SSC CGL - Detailed Guide 2025
Self-Paced Course
Architecture and Monuments
Reference: NCERT Class 9-12, Lucent GK
1. Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500-1900 BCE)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Town Planning | Grid system with streets intersecting at right angles; advanced drainage |
| Cities | Major sites: Harappa (Punjab), Mohenjodaro (Sindh), Dholavira (Gujarat) |
| Materials | Burnt bricks, no temples or large sculptures; emphasis on civic planning |
Key Monuments and Artefacts:
- Great Bath (Mohenjodaro): Rectangular tank; probably for ritual bathing.
- Granaries (Harappa): Multiple chambers; used for storing grains.
- Bearded Priest (Mohenjodaro): Steatite figure with shawl and trefoil motif.
- Dancing Girl (Mohenjodaro): Bronze statue, shows advanced metal casting and artistic expression.
2. Mauryan Architecture (c. 322-185 BCE)
| Type | Features & Examples |
|---|---|
| Pillars (Ashokan) | Monolithic, polished sandstone; carved capitals (e.g., Lion Capital at Sarnath) |
| Stupas | Hemispherical mounds with relics; example: Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh) |
| Rock-cut Architecture | Earliest caves: Barabar Hills (Bihar); smooth interiors, dedicated to Ajivikas |
Key characteristics: Highly polished surfaces, inscriptions (Brahmi script), Buddhist symbolism.
3. Post-Mauryan Period (Shunga, Kushana)
| Element | Features | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Stupas & Viharas | Elaborate railings, toranas (gateways) added; richly carved | Bharhut (Shunga), Amaravati, Sanchi |
| Chaityas | Rock-cut prayer halls with vaulted ceilings | Karla Caves (Maharashtra) |
| Gandhara School | Greco-Roman influence; Buddha depicted in human form (realistic) | Grey sandstone sculptures (Taxila, Peshawar) |
| Mathura School | Indigenous style; red sandstone; spiritual expression over realism | Mathura Buddha images, Yaksha statues |
4. Gupta Period (c. 320-550 CE)
| Feature | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Temple Architecture | Start of structural temples (not rock-cut); flat roof → shikhara development | Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh (Vishnu Temple) |
| Sculptural Style | Graceful, idealized figures; blend of realism and spiritual serenity | Standing Buddha (Sarnath) |
| Cave Paintings | Rich murals depicting Jataka stories, deities, and court life | Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra) |
Distinct Gupta characteristics: Detailed carvings, development of nagara temple style.
5. Medieval Architecture
Indo-Islamic Architecture
- Fusion of Islamic (arch, dome, minaret) and Indian (lotus motifs, brackets) styles.
- Introduction of mortar, true arches, and geometric patterns.
Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526)
| Monument | Features |
|---|---|
| Qutub Minar | 72.5 m high minaret; built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, completed by Iltutmish |
| Alai Darwaza | True arch and dome; decorative calligraphy |
| Tombs | Square domes, octagonal plans, plain exteriors |
Mughal Architecture (1526-1707)
| Monument | Features |
|---|---|
| Red Fort (Delhi) | Use of red sandstone; chhatris, ornamental arches |
| Taj Mahal (Agra) | White marble; Charbagh layout; bulbous dome; pietra dura inlay work |
| Fatehpur Sikri | Planned city with monuments like Buland Darwaza, Diwan-i-Khas |
Common elements: Symmetry, inlay work, bulbous domes, charbagh gardens, Persian-Islamic influence.
6. Modern Period Architecture
British Colonial Architecture
| Building | Style | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Memorial | Indo-Saracenic + Classical | White marble; domes, colonnades, large gardens |
| Rashtrapati Bhavan | Edward Lutyens' design; fusion of European and Indian | Massive dome, chhatris, Mughal gardens |
| Gateway of India | Indo-Saracenic | Combination of Hindu and Muslim elements |
Post-Independence Architecture
| Monument | Architect/Style | Notable Aspects |
|---|---|---|
| Lotus Temple (Delhi) | Fariborz Sahba / Expressionist style | White marble; petal-like design; Baháʼí House of Worship |
| ISKCON Temples | Contemporary Hindu temple architecture | Blend of tradition and modern design |
| Vidhan Bhavan (Chandigarh) | Le Corbusier / Modernist | Exposed concrete, clean lines, minimalism |
Developed By Satyam Kumar
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