Encyclopaedia of Architecture in the Indian Subcontinent (2 Vols-Set)

Contents: Vol. I: Ancient and Early Medieval: Preface. Introduction. 1. 1. The Mauryan dynasty and the foundations of Indian civilisation--Indian village and town planning. 2. Building bye-laws--Village dwellings--The Assembly-hall--The administration of villages and towns--Constitutional Government in ancient India--Village walls and gateways. 3. Fergusson's classifications of style--Divine worship in ancient India--The village shrine in Asoka's time--The inspiration of Indo-Aryan Art. 4. The stupa and its symbolism. 5. Symbolism: The lotus-leaf arch, or sun-window--Pillars, capitals, and bases--The Vishnu standard and pillar--The holy mount--The symbol of death. 6. The Chaitya-griha, or Buddhist Chapter house--the raison d'etre of rock-cut temples and monasteries--The Karle rock-cut Chaitya house--The birth of Gothic Art in Europe. 7. The Vihara or monastery--The Gautami-putra monastery, Nasik--Monastery at Bedsa--Models of monasteries at Mamallapuram. 8. Vishnu and Siva shrines--The allegory of the Dawn-maiden-The Brahma shrine--orientation of Indian temples. 9. The evolution of Indian fine art and its influence on temple building--The Gandharan school--The philosophy of Indian temple building--Indian arches--The temple of Martand. 10. The Gupta empire--Vikramaditya's statecraft--Indian colonisation--Chinese accounts of India in the fifth and seventh centuries--Harsha of Thanesar and his Government--The feast of the Indian trinity at Prayaga. 11. Ancient Indian universities--The University of Ajanta--Vishnu's last Avatar. 12. The great temple of elephanta--The Trimurti. 13. The dynasties of Southern India--Aryan civilisation in the South--The Five Great Assemblies--Local self-government in the tenth century--Siva temples at Badami--Temples at Pattadakal--The Virupaksha Temple--The evolution of temple planning. 14. The Tirth of ellora--The Visvakarma Chaitya-house--The Dumar Lena temple--The Ramesvara temple--The Kailasa temple--The Indra Sabha and Jagannath Sabha. 15. The Hindu decadence in the north of India--The temples Khajuraho--The domes of Mandapams--Sankaracharya and his Mission--Southern Indian architecture in the tenth and eleventh centuries. 16. The Muhammadan invasion and after. Index.

Vol. II: Medieval and Later : From the First Muhammadan Invasion Onwards: Preface. 1. Hindu and Saracenic art--The pointed arch--The migrations of craftsmen--The first Muhammadan invaders of India. 2. Hindu symbolism--The design and building of the Taj Mahall. 3. The Thirteenth Century: Mosques at Delhi and Ajmir--The Qutb Minar. 4. The Fourteenth Century: Gujerat-Gaur--The arch in Indian architecture--Kulbarga--Muhamadan Tombs. 5. The Fiftennth Century: Mandu: The Jami Masjid; Mulik Mughi's mosque--Jaunpur: The Atala and Jami' Masjids--Ahmadabad: The Jami Masjid; Muhafiz Khan's Masjid--Alif Khan's Masjid--Mosque and Tombs at Sarkhej--Sayyid Usman's Tomb--Sayyid Mubarak's Tomb--Gaur--Dakhil gate and Eklakhi Masjid. 6. Indian arches, brackets, capitals, and domes--The Hindu temple Sikhara. 7. The Sixteenth Century in Bengal: Husain Shah and the cult of Satya Pir--The influence of Bengali crafts-manship upon Indo-Muhammadan architecture--The buildings at Gaur: The Qadam-i-Rasul Masjid; The sona Masjid; The Chota Sona Masjid; The Jami Masjid of Akhi Seraj-ud-Din. 8. Gujerat Architecture in the Sixteenth Century : The Champanir mosques--Buildings in Ahmadabad: Rani Rupavati's Masjid; Sidi Sayyid's Masjid; Mosque and Tomb of Rani Spiari; Dada Harir's well--Hindu buildings in Rajputana--The palace of man Singh of Gwalior. 9. The advent of the Moguls: Sher Shah's mosque and Tomb--Humayun's Tomb. 10. The Sixteenth Century: Akbar--the buildings at Fatepur-Sikri--Akbar's palace at Agra. 11. Vijayanagar and Bijapur: The architectural relationship of Vijayanagar and Bijapur--The Vitthala-Swami temple and other buildings at Vijayanagar--The Jami Masjid, Bijapur--Ibrahim's mosque and Tomb--The Mehtar Mahall-Mahmud's Tomb--Indian Stucco. 12. Hindu buildings in the Sixteenth Century: Govind Deva's temple at Brindaban--Hinduism and idolatry--Jaina temples--Man Singh's observatory, Benares. 13. The seventeenth century: Bir Singh Deva's Palace, Datiya--Palaces at Jodhpur--Mogul buildings at Agra and Delhi--Tirumalai Nayyak's Palace and Chaultri, Madura--Chandragiri Palace. 14. The Eighteenth Century to the present day: The decay of the Mogul Empire--Tomb of Safdar Jang, Delhi--Eighteenth-century buildings at Lucknow--The Sikandara Bagh, Agra--Modern Rajput architecture: The city of Jaipur; Palaces at Dig and Udaipur; Domestic buildings--Anglo-Indian architecture--Indian architecture in the Victorian period--Modern buildings. 15. The future of architecture in India--The building of the New Delhi. Appendix. Index.

"The book is a scholarly account of the glories of India's architectural heritage and deals with the entire subcontinent including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The book traces the cultural contacts which have contributed to the rich mosaic of temples, mosques, palaces, forts and other monuments that have gone towards the creation of one of the greatest civilization of the world. It is a study of political, social, religious and artistic aspects of Indo-Aryan civilization, as revealed in the ancient and medieval monuments of India.

"Divided into two volumes, the work is copiously illustrated. Over three hundred photographs and line drawings accompany the text. The first volume is devoted to Ancient and Early Medieval Architecture while the second volume covers the Medieval and Later Period starting from the first Muhammadan invasion onwards.

"Lavishly illustrated, the book tries the capture the architectural heritage of India in all its rich splendour. The text along with sensitive photographs will capture the imagination of the reader. The book will prove to be an invaluable asset not only to the academicians, architects, researchers and libraries but also to the layreader.' (jacket)