Art & Culture · Start here
Read Indian culture through things people make.
Architecture, painting, dance and craft reveal different places and periods.
Contents
Art & Culture
8 articlesChapter 1 – Architecture
- Gupta Age Sculpture and the Iron Pillar of DelhiC.1
- Mauryan Art and Architecture: Pillars, Palaces, and SculptureC.2
- Mughal Architecture: Humayun's Tomb and the Path to the TajC.3
- Nagara and Dravida: The Two Great Temple Architecture TraditionsC.4
- Regional Sultanate Architecture: Gujarat, Malwa, and the Bahmani DeccanC.5
- The Qutb Minar and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque: Delhi's Sultanate-Era MasterpiecesC.6
- The Vesara Style: Hoysala and Chalukya Temple ArchitectureC.7
28 articlesChapter 2 – Temples and Sacred Sites
- Bengal Terracotta: Bishnupur's Temples and the Bankura HorseP.1
- Char Dham Yatra: Uttarakhand's Himalayan PilgrimageP.2
- Chausath Yogini TemplesP.3
- Dashavatara Temple, DeogarhP.4
- Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)P.5
- Huchimalligudi Temple, AiholeP.6
- Kanwar Yatra: Dates and Mythological SignificanceP.7
- Kashi Vishwanath TempleP.8
- Meenakshi Temple, MaduraiP.9
- Qutb MinarP.10
- Quwwat-ul-Islam MosqueP.11
- Somnath Temple: A Thousand Years of Destruction and RebuildingP.12
- The Arasavalli Sun TempleP.13
- The Dilwara Jain TemplesP.14
- The Konark Sun TempleP.15
- The Ram Mandir, AyodhyaP.16
- Virupaksha Temple, PattadakalP.17
- Vishwa Shanti StupaP.18
15 articlesChapter 3 – Painting
- Bani Thani: The Kishangarh School's Iconic PaintingN.1
- Buddhist and Hindu Mythological Influence on Indian PaintingN.2
- Distinguished Painters and Modern Trends in Indian Painting: A Complete GuideN.3
- Jahangir and Shah Jahan: Two Emperors, Two Painting StylesN.4
- Lalit Kala AkademiN.5
- Madhubani Painting: Bihar's Mithila Folk ArtN.6
- Mughal Painting: Characteristic Features and Manuscripts: A Complete GuideN.7
- Nirmal Painting: Telangana's Gold-Flecked Wood ArtN.8
- Paintings in Early India: A Complete GuideN.9
- Pattachitra: Odisha's Sacred Cloth-Scroll Painting TraditionN.10
- Regional Schools of Indian Painting: Bundi, Pahari and Tanjore: A Complete GuideN.11
- The Bengal School of Painting: Institutions Behind the MovementN.12
- Warli Painting: Maharashtra's Tribal Art TraditionN.13
34 articlesChapter 4 – Music and Dance
- Ali Akbar Khan: A Sarod Dynasty's Central FigureL.1
- BharatanatyamL.2
- Bhimsen Joshi: The Voice Behind the Bharat RatnaL.3
- Bhupen HazarikaL.4
- Bismillah Khan: The Shehnai's Classical VoiceL.5
- Carnatic MusicL.6
- Classical and Folk Dances of IndiaL.7
- Hindustani Classical MusicL.8
- Indian Music: Hindustani and Carnatic TraditionsL.9
- Kalaripayattu: Kerala's Ancient Martial Art and Marma Medicine TraditionL.10
- KathakL.11
- Kathakali: The Dance-Drama of KeralaL.12
- KuchipudiL.13
- L. Subramaniam: The Doctor Who Chose the ViolinL.14
- Lata Mangeshkar: The Nightingale of IndiaL.15
- Manipuri: The Classical Dance of ManipurL.16
- MohiniyattamL.17
- OdissiL.18
- Ravi Shankar: Sitar Maestro to the WorldL.19
- Rukmini Devi Arundale: Reviving BharatanatyamL.20
- S. JanakiL.21
- Sangeet Natak AkademiL.22
- SarodL.23
- Sattriya: The Monastery Dance of AssamL.24
- ShehnaiL.25
- Sitar: The Instrument That Took Indian Classical Music to the WorldL.26
- TablaL.27
- Zubin Mehta: The World's Maestro from MumbaiL.28
16 articlesChapter 5 – Literature
- Ancient Indian Scientific Literature: Charaka, Sushruta, and AryabhataI.1
- Banabhatta: Court Poet and the HarshacharitaI.2
- GitanjaliI.3
- Mirza GhalibI.4
- Modern Indian Literature and the Impact of the WestI.5
- Munshi Premchand: The Upanyas SamratI.6
- R.K. NarayanI.7
- Sangam Literature: The Ettuthogai and Pathupattu AnthologiesI.8
- The Panchatantra and the Fable Tradition in Ancient Indian LiteratureI.9
- The Twin Tamil Epics: Silappadikaram and ManimekhalaiI.10
- Vallathol Narayana MenonI.11
19 articlesChapter 6 – Religion and Philosophy
- AshvaghoshaO.1
- Bahubali (Gommateshwara)O.2
- BalaramaO.3
- Dashavatar: The Ten Avatars of VishnuO.4
- Kartikeya (Murugan)O.5
- MaitreyaO.6
- Mudras of the Buddha: Symbolic Hand Gestures ExplainedO.7
- NagarjunaO.8
- NatarajaO.9
- Sage Agastya (Agatthiyar)O.10
- Samudra Manthan: The Churning of the OceanO.11
- TandavaO.12
- The Bhakti Movement: From the Tamil Alvars to Kabir and RavidasO.13
- The Parsi Rise to Commercial ProminenceO.14
- Vedic Literature: From Hymns to PhilosophyO.15
13 articlesChapter 7 – Indian Religion
- Arya Samaj: The Movement That Wanted to Undo Centuries of Hindu PracticeH.1
- Christianity in India: From St. Thomas to the Portuguese MissionsH.2
- Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha in IndiaH.3
- Four Orthodox Schools: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, and MimamsaH.4
- Guru Granth SahibH.5
- Jain Councils, Philosophy, and Royal PatronageH.6
- Judaism in India: Cochin Jews, Bene Israel, and Baghdadi JewsH.7
- Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Eight LimbsH.8
- Religious Life in the Indus Valley CivilizationH.9
- Sikhism: Scripture, Martyrdom, and the KhalsaH.10
- Sufism in India: Orders, Saints, and Devotional MusicH.11
- The Buddhist Councils and the Spread of BuddhismH.12
- Zoroastrianism and the Parsis: Migration and Sacred FireH.13
18 articlesChapter 9 – Handicrafts and Textiles of India
- Bandhani: Gujarat and Rajasthan's Tie-Dye TraditionG.1
- Bidriware: Bidar's Black Metal Inlay CraftG.2
- Blue Pottery of Jaipur: The No-Clay Ceramic CraftG.3
- Channapatna Toys: Karnataka's Lacquered Wooden-Toy CraftG.4
- ChikankariG.5
- Dhokra Art: India's 4,000-Year-Old Lost-Wax Metal CastingG.6
- Dilli HaatG.7
- IndiahandmadeG.8
- Kalamkari: Andhra Pradesh's Painted and Printed Textile ArtG.9
- Kashmiri Papier-Mache: From Pen Cases to Fine ArtG.10
- Kondapalli Toys: Andhra Pradesh's Softwood Toy TraditionG.11
- Meenakari: Jaipur's Enamel-Work LegacyG.12
- PashminaG.13
- Phulkari: Punjab's Floral Embroidery TraditionG.14
- The Banarasi Saree: Varanasi's GI-Tagged Silk and Zari WeaveG.15
- The Kanjeevaram Saree: Kanchipuram's Temple-Silk Weaving TraditionG.16
- TribeXG.17
- Zardozi: Gold-Thread Embroidery of the Mughal CourtsG.18
25 articlesChapter 10 – Fairs and Festivals of India
- Baisakhi: The Harvest Festival That Founded a FaithE.1
- Divya Kala Mela: A Marketplace for Divyang TalentE.2
- Durga Puja: The Community Festival That Outgrew a Rich Man's Front YardE.3
- Ganesh Chaturthi: From Household Puja to Public FestivalE.4
- Hornbill FestivalE.5
- Kumbh MelaE.6
- Pongal: The Festival Named After a Pot Boiling OverE.7
- Pushkar Mela: Rajasthan's Camel Fair and Brahma PilgrimageE.8
- Rann Utsav: Gujarat's White Desert FestivalE.9
- Sonepur Mela: Bihar's Historic Cattle Fair at the Ganga-Gandak ConfluenceE.10
- Basant Panchami
- Buddha Purnima: The Triple Blessed Day
- Chapchar Kut, Khongjom Parba, and Thang-Ta: A Northeast Matching Trap
- Ganga Dussehra: The Day Shiva Caught a Falling River
- Guru Purab: Guru Nanak's Birth Anniversary
- Karva Chauth: The Fast With Four Different Origin Stories
- Krishna Janmashtami: The Birth, the Pyramid and the Rule
- Lohri
- Mahashivratri: The Great Night of Shiva
- Mahavir Jayanti
- Milad-un-Nabi
- Muharram
- Navratri
- Raksha Bandhan: The Bond History Can't Quite Confirm
- Ram Navami
4 articlesChapter 11 – National Symbols, Culture and Festivals
28 articlesChapter 12 – Cinema and Modern Artists
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Malayalam Parallel CinemaD.1
- Amitabh BachchanD.2
- Amrita Sher-Gil: Pioneer of Indian ModernismD.3
- Anish Kapoor and the ArcelorMittal OrbitD.4
- Ashok KumarD.5
- Bimal RoyD.6
- Bollywood's Global ReachD.7
- Dadasaheb Phalke: The Father of Indian CinemaD.8
- Dilip Kumar: The Tragedy King of Indian CinemaD.9
- Freedom of Expression for Indian Artists and Writers TodayD.10
- Guru DuttD.11
- Homai Vyarawalla: India's First Woman PhotojournalistD.12
- K. AsifD.13
- M.F. Husain: From Cinema Hoardings to Modern MasterD.14
- Mani Ratnam and the Commercial-Arthouse CrossoverD.15
- Mehboob KhanD.16
- Mira Nair: Indian Cinema from the DiasporaD.17
- R.K. Laxman and the Common ManD.18
- Rabindranath Tagore: The Poet Who Became a PainterD.19
- Raj Kapoor: The Showman of Indian CinemaD.20
- Ritwik GhatakD.21
- Satyajit Ray and the Rise of Parallel CinemaD.22
- Sohrab ModiD.23
- Tagore the Painter, M.F. Husain, and R.K. Laxman: Modern Icons of Indian ArtD.24
- The Indian Film IndustryD.25
- The Progressive Artists' Group: S.H. Raza, F.N. Souza, and Beyond HusainD.26
- The Sir J.J. School of Art and IPTA: Two More Currents of Creative ExpressionD.27
- V. ShantaramD.28
1 articlesChapter 13 – Freedom Struggle Culture
8 articlesChapter 14 – Ancient Indian History
- Beyond Mohenjodaro: Dholavira and RakhigarhiA.1
- Indus Valley Town Planning: Grids, Drains, and the Great BathA.2
- Indus Valley Trade: The Lothal Dockyard and Mesopotamian ContactA.3
- The Dancing Girl, the Priest-King, and Indus ToysA.4
- The Indus Script, Seals, and System of WeightsA.5
- The Indus Valley's Three Phases and Its Agricultural BaseA.6
- Why Did the Indus Valley Civilization Decline?A.7