Architecture and rebuilding

Between the 13th and 17th centuries, Indian art and architecture reached great heights, mixing old traditions with new ideas across regions and dynasties.

Each building reflected the values, beliefs and taste of its time. Support (patronage) came from kings, queens and nobles, and also from rich merchants.

Examples:

• the Sūrya Mandir (Sun Temple) at Konark, built by the 13th-century Eastern Ganga dynasty, with 24 finely carved stone wheels;
• the Ranakpur temple in Rajasthan, built in the 15th century by a Jain businessman, Dhanna Seth, after a divine vision.

The Sheesh Mahal in Amer Fort, built by Raja Man Singh I, has walls and ceilings set with tiny convex mirrors that sparkle even in the light of a single lamp, like a sky full of stars.

Under Krishnadevaraya, Vijayanagara had a golden age of art and building. Hampi was a centre of town planning and temple building, with grand temples built with great skill, devotion and engineering knowledge.

The most important sentence here: all this was happening "even while on the political front, wars were underway or the threat of war was present".

The clearest sign of this strength is not only what was built new, but what was rebuilt.

One of the temples of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple complex at Srirangam was damaged in the early 14th century. It was rebuilt by the end of the same century, and more temples were added later. Sacred vigrahas (images of the deity) that had been destroyed were put back.