17 Apr Gupta temple india 6 properties addition to the tentative list
This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the Topic of Gupta temple india 6 properties addition to the tentative list
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GS-1- Art and Culture- Gupta temple india 6 properties addition to the tentative list
FOR PRELIMS
What is a Gupta temple? How are Gupta temples different from earlier temples?
FOR MAINS
Why is the Gupta period known as the golden age of temple architecture?
Why in the News?
India has recently added six heritage properties to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre’s Tentative List on March 7, as confirmed by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO. This is a crucial preliminary step toward securing a place on the World Heritage List in the future. The newly added sites include Kanger Valley National Park in Chhattisgarh, Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs in Telangana, serial nomination of Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes, Chausath Yogini Temples, Gupta Temples in North India, and the Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas located in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Some of these are serial nominations spread across multiple states. Inclusion in the tentative list is mandatory before a site can be formally considered for World Heritage status.
1. Rock-Cut Edicts
Rock-cut edicts of Emperor Ashoka are found across India, including:
1. Dhauli (Odisha)
2. Girnar (Gujarat)
3. Kalsi (Uttarakhand)
4. Mansehra (Pakistan)
5. Sopara (Maharashtra)
6. Yerragudi (Andhra Pradesh)
Features
Engraved on natural rock surfaces or cave walls.
Inscribed in Brahmi script, and some in Kharosthi, Greek, and Aramaic (especially in the northwest).
The language used is primarily Prakrit.
Themes include Dhamma (moral code), religious tolerance, animal welfare, and administrative directives.
Served as a form of mass communication in the 3rd century BCE.
Significance
1. These edicts are primary sources of Mauryan history and Ashokan philosophy.
2. Represent one of the earliest forms of public inscription in India.
3. They reflect political outreach, unification strategies, and Ashoka’s transformation after the Kalinga war.
4. Some sites, like Girnar and Dhauli, also feature artistic carvings, including elephants and wheels.
2. Megalithic Menhirs
Prominent in Telangana, especially in Mudumal village, Narayanpet district.
Also found in parts of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and central India.
Features
1. Tall, upright stone slabs, often planted vertically in memory of the dead.
2. Part of the Megalithic culture (1000 BCE – 300 CE).
3. Associated with burial practices, often marking dolmens or cairn circles.
4. Some menhirs are carved, while others are plain and symbolic.
Significance
1. Provide evidence of prehistoric funerary practices and beliefs in life after death.
2. Indicate a complex social structure with ritualistic customs.
3. Help archaeologists trace the spread and evolution of the Megalithic culture in peninsular India.
4. Their alignment and grouping often suggest astronomical significance.
3. Chausath Yogini Temples
Background
1. Dedicated to the worship of 64 Yoginis, mystical female deities in the Tantric tradition.
2. Originated between the 9th to 12th centuries CE.
3. Yogini temples are often found in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of central India.
Construction
1. Typically circular or hypaethral (open to sky).
2. Made of local stone, these temples have 64 individual niches for each Yogini statue.
3. Some also house the central deity, such as Shiva or Bhairava.
4. The circular layout may symbolize mandalas, used in tantric rituals.
Patronage and Features
1. Patronized by Kalachuri, Chandela, and other regional dynasties.
2. Richly carved figures of Yoginis depict animal and human forms, often terrifying or divine.
3. The design supports ritualistic and esoteric worship associated with Tantra.
Contribution & Significance:
1. Represent a rare fusion of architecture, mysticism, and female divinity.
2. Showcase the regional Tantric traditions and diverse forms of Shaktism.
3. Important for understanding non-Vedic and folk traditions in early Indian religion.
4. Architecturally unique, influencing later temple designs, especially in Khajuraho and other sacred sites.
Gupta Temples
1. Gupta temples are spread across northern and central India, reflecting the core area of the Gupta Empire (c. 4th–6th century CE). Prominent sites include:
a. Deogarh (Uttar Pradesh) – Dashavatara Temple
b. Bhitargaon (Uttar Pradesh) – Brick temple
c. Tigawa (Madhya Pradesh) – Vishnu temple
d. Nachna (Madhya Pradesh) – Parvati temple
e. Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) – Gupta period temples
f. Udayagiri (Madhya Pradesh) – Rock-cut shrines and sculptures
Features
1. Gupta temples mark the beginning of classical Hindu temple architecture.
2. Use of both stone and brick construction (e.g., Bhitargaon is one of the earliest surviving brick temples).
3. Introduction of shikhara (superstructure or tower above the sanctum).
4. Use of garbhagriha (sanctum), mandapa (hall), and pillared porches.
5. Temples are square in plan, reflecting geometrical and symbolic precision.
6. Rich carvings on pillars, door lintels, and walls – showcasing stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
7. Sculptures are elegant, with smooth contours and idealized human forms (classical style).
Contribution to Indian Architecture
1. Gupta temples laid the foundation of the Nagara style of temple architecture in North India.
2. For the first time, temples were built as permanent religious structures, moving away from earlier wooden shrines.
3. Influenced later temple traditions across India, including in Khajuraho, Odisha, and South India.
4. The Gupta period established the template for Hindu temple architecture, which continued to evolve for centuries.
5. These temples reflect a synthesis of aesthetics, religious symbolism, and engineering—marking the Gupta period as a golden age of art and architecture.
Download Plutus IAS Current Affairs (Eng) 17th April 2025
Prelims Questions
Q. With reference to Gupta period temples, consider the following statements:
1. Gupta temples were the first to introduce the concept of a garbhagriha and shikhara.
2. The use of both stone and brick construction was a notable feature during this period.
3. Gupta temples are primarily found in South India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Mains Questions
Q. The Gupta period is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of Indian temple architecture. Examine the architectural features of Gupta temples and discuss their contribution to the development of later Hindu temple architecture in India.
(250 words, 15marks)
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