

Karli, Maharashtra

Question 19

The oldest stone structure in India was built by emperor Ashoka. The structure is solid brickwork and is 36.60M in diameter, and 16.46M high.

Answer 19

The Great Stupa, Sanchi

Question 20

The style of this period is also called the early Indo-Islamic style. The existing buildings were converted into mosques with the elements of ruins from Hindu temples. The palaces were elaborately decorated and embellished with arches and domes. Floral patterns and other Hindu motifs were used widely.

Answer 20

Imperial Style

Question 21

The temple which dates to the early eleventh century, and was built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026is an example of the Nagara style of the temple in this region. The influence of the woodcarving tradition of Gujarat is evident in this temple. Pillars that recount the ancient stories, scenes from Mahabharata and Ramayan (epic Hindu literature) are intricately carved, raised, and erected on the large platform; the temple appears majestic with its grand structure. This mesmerizing work of art is another example of man-made magnificence which amuses people from all over the world.

Answer 21

Sun Temple at Modhera

Question 22

The first of several temples were built by the Chandela kings in their newly created capital of Khajuraho. The central deity at this temple is an image of Vishnu in his three-headed form known as Vaikuntha who sits inside the temple’s inner womb chamber also known as garbhagriha.

Answer 22

Lakshmana Temple

Question 23

One of Ashoka’s first artistic programs was to erect the pillars that are now scattered throughout what was the Mauryan empire. The pillars vary from 40 to 50 feet in height. They are cut from two different types of stone—one for the shaft and another for the capital. The shaft was almost always cut from a single piece of stone. Laborers cut and dragged the stone from quarries in Mathura and Chunar, located in the northern part of India within Ashoka’s empire.

Answer 23

Ashokan pillar capital at Vaishali, Bihar, India

Question 24

The next development of Indian–Buddhist structures was the free-standing monolithic columns erected over sites selected because of their sacred associations. They were stone objects. It 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).

Answer 24

Stambha

Question 24

Mausoleum complex in Agra, western Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned1628–58) to immortalize his wife Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”), who died in childbirth in 1631, having been the emperor’s inseparable companion since their marriage in 1612. In its harmonious proportions and its fluid incorporation of decorative elements, it is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. Other attractions include twin mosque buildings (placed symmetrically on either side of the mausoleum), lovely gardens, and a museum.

Answer 24

Taj Mahal

Question 25

The stupa is usually crowned by a triple umbrella called,

Answer 25

Chatra

Question 26

Same as Bhaja, except archway, which is part of the stone that measures 66ft by 26.5ft by 28ft. It has an archway more finished and curved with a central pillared hall. It has 23 by 29 columns in colonnades, with cells on three sides.

Answer 26

Kondane Caves

Question 27

The enclosed railing in a stupa.

Answer 27

Vedika

Question 28

It is one of the most famous Hindu temples in Madurai dedicated to Goddess Parvati, known as the spouse of Lord Shiva. The earliest temple at Madurai was likely constructed in the 7th century C.E., but the temple complex we experience today is largely the work of the Nayak dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries. They enlarged the complex and redesigned the surrounding streets following the sacred tradition of the Vastu Shastra(Hindu texts prescribing the form, proportions, measurements, ground plan, and layout of architecture). The temple is a prime example of Dravidian architecture—a style of Hindu architecture common in the southern states of India. Characteristics of Dravidian architecture often include covered porches on temples, tall entry gate towers on two or more sides,many-pillared halls, and a water tank or reservoir for ritual bathing.

Answer 28

Meenakshi Temple

Question 29

Is a small antechamber or foyer between the garbhagriha (shrine) and the mandapa.

Answer 29

Antarala

Question 30

Is a term to refer to a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion for public rituals.

Answer 30

Mandapa

Question 31

It is the upper passage in a stupa.

Answer 31

Medhi

Question 32

It is estimated that this temple has about 870sculptures, with a one-meter height each. The entrance has a staircase and porch that is adorned with garlands chiseled out of a single stone. The whole plan of this temple is somewhat like Lakshman and Vishwanath Temple; with all rooms arrayed from east to west and balconies on the south and north. On the inside is the deity of Lord Shiva, holding a trident and snake, with the deities of Vishnu and Brahma. The seven fearful protector goddesses include Brahmi seated on a swan of Brahma; Maheshwari with three eyes seated on Shiva’s bull Nandi; Kumari; Vaishnavi mounted on Garuda; the boar-headed Varahi; the lion-headedNarasimhi and Chamunda, the slayer of demons Chanda and Munda.

Answer 32

Kandariya Mahadev Temple

Question 33

Built by the second Khilji Sultan AlauddinKhilji, in 1311 AD, it is the main gateway at the southern end of the Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque, located within the Qutub Minar Complex in South Delhi. It is an extension to provide an entry pathway to the courtyard of the Quwwat-Ul-Islam Masjid

Answer 33

Alai Darwaza

Question 34

Combination of Nagara and Dravidian style of temple architecture styles.

Answer 34

Vesara

Question 35

Style of temple architecture South India was pioneered by the Pallavas who reigned in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Tamil Nadu until the ninth century. In the South Indian temple, the word ‘shikhara’ is used only for the crowning element at the top of the temple which is usually shaped like a small stupika or an octagonal cupola—this is equivalent to the amalaka and kalasha. The front wall has an entrance gateway in its center, which is known as a Gopuram.

Answer 35

Dravida

Question 36

Mausoleum complex in Agra, western Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned1628–58) to immortalize his wife Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”), who died in childbirth in 1631, having been the emperor’s inseparable companion since their marriage in 1612. In its harmonious proportions and its fluid incorporation of decorative elements, it is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blend of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. Other attractions include twin mosque buildings (placed symmetrically on either side of the mausoleum), lovely gardens, and a museum.

Answer 36

Taj Mahal

Question 37

The breathtaking temple complex is dedicated to Shiva. There are numerous intricately adorned shrines and halls within the entire temple complex which is also considered as one of the largest temple complexes in India. Do make it a point to see the splendid eastern gopuram(tower), which is one the tallest temple towers in India as it stands 66 meters tall, and the gorgeous thousand-pillared hall that extends serenely in the temple complex.

Answer 37

Annamalaiyar Temple

Question 38

The mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah. It is one of the largest single chambers ever built. Externally, the building is a great cube with a turret or tower attached to each angle, with a large hemispherical dome covering the whole. The effect of the building is derived from the fine proportions between its various elements, especially between the cubical part below and the domed part above.

Answer 38

Gol Gumbaz

Question 39

The style of this period is a unique blend of Indo-Islamic and Persian styles with Turkish influences. The buildings were excellent and remarkably symmetrical in form and uniform in pattern with intricate ornamentation.

Answer 39

Mughal Style

Question 40

The oldest Hindu shrine within the imperial site and still in active worship today, which predated Vijayanagara rule but was enlarged in 1509–10 for Krishnadevaraya’s coronation. Virupaksha, a form of GodShiva, was the patron deity of the Vijayanagara kings. The enclosed temple complex has an east-facing, 160-foot-high entrance tower (gopura); many Hindu temples face the direction of the rising sun, making the east side the typical entry for devotees.

Answer 40

Virupaksha Temple

Question 41

Built by Akbar in A.D. 1571. It covers a rectangular area measuring 542ft X 438ft, with a large courtyard, originally entered by gateways on the north, south, and east. Of these, only the eastern orKing’s Gateway has remained unaltered by subsequent additions. It is one of the largest mosques in the country. The mosque follows the conventional plan form with a central courtyard surrounded by cloisters on 3 sides and the sanctuary on the western side. The sanctuary façade consists of a large rectangular front in the center containing a spacious alcove, with a pillared arcade on each side to form the wings.

Answer 41

Jami Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri

Question 42

Resting in the middle of a wide plinth 23 feet(7 meters) high, the mausoleum proper is of white marble that reflects hues according to the intensity of sunlight or moonlight. It has four nearly identical facades, each with a wide central arch rising to 108 feet (33 meters)at its apex and chamfered (slanted) corners incorporating smaller arches. The majestic central dome, which reaches a height of 240 feet (73 meters) at the tip of its finial, is surrounded by four lesser domes. The acoustics inside the main dome causes the single note of a flute to reverberate five times.

Answer 42

Taj Mahal

Question 43

It was established by the Mughal emperor Akbar and, in its capacity as both a military base and a royal residence, served as the seat of government when the Mughal capital was in Agra.

Answer 43

Agra Fort

Question 44

Is a term used to refer to a raised surface, platform, or terrace upon which the typical Hindu temple is placed?

Answer 44

Jagati

Question 45

The square railing encircling the pedestal in a stupa.

Answer 45

Harmika

Question 46

It is a Shiva traditional temple situated inHalebidu or Dwarasamudra in Karnataka and literally known as Halebidu temple. The temple was built by King Vishnuvardhan of the Hoysala Empire in 1121 AD and made of soapstone. The twin temples have two shrines dedicated to representing the masculine and feminine form of Shiva with lingam. The design and decoration of the temple were made by famous architect Kedoraja.

Answer 46

Hoysaleswara Temple

Question 47

Measured 45.5ft by 21 ft, with an exterior consisting of two rock-cut columns between pilasters acting as vestibule to the screen. It has a vase-shaped base- an octagonal shaft and carved capitals. The Pillars support the main beam of the roof

Answer 47

Bedsa

Question 48

Built Started by Hushang Shah and finished by Mahmud I in A.D. 1440. The mosque covers a square of 288 ft side, prolonged on the eastern front by another 100 ft by a projecting domed entrance hall and a wide flight of steps. There are also two subsidiary entrances to the north, one for the priests and the other a private entrance for the zenana. Being raised on a high plinth enables the front side of the basement to contain a series of arcaded chambers to be used as a serai.

Answer 48

Jama Masjid, Mandu

Question 49

They were the residential places of the Buddhist monks. The main hall was entered through a doorway, leading to an assembly hall, dining chambers, and meditation cells. The walls depict figures of the Buddha and are often excavated from solid rock central pillared chamber or quadrangle surrounded by a verandah.

Answer 49

Vihara