Heritage India - Indian Sculptures

The temples constructed over the centuries boast of the sculptures, exhibiting the Indian artisans' talent. The numerous sculptures on temple walls are all hewn out of hard rock & last to date. Rock-cut architecture was perfected by the Buddhists, and was followed by several Hindu rulers. The Pallavas excelled in this art in the South of India.     

The sculptures or idols in temples are made of granite (if it is mula vigraham) & the Utsava murthis are made of bronze & panchaloha. Apart from these, there are the huge Iyyanar statues & horses which still exist in South Indian villages.   

Terracota (clay figurines) is an art in which various techniques are folowed by artisans in different parts of India. Sculptures are also made in various other metals such as brass, copper, white metal, glass, papier-mache, etc., 

India is truly a treasure house of sculptural art. Spread throughout its length and breadth are memorials for the brave (topics - pictures), carved cave temples (pictures), stunningly intricate designs (pictures), and other sculptural artifacts. For the uninitiated, they might look similar, but a careful study provides deep insight into India's glorious past, her mysterious civilization, and importantly, her lost history.

Stone craft in India has been in existence for a very long time. From the time of the polished sandstone lion edict of Sarnath to the present time, this craft of stone has traveled a long distance. In its course it flowered, transformed and gave expression to many styles known today as the Maurya, the Gandhara, the Gupta, the Chalukya, the Chola, the Vijayanagar, the Orissa, the Hoysala, the Mogul, the Indo-Muslim art of the Deccan and the like.

The rock-cut caves of Ajanta and  Ellora and of Udayagiri; the Chalukyan temple of Virupaksha, of Pattadakal, the great Chola temple of the Nayakas at Madurai, the Indo-Aryan temples at Bhuvaneshwar, Puri and Konark, the Sun temple of Modhera, Gujarat and the Chandela temples of Khajuraho: these ageless edifices present an endless variety of exquisite stone carvings. Today, the stone artisans draw much of their inspiration from these monuments and statues.

The glamorous delight of the Taj Mahal in Agra has captured the marble craft of India. Most of the statues in the state of Orissa show similarity in form and details to the sculptures of the Jagannath temple at Puri. Traditional motifs such as standing Deepalakshmis, courting apsaras (temptresses,) lotus blossoms are all adopted as decorative stands for table lamps, ash-trays, or stone flower vases.

Kamat's Potpourri is perhaps the largest single source you will find on the sculptures of India. Kamat has photographed and studied them since his teenage years and amassed an unbelievable collection on the topic. Several doctorates have been earned based on his archives and we are happy to bring this large collection to the researchers worldwide

Architecture, sculpture, arts and crafts of India have an origin in the deepest annals of history of civilization. The 3rd millennium Great baths of Mohenjodaro of Indus Valley civilization are the finest example of these ancient origins. Hindu temples may have varied sizes but also a typical pyramidal spire crowning the temples such as those that can be seen in the Deccan temples of Kanchipuram, Madurai, Srirangam and Rameswaram and Varanasi in the North.

 Muslim invaders also missed the Khajuraho temples in Madhya Pradesh and Sun temple of Konark in Orissa. Many of these temples are profusely carved with figurines of deities on their exteriors and in some cases, even interiors. Sanchi Stupa has fabulous sculpture embellishing the surrounding balustrades and the gateways dating from the 3rd century before Christ. These sculptures depict scenes from Buddha's life and various folk deities.

Buddhist monks did the most notable rock-cut architecture and one of the finest examples of their work is the temple at Mammallapuram. Mauryan stone sculpture is at its best in the Lion Capital in the Sarnath Museum, the state seal of India. The architectural sculptures of Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda depict the social life and life of Buddha. The Hindu cave architecture reached its zenith in Elephanta Caves near Mumbai and Hindu and Jain rock temples of Ellora, especially the Kailasa Temple of 8th century.

Take a tour to discover a whole new world of art and sculpture in India and see the marked differences that makes it stand apart from the sculpture of the world over.

The story of Indian art and sculpture dates back to the Indus valley civilization of the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC. Tiny terra-cotta seals discovered from the valley reveal carvings of peepal leaves, deities and animals. These elemental shapes of stones or seals were enshrined and worshipped by the people of the civilization.

Two other objects that were excavated from the ruins of the Indus valley indicate the level of achievement that Indian art had attained in those days. The bust of a priest in limestone and a bronze dancing girl show tremendous sophistication and artistry.

Indian Sculptures