Sanrachna

Long before modern climate control technology took over, our ancestors designed cooling systems based on natural principles that cooled massive structures. This episode takes us to Rajasthan's Hawa Mahal and Chand Baori to take a look at how the monuments are constructed in order to keep them naturally cool.

Ever heard of an ancient defense system that reveals enemies just through their lightest whispers and movements? This episode takes us to Hyderabad's Golconda fort and Gol Gumbaz to highlight the ancient acoustic systems in place.

Did you know that some of the most impressive temples in the country have been carved manually by artisans chipping away at a single rock? This episode takes a look at the technique of monolithic building through the monuments at Mahabalipuram and Ajanta-Ellora.

India is a country dotted by majestic forts that have gone down in history as a testimony to a kingdom's greatness... As kingdoms rose and fell, they built forts into architectural wonders, including the island fortress Janjira and the imposing city-fort Daulatabad.

Situated in two separate states of India lie two monuments which have stood the ravages of time. With their stones touching the winds of the sky, the Vijay Stambh in Rajasthan and the Brihadeshwara Temple in Tamil Nadu are architectural wonders of India dating back to 1449 AD and 1010 AD respectively. Vijay Stambh, also known as the Tower of Victory, is a nine-storied tower which was built to commemorate King Rana Kumbha's victory over the armies of Mewar. Brihadeshwara Temple, a Hindu temple, was built as a dedication to Lord Shiva, and stands tall at 216 feet. Our expedition to find the Vertical architectural wonders of India was fulfilled when we stood at the steps of these marvels and looked up, only to find a glorious era that was etched across the skies.

Centuries back, when a man had no access to technology and machines, he created something that would serve us very well in the times to come. Literally! The acquisition of data using astronomy, meaning the sun, moon, and stars, is a tradition that dates back to the 1600BC. And it was this tradition, which made us travel to the Konark Sun Temple in Orissa, and then, Jantar Mantar in Jaipur. Submerged in age-old glory and stories of stone, these astronomical wonders were one of the earliest constructions by our ancestors that gave the world the ability to tell time. The Konark Sun Temple possesses sundials, which had, and still have the ability to tell time to the exact minute using the position of the sun. Jantar Mantar, on the other hand, is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, which can tell the time, follow the location of stars, track ellipses and the positions of the sun, moon, and planets.

Known as the 'Cradle of Civilization', caves were the earliest homes to our kind. The man understood the importance of having a roof over his head as one of his basic necessities, and so came into being the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra and the Udayagiri and Khandgiri Caves in Orissa. Masterpieces of the most exemplary architecture, engravings, and sculptures seen by the eye, both sets of caves served as monasteries for Buddhist and Jain monks. Constructed around the 1st century, the caves are stupendous examples of all that our forefathers built brick by brick, and stone by stone, without the advantages of technology and science. Carved and chiseled with handmade tools from that time, Ajanta and Udagayiri/Khandagiri caves are some of the finest instances in Indian history.

The self-replicating repetition of a pattern is the characteristic feature of temples at Khajuraho, and the best illustration is provided by the Kanadriya Mahadeo built between 95—1050 CE, during the reign of Chandela kings. A profusion of curvilinear Shikhar creates an impressive illusion of a mountain. The fractal pattern is encountered not only in the elevation but also in abundance of decorative detail. A similar play with fractals is indulged in the Virupaksha temple at Patadakkal in Karnataka. It is interesting that what the Indian builders practiced in early medieval period was articulated and explained by mathematicians only in the middle of the twentieth century.

Visit the future by stepping into the past. Six hundred years ago, the city of Mandav successfully worked towards water conservation and rain water harvesting. In the Kanheri Caves, the locals found ways to store clean water, cool buildings like the system of air-conditioning and create saunas by simply using the flow of water effectively.

Admire the architectural genius of 'Do minara', popularly known as 'Jhulta Minara'. These two tall towers or Minaras which are located in Ahmedabad are made of Sandstone and swing simultaneously without having any visible connections when one is pushed. From shaking minarets, now travel to Junagarh Mahabat and Bahauddin Maqbara, a sensation of the Indo-Islamic architecture. Witness the jaw dropping combination of Gothic, Turkish, Mughal and Rajput architecture that has come together to adorn this structure.

Somewhere between the floor and the ceiling of ancient structures, lie the mysteries of civilizations that existed even before ours. The Lepakshi temple in Andhra Pradesh and the Vitthala temple of Hampi in Karnataka are two monuments that stand strong today, as the perfect examples of imperial architecture that focused on exquisite detailing and intricacy in their pillars. And not only that, the hanging pillar at Lepakshi and the musical pillars at Vitthala spark curiosity and imagination making us wonder and question the specialty that lied these pillars. Find out the answers to these witty architectural constructions, only on Sanrachana

In trying to connect our world and the world that existed in times much before ours, we paid a visit to the doorways of India: The Buland Darwaza in Fatehpur Sikri in Agra, and Charminar in Hyderabad. With their domes touching the colours of the sky, these gateways are the answers to a rich culture, heritage and history that gave shape to our country's legacy. Architecturally pure and intricate, their engravings tell us of a past that has now, given us our present. Come join us on a journey to find out why these gateways are such important monuments in India's history, only on Sanrachna.

Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh houses the well-known Buddhist Vihara known for its great Stupa. This episode highlights the gradual construction of this architectural virtuoso.Following this great marvel, go to the world's tallest monolithic structure in Shravanabelagola, the statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali which was created by Chamundaraya on 13th March, 1981.