Subject Code & Name: AR25301 – Architecture in India: Early Civilizations to Mughal Period
Regulation: R-2025
Semester: III (Third Semester)
Branch: B. Arch. (Arch)
Credits / L-T-P: 3 Credits | L-T-P: 3-0-0
Course Objectives
- To give an overall understanding of the architecture in India up to the Mughal period as parallel and sequential productions rising from the cumulative effect of forces operating and intersecting in the Indian subcontinent.
- To inform about prominent modes of architecture in India in terms of evolution, function, morphology and character.
- To give exposure to works that are architecturally exemplary and/or representative.
Full Unit-wise Syllabus
Unit I – Early India and its Cultural Productions
Overview of early history of the Indian subcontinent bringing out different conjectures. Indus Valley Civilisation and its society, culture and urbanism. Vedic culture, settlements and architecture through textual and inscriptional sources as well as conjectures. Outline of textual sources related to architecture and town planning in ancient India. Political, religious and cultural history of India in the first millennium outlining various empires. Evolution of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Interrelationships among them and timelines. Architecture of early Mauryan empire. Buddhist architecture and art. Stupas, chaitya halls and viharas. Hindu temple form – principles, morphology, meaning, symbolism, iconography and rituals, classification. Early Hindu temple architecture and rock cut architecture of Guptas, Chalukyas and Pallavas. Influence of Buddhist architecture on them. Study of important monuments for all the above.
Unit II – Architecture of Southern India
Outline history of South India with particular emphasis on Bhakthi movement and evolution of temple town urbanism and architecture. Art and architecture under the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Nayaks and Vijayanagara kingdom with specific focus on Hindu temple architecture. Influence of social and political history on them. Hoysala architecture. Study of important monuments for all the above.
Unit III – Architecture of Northern India
Architecture of Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with specific focus on Hindu temple architecture. Study of important monuments. Architecture of step wells in Northern India and their socio-cultural importance.
Unit IV – Introduction to Islamic Architecture and Early Islamic Architecture in India
Brief history of Islam. Islamic architecture of the world as rising from Islam as a socio-cultural and political phenomenon. Evolution of building types in terms of forms and functions. Principles and characteristics of Islamic architecture - to include aspects of religion, geometry, structure, materials, decoration, light. Early political history of Islam in India. Evolution of Islamic architecture under the Delhi Sultanate - Slave, Khaji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi dynasties. Study of important monuments. Early Islamic architecture of Punjab.
Unit V – Regional Islamic Architecture, Mughal Architecture
Spread of Islam into other regions of India and their architectural expressions - Gujarat, Bengal, Malwa and the Deccan. Study of important monuments. Political History of the Mughals. Mughal architecture and urbanism under Humayun, Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangazeb. Study of important monuments.Outline of architecture related to Islam in Tamil Nadu.
Course Outcomes (COs)
- CO1: An understanding of the diversity of architecture in India and sensitivity towards its syncretic aspects.
- CO2: Ability to appreciate particular cultural, symbolic, spatial and material qualities in architecture and cities as givers of meaning and con
Subject Code & Name: AR25301 – Architecture in India: Early Civilizations to Mughal Period
Regulation: R-2025
Semester: III (Third Semester)
Branch: B. Arch. (Arch)
Credits / L-T-P: 3 Credits | L-T-P: 3-0-0
Course Objectives
- To give an overall understanding of the architecture in India up to the Mughal period as parallel and sequential productions rising from the cumulative effect of forces operating and intersecting in the Indian subcontinent.
- To inform about prominent modes of architecture in India in terms of evolution, function, morphology and character.
- To give exposure to works that are architecturally exemplary and/or representative.
Full Unit-wise Syllabus
Unit I – Early India and its Cultural Productions
Overview of early history of the Indian subcontinent bringing out different conjectures. Indus Valley Civilisation and its society, culture and urbanism. Vedic culture, settlements and architecture through textual and inscriptional sources as well as conjectures. Outline of textual sources related to architecture and town planning in ancient India. Political, religious and cultural history of India in the first millennium outlining various empires. Evolution of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Interrelationships among them and timelines. Architecture of early Mauryan empire. Buddhist architecture and art. Stupas, chaitya halls and viharas. Hindu temple form – principles, morphology, meaning, symbolism, iconography and rituals, classification. Early Hindu temple architecture and rock cut architecture of Guptas, Chalukyas and Pallavas. Influence of Buddhist architecture on them. Study of important monuments for all the above.
Unit II – Architecture of Southern India
Outline history of South India with particular emphasis on Bhakthi movement and evolution of temple town urbanism and architecture. Art and architecture under the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Nayaks and Vijayanagara kingdom with specific focus on Hindu temple architecture. Influence of social and political history on them. Hoysala architecture. Study of important monuments for all the above.
Unit III – Architecture of Northern India
Architecture of Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with specific focus on Hindu temple architecture. Study of important monuments. Architecture of step wells in Northern India and their socio-cultural importance.
Unit IV – Introduction to Islamic Architecture and Early Islamic Architecture in India
Brief history of Islam. Islamic architecture of the world as rising from Islam as a socio-cultural and political phenomenon. Evolution of building types in terms of forms and functions. Principles and characteristics of Islamic architecture - to include aspects of religion, geometry, structure, materials, decoration, light. Early political history of Islam in India. Evolution of Islamic architecture under the Delhi Sultanate - Slave, Khaji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi dynasties. Study of important monuments. Early Islamic architecture of Punjab.
Unit V – Regional Islamic Architecture, Mughal Architecture
Spread of Islam into other regions of India and their architectural expressions - Gujarat, Bengal, Malwa and the Deccan. Study of important monuments. Political History of the Mughals. Mughal architecture and urbanism under Humayun, Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangazeb. Study of important monuments.Outline of architecture related to Islam in Tamil Nadu.
Course Outcomes (COs)
- CO1: An understanding of the diversity of architecture in India and sensitivity towards its syncretic aspects.
- CO2: Ability to appreciate particular cultural, symbolic, spatial and material qualities in architecture and cities as givers of meaning and continuity.
- CO3: Ability to appreciate universal qualities of architecture and their effects.
Assessment Pattern (Quick Note)
- Weightage: Continuous Internal Assessment 40% | End Semester Examinations 60%
- Internal methodology: Two Assessments with equal weightage. One Assessment as Internal written Test/Examination (50%), second as Assignment (50%) of any mode such as study, seminar, and or a combination of modes, etc
Source: Official Anna University – B. Arch. R-2025 Syllabus
tinuity.
Last Updated: September 2026 - CO3: Ability to appreciate universal qualities of architecture and their effects.
Assessment Pattern (Quick Note)
- Weightage: Continuous Internal Assessment 40% | End Semester Examinations 60%
- Internal methodology: Two Assessments with equal weightage. One Assessment as Internal written Test/Examination (50%), second as Assignment (50%) of any mode such as study, seminar, and or a combination of modes, etc
Source: Official Anna University – B. Arch. R-2025 Syllabus
Last Updated: September 2026
Comments
Post a Comment