CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

This Mughal-period caravansarai or rest house located east of National Highway 44 in the centre of Gharaunda, Karnal, Haryana was built during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan around 1048 AH/1638 CE, the Sarai is attributed to Feroz Khan, as recorded by the traveller Peter Munday. Constructed of lakhori bricks, rubble masonry, and lime mortar, the complex originally comprised a large enclosure, of which only the monumental northern and southern gateways now survive. The southern gateway has a large arched recess, projecting balcony supported on corbel brackets, and double-storeyed corner bastions that were once crowned with domes. The Sarai had already fallen into ruin by the early nineteenth century and was further dismantled after the Revolt of 1857 and its bricks reused for railway construction between 1880 and 1890 CE. The monument was notified as a protected structure on December 1, 1914, and is presently protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (Chandigarh Circle). The surviving gateways are well maintained.

Ghormal-Vaula, Baroque Architecture, Maharashtra

The Ghritasthanesvara temple at Tillaisthanam is perhaps the latest amongst Muttaraiyar buildings; it ushers in features that are seen in typically Chola temples. For example, the bulls over the prati-corners show a transition toward Chola types. There are some stray sculptures of Muttaraiyar workmanship including an earlier Nandi in the temple’s surroundings. Three important inscriptions are associated with this temple. The oldest, perhaps of the brother of Maranjadaiyan Varaguna II, is one of the monarch’s fourth year (866 CE), the second is in the tenth year of a Pandya king inscribed by one Pallava Nandivarma. The third, of the eighth year of Rajakesarivarma (879 CE) that records a donation by Aditya I’s son. These inscriptions give clear evidence of the transfer of power over this region from the Pallava to the Pandya and then to the Chola rulers. The temple seems either pre-Chola or rebuilt in 878-879 CE. And if the builders were indeed Chola, then they must have tried to follow the convention of an older Muttaraiyar building. Reference: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp. 143-144, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1966, pp. 160-164.

Goa Velha/Velha Goa, Baroque Architecture, Goa

Gomukha kund, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan

Gopuras, Srirangam, Tamil Nadu