CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Apatsahayesvara temple at Tiruppalanam belongs to the reign of Aditya I (871-907 CE). This is a unique temple owing to the account of the plan of its superstructure (vimana) and half hall (ardhamandapa) and disposition of the associated imagery. The earliest inscription that can be definitely ascribed to Aditya is from 884 CE. The figures of the divinity niches (devakoshthas) are so much covered with stucco that the fine original figures cannot be recognised. Though an unusual temple, this temple does not have a following. References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1966, pp.153-156, M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p.158.

Archaeological Museum, Bodhgaya

The museum was established in 1956 by the ASI and preserved sculptures from Bodhgaya and from nearby villages. Within the walls of the museum compound, the Bodhgaya stone railing has been reconstructed. The museum also consists of a large collection of Pala period sculptures (9th-12th centuries) carved in black stone.

The site of Sarnath is identified as the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon. The excavated site has foundations of monastic dwellings, temples, and stupas. The collection covers structures within the excavated site. Excavations at Sarnath reveal that the oldest levels date to the Marurya period to the reign of Ashoka. The site contains the famous lion-capital memorial pillar from 3rd century BCE along with stupas from Gupta and Pala periods.

Archaeological Site, Kumrahar, Bihar

The Center for Art & Archaeology has a large repertoire of manually made measured architectural drawings, created through several documentation programs of the Center. Some of the earliest drawings were made in 1966 when the Center started its first project of surveying and documenting the historical buildings, particularly temple architecture of India. The types of architectural drawings housed in the archives of the CA & A include maps, site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, mouldings and individual drawings of specific architectural components. The maps depict political regions of various dynasties of the subcontinent. All the drawings that are part of the above collection are made by the Center’s draftsmen who visited each of these sites and buildings, measured and created about 10,000 drawing including 6000 hand-drawn measured sketches.