DETAILS
- Type: FWF research project
- Number: P 28905
- Duration: 36 months
- Start: July / 2016
- Project leader: Dr.techn. Gerald Kozicz
- Project co-leader: Ass.Prof. Dr.techn. Milena Stavrić
- Project assistant: M.Arch. Marina Đurovka
- Student Project assistant: BSc Grimm Ludwig
PROJECT
The subject of study is a certain type of Indian temple architecture which was not only prevailing on the Indian sub-continent but also spread all over Southeast Asia as far as regions of today’s Cambodia and Indonesia. The study is however limited to specific regions of the Western Himalayas and the adjacent Himalayan hills – to be more precise: the former hill states of the modern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh. Regarding the methodology and workflow, the project is based on a three-step process: (1) Documentation through field research and study of relevant literature, (2) Processing of collected data and analysis, and (3) Dissemination of results through conference paper and articles as well as an interactive website based on 3D-models. The project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund... CONTINUE READING
REGION
The geographic focus of the project is defined by the names of valleys and ancient principalities rather than modern district boundaries even though the district names recall the former political powers. Its major members are the Beas Valley with the former chieftains of Kullu and Mandi, the former kingdom of Chamba including the Chandrabhaga Valley of Lahul, as well as a major pocket of religious sites in and around Hatkoti in the Pabbar Valley. The region is characterized by highly cultivated valleys and hills covered by dense forests. The altitude of the valleys ranges from about 1000m to 2500m. Shivaism and the Shakti cult are the belief systems with the most followers. From the perspective of Indian culture, the region is a classical borderland facing the Himalayas beyond which Tibetan Buddhism has been the dominating socio-religious system for more than one millennium. The Chandrabhaga Valley is the only region dealt with in this study which can be counted among the inner Himalayan valleys... CONTINUE READING
ARCHITECTURE
Nagara architecture is one of the classical forms of Indian architecture. Its characteristic features are the centric conception and the iconic, curvilinear shikara tower with its top-amalaka. The floorplan is commonly interpreted as a mandala-like grid and the temple as a whole is considered as the abode of the respective deity. Compared to temples from other regions, the temples of Himachal are small ranging from miniature size (of 1m height) to full size (of 15m height). Except for the representation of the main deity – either through sculpture or symbol – the inner-most sanctum is empty. Even the largest temples only provide space for the priest (pujari) and the devotee in case the laity is allowed to pass the threshold at all. Smaller shrines only enshrine the idols and ceremonies are held in front of the portal. All temples surveyed in the course of the study are made of stone. Naturally, the occasional inaccessibility was a major constraint during fieldwork but manageable... CONTINUE READING