HOA 3- INDIA

Indus Region

Home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations.

India

World's 7th largest country & world's 2nd largest population

Northern Region

Mountain zone of the Himalayas.

Southerly range of Himalayas

the great northern plain

Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra

India's three main rivers

Western Region

Divides India from Pakistan. The Kashmir and Punjab plains.

Shisham

Indian Rosewood; hardwood found in the river valleys of the North.

Religion

basis of social structure

Veda

knowledge, scripture

Vedism

worship of trees, stones & water

lacked the concepts of karma and reincarnation

Soma

Drink of Strength, liberation of liquor made of vegetable matter

Brahmanism

reflected the military character of India

Theory of Bhakti

"trusting worship"

Mahabharata

a great Indian mystical epic poem, 'Song of the Blessed'

Hinduism

Complex mixture of:

• sublime Vedic philosophies,

• dogmatic Brahmanical rituals,

• Yogic mysticism,

• Tantrik occultism,

• fertility cults,

• monastic orders,

• pagan customs and the

belief in one God who manifests as innumerable divine beings.

Brahma

chief god, father of the Brahman Trinity, has 4 heads (3 of which representing their trinity) & recreates the universe in a never-ending cycle

Deities worshiped by Hindus:

Saktas

worship a Mother Goddess, God incarnate in female form

Deities worshiped by Hindus:

Saivites

worship the god Siva

Deities worshiped by Hindus:

Vaishnavites

worship the god Vishnu

Durga

Beautiful woman with a gentle

face, rides a lion with 10 arms holding weapons with which she vanquishes the demons who threaten the dharma.

Kali

fierce form, portrayed dripping with blood, necklace of skulls symbolizing her aspect as the destroyer of evil which means transformation

Siva or Shiva

Creator, preserver, destroyer, personal Lord, friend, primal Soul.

depicted as dancing above the body of the demon he killed

Tantric belief

incorporates an ideal of balance of male and female qualities within a person

Vishnu

merciful deity, the Supreme as a person, have appeared in many earthly incarnations

Caste System

originated from the Aryans, in order to maintain the purity of their blood and to maintain white supremacy

Three important pillars

1. Caste System

2. Family

3. Village

Outcasts

Untouchables, without a varna

Mahavira

"Great hero" founder of Jainism

Jainism

a religion founded in India in the sixth century BC, practice of non-violence, whose members believe that everything in the universe has a soul and therefore shouldn't be harmed.

Digambara

"sky clad", monks carry asceticism to the point of rejecting even clothing

Shvetambara

"White clad"; a member of the Jain sect in which monks and nuns wear white clothing

Karma

invisible material substance that interferes with liberation and can only be dissolved through asceticism.

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism, enlightened one

Buddhism

A religion based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Theravada

"the Lesser Vehicle"- faithful to ancient rules Maha

Mahayana

"the Great Vehicle" - worship of bodhisavattas or creatures of charoty

Emperor Ashoka

3rd most powerful Mauryan Emperor, who created the first pan-indian empire

Islam

Medieval Christianity as Mahomet, "God is One", youngest of the 3 monotheistic world

Sikhism

founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, the all pervading spirit, emphasis on the principle of equality of all humans

Mehgarh, Pakistan

first urban civilization of South Asia

Mohenjo-Daro

Largest city of the Indus Valley civilization, planned layout based on a street grid of rectilinear buildings

Lothal

a bead factory, world's earliest known system of flush toilets connected to a common sewerage pipe

Hindu temples

scared structure and abode of their GOD

Mandir (temple)

enlightenment

Artha

prosperity, wealth

Kama

pleasure, sex

Dharma

virtues, ethical life

Moksha

release, self-knowledge

Shilpa Shastras

Science of Silpa - Arts and Crafts

icons, stone murals, painting etc.

Vastu Shastra

the science of architecture

building houses, temples, village, etc

Mandala

circle circumscribes the square, expression of sacred geometry

Vastu

building

Purusha

universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition

Grama Vinyasa

temple is usually in the center of village

direction of a temple

always face east, place of origin of the sun

Temple Complex

Main Shrine

central sanctum enshrines the main deity

Temple Complex

Spacious Halls of temple

place for the recitation and listening of folktales

Vimana

Sanctuary as a whole

Garbhagriha

the womb- chamber, innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple, where the primary idol or deity is housed along with Purusa

Shikhara

a pyramidal tower built over the sanctuary of a Hindu temple, represents Meru

Pradakashina Patha

ambulatory passageway for circumambulation, devotees walk around the deity in clockwise direction

Styles of Temples

Dravidian

southern style, found between Krishna River and Cape Comorin, like miniature towns

Gopuram

watch tower/sculptured gateway, only found in southern India(Dravidian Style)

Styles of Temples

Nagara

northern style, found between Vindhyas and Himalayas, beehive shaped tower

Styles of Temples

Vesara

mixed style, found between the Krishna and Vindhyas

Brihadishwara temple

world's 1st completed granite temple, built by the Chola King Rajarajara I, 66m high making it one of the tallest temples in the world

Parts of a Hindu Temple

Amalaka

cupola

Parts of a Hindu Temple

Mandapa

known also as Nata-mandira- temple hall of dancing, for the assembly of the devotees

Parts of a Hindu Temple

Antarala

intermediate chamber, unites the main sanctuary and the pillared hall of the temple

Parts of a Hindu Temple

Ardhamandapa

Front porch or the main entrance of the temple leading to the mandapa

Toranas

typical Gateways

Virupaksha Temple

considered to be one of the oldest functioning Hindu temples in India

Papavinasha Tirtha

Mahakuta's tank of ritual ablutions, 1300 year old holy public swimming hole

Mukteshvara Temple

"Lord of Freedom"

Orissa

Most outstanding examples of

nagara architecture. Important landmark in the temple building activity in India.

Bada

foot, ensuring stability of the structure

Gandi

trunk, decorated with the motifs of miniature

Mastaka

apex, crown is decorated by a amalaka

Vishvanatha

Lord of the Universe

another name for Shiva

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

"the Great God of Cave", largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple

Wheel of Law

represents Buddha's career as a teacher, symbolizes the 3rd great event in the historical Buddha's life- "turned the wheel of dharma"

lion

symbol of the sons of Buddha who are spiritually developed

grey elephant

uncontrolled mind and causes destruction

white elephant

tamed and controlled who follows the path of dharma, they guard the temple and Buddha

Mauryan Dynasty

First indian empire. Founded by Chandragupta Mauryan, he ruled from 324 to 301 BC

Emperor Ashoka Maurya

greatest Mauryan King

Stupa

a Buddhist shrine, usually dome-shaped mound, free standing architecture built of earth covered with bricks then later with stones

Temple 17, Sanchi

earliest known masonry structure

Temple 40, Sanchi

earliest known traces of structural shrine

Great Stupa

Oldest stone structure in India

Parts of the Stupa

Anda

hemispheric cupola/mound solid dome, also known as womb or the fertile earth

contains the seed or the relic

Parts of the Stupa

Harmika

heavens of 33 Gods, square pedestal on top of the Anda, "the dwelling place of the Gods"

Parts of the Stupa

Medhi

upper passageway

Parts of the Stupa

Sopana

staircases going to the terrace

Parts of the Stupa

Vedika

wooden or stone railing enclosure

Stambhas or Lats

pillar symbolizes the world axis, monumental free standing pillars

Persepolitan Type

Circular or octagonal with bell shape capital supporting an animal sculpture

Graeco-Roman Type

Rectangular with shallow flutes. Tall and slender with a capital usually with a fluted vase motif.

lotus

divinity/ man's salvation

Ajanta Caves

rock-cut Buddhist monuments in India