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A large number of sculptures and temples’ remains are scattered, in varied stages of preservation, round the village of Thoban. They are distributed in different localities and categorised in different groups, such as the temples of the Jaina group, Kuti group, temples of the village area, Mahadevaghata group, Sita-ki-madhia group, and Hanumanagarhi. Apart from the controversies regarding their builders, epigraphic evidence settles the great role that was played by the later-Pratihara rulers of Chanderi in their constructions. With the characteristic features of art and architecture the remains also provide a glimpse of the rich cultural heritage of the region and time to which they belonged (ninth to eleventh centuries). Recently, Archaeological Survey of India begins the conservation and renovation work of the Thoban temples and first took up the Kuti group.

Keywords: Mahadevaghata, Matha, Sculpture, Sita-ki-madhia, Temple, Thoban, Vestiges.

This paper is a small note on the occurrence of rock art inside a rock shelter located at one of the two granite hills located behind Bharamtoli basti in outskirts of Ranchi city in Jharkhand. The site was discovered by the author during his school days as it is very close to his resident. It is a small rock site with occurrence of few geometric designs, hand stencils, faded abstract figures and an animal figure painted over two different portions of the wall in a shelter. Geometric designs are comparable from other rock art sites of Jharkhand. The paper also shows a concerned to the human vandalism and threat to the site due to various anthropogenic activities, such as writing names in the shelter by local inhabitants and stone quarrying activities.

Keywords: Bharamtoli hills, rock art, pictographs, geometric patterns, abstract designs, animal figure, hand stencils, microliths, human vandalism, etc.

Rock-cut caves of ancient India, from Barabar and Nagarjuni hills in Eastern India to Ajanta, Karla, Bhaja in the western Deccan are an architectural marvel of ancient India. This technology can be seen from as early as 3rd century BCE right until the 14th century CE. Many theories have been proposed on architectural proficiency, variations in plans, stone sculpting techniques, stylistic variation, and chronology of evolution. Sources like epigraphs and literature have also contributed to these theories. Due to entirely different process of creation, which is excavation, these caves differ from the temples in architectural and structural designs, planning and execution and in theories of their evolution. Unlike built form, the process of excavation offers less scope for rework or replan. It thus indicates that the excavation must have been very well planned and managed to avoid any runtime changes. Present experimental research is an effort to understand and conceptualize the basic processes involved in the excavation of a cave. It includes the parameters considered in the process of excavation such as planning, effort/cost estimation, labour issues, change mitigation planning and actual execution. Understanding the planning part involves the processes of site/ rock identification, basic cave design, and effort estimation. In this preliminary work, we propose to use modern-day project management approach to explain these parameters which are devoid of attention in the historical, stylistic or evolutionary studies of rock-cut architecture within India.

Keywords: Rock-cut cave, process, reconstruction, planning, effort, excavation, project management

Considering the Brahmanical mansions in the form of temple architecture, the tradition of Odisha is found prominent due to its number, size and volume, which latently progressing throughout ages. The land of Odisha witnesses the initiation of its rich tradition of temple architecture during the Sailodbhavas, dating back to 6th-7th Century CE, whereas the classic temple building tradition has come across various phases i.e.; formative phase, mature phase and declining phase. The gradual development of the Brahmanical edifices on this sacred land resulted the erection of thousands of temples throughout the state, which again got varied (architecturally) by different sects like; Vaisnavite, Saivite and Shakta. The indigenous temple building tradition of Odisha purely regulated by several silpa texts (Bhubana Pradipa, Silpa prakash, Silpa pothi and so on) and known as Kalingan style of architecture. Rich architectural and sculptural value of the Kalingan style of temples often supported by the epigraphical records, apprises the glorious chapter of socio-cultural affinity of the land from different grounds. Here the current attempt made to distinguish the significant architectural designs as well as types by concentring on the temple city (Bhubaneswar). This research paper may facilitate the scholars immensely in understanding the architectural pattern and tradition.

Keywords: Rekha, Pidha, Khakara, Silpasastra, Navagrah. Saptamatruka

The institution of the Dar-us-Shifa (general hospital) was the cornerstone of the Islamic world, where in terms of building and services provided had reached a significant degree of sophistication. Despite its popularity in the rest of the Islamic world, the examples of hospitals in the subcontinent are few and far between and even fewer are researched. In this paper I attempt to describe one such Dar-us-Shifa located at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh. I will also try to locate the Dar-us-Shifa in the many architectural remains of Mandu. Lastly, I will elucidate how the building of the hospital was an attempt by its patron to link his legacy with that of his ancestors and the Islamic world at large.

Keywords: Mandu, Dar-us-Shifa, Mahmud Khalji, Islamic World, Hospital, Timurid