|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Torana in Indian and Southeast Asian Architecture PERHAPS no country in the world equals India in the richness of its cultural traditions and in the general ignorance and neglect of those traditions. Art history is something that a handful of art historians do, but it is high time that ordinary people became aware of the marvels and intricacies of Indian art. This is why this book on the torana by noted art historian Parul Pandya Dhar is especially important. It is meticulously researched, profusely illustrated, and beautifully produced, a book that the specialist as well as the general reader can enjoy and learn a great deal from. Art and architecture can only be understood properly through carefully detailed descriptions and lots of visuals, and this book has both. The author avoids mystifying jargon. Technical terms are only used where they are necessary, and are explained carefully in the text and in the glossary.
Toranas are mentioned in many texts, including the Arthashastra, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Buddhist Jataka stories. Of course, the architectural treatises known as the Vastushastras talk about them in much greater detail. In fact, there must have been a constant dialogue between theory and practice in Indian art, and that is why the author tells us both about what the theoretical works say and what was envisioned and created by architects, masons and sculptors. The result is a journey across many centuries, both within India and beyond its borders, as we see changes in the form, meaning and context of the torana. We are introduced to its forerunner in the Lomash Rishi cave in the Barabar hills in Bihar, and we move on admiring its earliest examples in the Buddhist stupas of Sanchi and Bharhut. From here onwards, it is like a Bharat yatra, as Dhar guides us through the rock-cut architecture at Ajanta and Ellora in Maharashtra, the Jain temples of Mount Abu in Rajasthan, the Hindu temples at Pattadakal and Hampi in Karnataka, and much more. Toranas are not only found in temples, they also mark the entrance and interiors of medieval forts, and can be seen in mosques and mausoleums of the Sultanate and Mughal periods as well. And they are a living architectural element, present in monuments of our own time, too, although the modern ones are nowhere as beautiful as their ancient and medieval counterparts. Unlike pillars, walls and roofs, toranas did not have a functional purpose. And yet, the free-standing ones were a very important part of structures, because people had to pass through them in order to enter spaces that were highly charged with sacred, political or community significance. Their sheer beauty is overwhelming, but as if that were not enough, Dhar directs our attention to their auspicious, symbolic, and ornamental functions. The sculptures on toranas could tell stories and convey ideas, values and teachings to those who passed through them or past them. They could be symbols of a king’s power and even objects of worship. The torana was not confined to India. It is also found in the architecture of ancient Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Southeast Asia. This book shows us how it got transformed in these lands—a much-needed reminder of the intimate cultural conversation that was carried on for centuries between India and the rest of Asia, the details of which we need to discover much more about. The author reminds us that in ancient and medieval times, there was no strict dividing line between art and craft and between artist and artisan. She urges us to look at and appreciate the richness and beauty of traditional Indian architectural and sculptural forms and ornament. Ultimately, the
photographs speak, and in speaking they forcefully and eloquently
drive home the author’s point. The breath-taking beauty of the
ancient and medieval toranas represents an artistic vision and
skill that is often nothing short of sheer artistic genius.
|
||
|
|
||
This
is the first detailed study of the torana, which in
architecture means an arched portal or festoon (a festoon is a garland
made of any material hung between two points). Dhar tracks down the
history of the torana not only on the basis of actual samples
but also by delving into ancient and medieval architectural treatises
and inscriptions. 