Architecture of water storage sources
India has a long tradition of construction of wells, ponds, stepwells and other types of water bodies for public use. Pushkarini (pond) is mentioned in Rigveda. In the scriptures like Shankhayanagrihyasutra, Aparak, Hemadri, Dankriya Kaumudi, Reservoir-Gatatva, Pratishtamyukh, Utsargamyukh, Rajdharma Kaustubh etc., the method of getting different types of wells, ponds and reservoirs to be dug and established.
It is said in Vishnudharmasutra that half of the sins of a person who gets a well dug for the public interest are destroyed by the time of drawing water in it. The person who gets the pond dug always remains sinless and resides in Varuna Loka. There are four types of reservoirs excavated for the welfare of the people - Kupa, Vapi, Pushkarini and Tadag. It is written in some texts that due to being quadrilateral or circular, the diameter of the well can be from 5 cubits to 50 cubits.
It usually does not have stairs to reach the water. Vapi is that well in which steps are made to reach the water from all four or three or two or one side and whose mouth is 50 to 100 hands. Pushkarini is 100 to 200 hands in diameter. Tadag is 200 to 300 cubits long.
According to Matsya Purana, Vapi is equal to 10 wells and Hrid (deep reservoir) is equal to 10 Vapis. One son is equal to 10 hearts and one tree is equal to 100 sons. According to Vasistha Samhita, Pushkarini is 400 cubits long and Tadag is 5 times bigger than that. According to Mitakshara, it is the duty of the king to follow the rules made for the protection of Tadagas.
According to Vivaratnakar, when a person breaks a garden, a well, a dam, a reservoir, they should be renovated and the criminal should be punished with 800 panas.
In the inscription of Vikram Samvat 741 (A.D.684) of an ancient site called Nagar in Jaipur region, the credit of building a Vapi has been given to the skilled craftsmen of Marwar Bhinmal and those architects have been praised enough that they are the masters of architecture. He was a pundit. This Vapi of the seventh century is the oldest known till date.
Vasudev Sharan Agrawal estimates that Rahat and Bawdi, two types of special wells were brought to India by the Shakas. The ancient names for Bawdi (Gujarati Bav) were Shakandhu (well of the Shaka country) and Karkandhu for Rahat. Baan has also mentioned Rahat in Harshacharita. Arhatt mentioned in the ancient inscriptions of Rajasthan is also indicative of this. It is possible that both Vapi and Rahat have become popular in Rajasthan due to foreign contact.
Till a few years ago, these types of pottery rahats have been used in some parts of Rajasthan and the same is the case with bullock carts. The medieval, rectangular Vapi at Bhinmal is still located in the Chandinath temple, in which two pillars of the pre-medieval era are inlaid. The architects of Bhiman being very proficient in the art of Vapi construction indicates that the Shakas ruled the region and after learning the architecture that came with them, the craftsmen here became proficient in the knowledge which was called far and wide for the construction of Vapi. was.
According to the Bhadund inscription of Parmar ruler Purnapala's V.No.1102 (AD 1045), a stepwell was built by 22 Brahmins and 1 Kshatriya during the reign of Purnapala. According to the inscription, the Brahmins of Bhadund village, experiencing the impermanence of the world, built a beautiful Vapi, which delighted the hearts of gentlemen and sadhus.
There is a long tradition of water harvesting in areas with low rainfall. The strength of this link was not left only on the rulers, but those parts of the society which are still considered weak from the economic point of view, Bandha-Bandha, Tal-Talai, Johad-Johri, Nadi, Talab, Sarwar, Sir, Lake, Deibandh Used to make , dehri, khadin etc.
Artistic reefs and ghats were built on the reservoirs built in Rajput architectural style, in the upper part of which chhatris were built. An artistic pillar was erected near the reservoir, in which the peak remained in the upper part and the idols of the gods were engraved in the pillars made around the bottom. Information related to the construction of the reservoir was written in the middle of the column.
Artistic stairs and ghats were built to reach the reservoir. Kaushikram's Kund, Jait Sagar and Brahmasagar in Jaisalmer during this period; Phoolsagar and Sursagar in Bundi; Balsamand, Gulab Sagar, Chaukhelao Talab and Sarup Sagar in Jodhpur; Reservoirs like Sursagar, Anupsagar, Nathusar etc. were built in Bikaner. The Rajsamad reservoir, built by Maharana Raj Singh in Udaipur in the 17th century, is the best example of construction art, whose pylon gates are of pure Hindu style, but there is influence of Mughal style on the ornamentation of jaalis and bell-boots in the pavilions. This method of reservoir-building was used till the 19th century.
Memorial Architecture
The tradition of erecting monuments in the memory of Rajput rulers, feudal lords, saints and wealthy people had been going on since ancient times. The medieval Rajput memorial pillars were marked with the heroic warrior and his weapons. She was also called Devali. The Rajput warrior usually rode on a horse and satis were inscribed near him.
After contact with the Mughals, the influence of the Mughal style started appearing on these monuments. Chhatris built from the 17th to the 19th century are usually built on a square platform, on which a small square or circular platform remains and on it a circular dome based on four, six, eight and twelve pillars remains. Their pillars are made in various angular or circular shapes, which have been decorated by various drawings.
The roofs of the domes are usually plain. Shivlings are installed in some umbrellas. Along with this, stone plates containing the figure of the respective king, feudatory or warrior and inscriptions have also been engraved on it. Among the medieval umbrellas, Bikaji's Chhatri and Rai Singh's Chhatri in Bikaner, Rao Maldev's Chhatri and Ajit Singh's Chhatri located in Mandore Garden in Jodhpur and Amar Singh and Karan Singh's Chhatri situated in Ahad village of Udaipur are particularly noteworthy. The shilling is installed in the umbrella of Appaji Scindia in Tausar village of Nagaur district. The monuments in Dandor are built in the figures of temples, they are called Deval.
Other Rajput Architecture
In the pre-medieval and medieval period, a large number of victory pillars and kirtistambhas, mansions, monuments, chhatris and dewal etc., built by the conquering kings, are also found under Rajput architecture. The architectural styles of these buildings have regional characteristics and are also influenced by medieval Muslim art.
Medieval Muslim Architecture
Muslim architecture entered India with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate in the twelfth century AD. The architecture that the Turkic rulers of the Delhi Sultanate brought with them developed from a mixture of styles from Trans-Oxiana, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Arabia, Afghanistan, North Africa and Southwest Europe. This mixed architecture was called Muslim architecture in India.
Some of the features of this style set it apart from Indian architectural styles, such as notched shamrock arches, vaulted pitched roofs, octagonal buildings, high round domes, slender minarets, etc. This style is also called Sarasonic or Islamic art.
Difference between Indian Architecture and Muslim Architecture
There were many differences between Indian architecture and Muslim architecture, some of which are as follows-
(1.) Indian architecture consisted of idealism, fantasy, ornamentation and mystery, whereas Muslim architecture had more elements of realism, simplicity and reality.
(2.) Indian temples appear to be a picturesque world engraved in stone while mosques built in Muslim architecture appear to be a reflection of simplicity and face the far side of Mecca.
(3.) Gods and Goddesses and mythology are depicted on the walls and summits of the temple, while the verses of the Quran are engraved on the walls of the mosque.
(4.) Human form of Gods and Goddesses is depicted in temples whereas the marking of human figures on the walls of mosque is prohibited.
(5.) Hindu temples had shikharas while Muslim buildings had round domes.
(6.) The sanctum sanctorum of Hindu temples was devoid of light and air, while the inner part of the mosque was full of light and air.
(7.) The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was small whereas the main hall of the mosque was large so that maximum number of people could offer Namaz in it.
(8.) In Hindu architecture, ornate pillars and ornate roofs placed on straight pillars were given prominence, whereas in Islamic architecture, more importance was given to triangular arches, round domes and tall minarets.
(9.) Lotus and Kalash were made on the tops of Hindu temples, bells, chains, Ghatpallavas, elephants, lotus flowers etc. were marked on the inner pillars of the temple and Keechakas were marked on the joints of the pillars and roofs. But there was no provision for such ornamentation in Muslim architecture.