How medieval Deccani architecture evolved to encompass such a range of marvels, from monolithic cave monasteries to Dravidian temple art to Indo-Islamic minarets
A Sarmaya guide to Hindu temple architecture through our collection of rare photographs
A Delhi-themed walkthrough tailored specifically for a team of architects and designers preparing for a big project in the city
One of the most striking ways in which temples in India announce their provenance is with the spires that loom over the rest of the structure—this is where a North-South divide makes itself felt
TEMPLE TRAILS: TRACING THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHOLA DYNASTY
by Pradeep Chakravarthy
December 2, 2017
A beginner’s guide to the beauty, history and narratives behind three Chola temples
Robert M. Grindlay served the British East India Company from 1804-1820, in India. A self-taught amateur artist, he made many sketches and illustrations recording the landscape and life of early 19th century India. These illustrations were later published and copied in engravings. This book is such a collection of coloured engravings. The topics in the… Read more »
An important, early and rare photographically-illustrated record of the art and architecture of western India with special emphasis on Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat.
Let’s start with the fact that the word ‘Pichwai’ itself is a misnomer
The arts and architecture of Gujarat reflect its vantage point as an ancient gateway for trade, migration, faith and more
Let’s meet the modern-day Siddis, defined by centuries of history in Gujarat, Sufi spiritualism, and ancestral memories of Africa
Take our quiz to learn something new about the real Sher Khan
Let’s hail an auto and follow a journalist and two artists through a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting that takes us into the heart of Ahmedabad
Big ideas in music, food and architecture that were born in India
“Set in Agra, 1627, Mansur: A Novel reimagines a day in the life of an imperial Mughal atelier. Ustad Mansur belonged to a distinguished group of master painters in the service of Jahangir. He specialised in watercolour life-studies—of unmatched realism and finesse—of flora and fauna, both native and exotic.” – Vikramajit Ram for Sarmaya Talks.… Read more »
How albumen, a sticky substance found in egg whites, took the elite European hobby of photography and turned into a global phenomenon
Thomas Herbert’s best-selling 17th-century travelogue details an enchanting encounter with a dodo, only years before the bird went extinct
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
In ancient India, cave complexes sheltered travellers and traders too besides priests and monks. Take our quiz to learn about these rock-cut rest-stops
Odisha’s Pattachitra paintings are rooted in the culture of the seaside town of Puri and, more specifically, in its legendary Jagannath temple
The Siddis are unique among the multicultural communities of the Deccan. Many arrived in India as East African slaves but their lives collided with the volatile politics of the region in ways that would birth new identities