India is a mosaic of religions and every faith has carved out a cosy niche for itself. Hence numerous Indian religious sculptures evolved over the years. These religious buildings offer a comprehensive insight to the history and culture of the sub-continent as well. The tradition of portraying one`s religious beliefs can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization. The terracotta statues of mother goddesses and lord Shiva are living proofs of their spiritual beliefs.
At a much later era the places of worship were commissioned to exhibit artistic endowments. Monuments belonging to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity were thus constructed inexhaustibly. While
Buddhism was one of the early religious principles to capture the hearts of the people
Hinduism, too, dates back to the ancient ages. The Indian religious sculptures are greatly indebted to the episodes from the Hindu epics,
Puranas and legends. The sculptors have heavily borrowed from these sources.
Although the religious sentiments of all the faiths are more or less similar but sculptures differ from each other. While the Hindu temple sculptures are identified with ornamentation the Buddhist and Jain sculptures are simpler. On the other hand the Muslim sculptures are impressive with their intricate details and thickness. The Christian sculptures are reminiscent of the European gothic art and architecture. These Indian religious sculptures are also representatives of the several
schools of architecture that developed here from time to time including Indo Islamic,
Indo Saracenic and others.
The following Indian religious sculptures and architectures are widely popular:
Although times have changed but the religious sentiments are still the same. Religious sculptures and buildings are carved out on stone or metal even today. Besides the brilliance, perfection and opulence what is remarkable in these monuments is the love and devotion with which the Indian religious sculptures and architecture have been built.
