Sacred Space and Imperial Power: South Asian Art

South Asian Art

Visual culture of the Indian subcontinent, encompassing art from modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and parts of Afghanistan.

Buddhism

A major world religion originating in the 6th century BCE with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.

Aniconic

Early Buddhist art style represented by symbols, such as footprints or the Bodhi tree, rather than figures.

Stupa

A reliquary mound in Buddhism that holds the relics of the Buddha or realized masters.

Circumambulation

The act of walking around a stupa in a clockwise direction, mimicking the path of the sun.

Anda

The hemispherical dome of a stupa, representing the universe or the world mountain.

Harmika

The square railing on top of a stupa, symbolizing the sacred domain of the gods.

Yasti

The central pole of a stupa that connects earth and heaven, acting as the Axis Mundi.

Chatras

The three umbrella-like disks on the Yasti representing the Three Jewels of Buddhism (The Buddha, The Law, The Monastic Community).

Toranas

Four elaborately carved gateways at the cardinal points of a stupa, often depicting narratives of the Buddha's past lives.

Gandhara

An ancient region where Hellenistic and Buddhist cultures fused, known for its Greco-Buddhist art style.

Greco-Buddhist Style

Art style in Gandhara characterized by realistic drapery, physiognomy influenced by Greek art, and Buddhist iconography.

Bamiyan Buddhas

Colossal rock-cut statues in Afghanistan representing the Buddha, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Darshan

The mutual act of seeing a deity and being seen by the deity in Hindu temple architecture.

Mt. Meru

The cosmic mountain in Hindu belief, where gods reside, symbolized by the architecture of Hindu temples.

Shikara

The tall, beehive-shaped tower of a Hindu temple, representing a mountain peak.

Garbha Griha

The 'Womb Chamber' of a Hindu temple where the deity's image is housed, typically only accessible to the priest.

Mithuna

Sculptures depicting loving couples found on the exterior walls of Hindu temples, symbolizing fertility and divine union.

Nataraja

The form of Shiva as Lord of Dance, depicted in bronze sculptures, representing the cycle of creation and destruction.

Lost Wax Process

A technique used to create bronze sculptures, where a wax model is melted away to form a mold.

Muraqqa

Albums used by Mughal emperors that contained miniature paintings for establishing dynastic legitimacy.

Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings

A famous Mughal painting depicting Emperor Jahangir giving a book to a Sufi, representing hierarchy and cross-cultural influences.

Pietra Dura

Intricate inlay work using semi-precious stones, typically seen in the decoration of the Taj Mahal.

Hasht Bishisht

The 'Eight Paradises' floor plan of the Taj Mahal, designed to reflect the Quranic Paradise.

Charbagh

The four-part garden found in Mughal architecture, used in the layout of the Taj Mahal to enhance reflection.

Iconoclasm

The destruction of religious images or icons, a significant topic in discussions about the Bamiyan Buddhas.

Moksha

Liberation or release from the cycle of birth and rebirth in Hindu philosophy, often symbolized in art.

Bodhisattva

A compassionate being who delays nirvana to help others, often depicted in rich jewelry in Hindu art.

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy.