Ashlar masonry: carefully cut and grooved stones that support a building without the use
of concrete or other kinds of masonry
Axis-mundi: axis that connects heaven and earth
Buddha: founder of Buddhism; multiple forms; has achieved full enlightenment
Bulbous: when describing a dome; fat or bulging at the bottom before tapering inwards
slightly
Cenotaph: an empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person
Chahar bagh: “fourfold garden”; a garden often divided into quarters by divisions of water
Chamfered corner: a flattened corner of two buildings, often at 45 degrees
Chhatri: elevated, domed tower
Corbelled arch: constructed by offsetting successive courses of stone (or brick) so that
they project towards the archway's center from each supporting side, until the courses
meet at the apex of the archway
Embryo room: the central most room in an Hindu shrine; this room houses the deity’s
statue and is believed to the deity’s dwelling place; typically, very small
Hasht Bihisht: refers to a specific type of floorplan common in Mughal architecture where
the plan is divided into 8 chambers surrounding a central room
Iwan: In Islamic architecture, a vaulted room opening to a courtyard
Jali: perforated and decorated screen, usually with calligraphic or geometric ornamentation
Maithuna: depictions of couples explicitly engaged in sexual intercourse
Mausoleum: a building that contains tombs
Miniature: small paintings on paper, prized for their detail and precision
Mughals: Islamic rulers in India, known for opulence and extravagance
Nimbus: a circle or oval shape surrounding a religious figure, representing spiritual light or
glory
Panchayatana: Hindu temple where the main shrine is surrounded by four smaller shrines
Pietra dura: term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished colored
stones to create images on a neutral colored stone
Shiva: the Hindu god of destruction
Stupa: a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine
Tantric: referring to transcendence; often used to describe deeply meditative and intimate
sexual activity
Torana: a gateway near a stupa that has two upright posts and three horizontal lintels;
they are usually elaborately carved
Urna: red dot on the forehead of Buddhist figures
Ushnisha: top-knot on the top of Buddha’s head (references a humble crown)
Vishnu: the Hindu god of preservation
Wat: a Buddhist monastery or temple in Cambodia
Yakshi: female and male fertility figures in Buddhist and Hindu art