Author Description

Firmly rooted in Indian religion, cosmology and society, this book describes the evolution of architecture on the Indian sub-continent and the neighbouring countries of south-east Asia from the earliest times to the rise of Islam at the end of the 11th century in the north and in the 17th century in the south.Describing a complex line of development - from the monumental excavated shrines at Ajanta to such late southern temple complexes as Madurai and the palace fort at Gwalior - India and South-East Asia also covers the exported tradition in Java, Cambodia, Burma and Thailand, which resulted in such stupendous monuments as Angkor Wat and the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon.