Architecture in East India constitutes a major segment in the panorama of Indian architecture. East India includes the states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. Assam is located in the far East. The Buddhist monasteries of Sikkim, the temples of the Middle Ages in Orissa, the terracotta temples of the recent past in West Bengal and the Buddhist and Islamic style of architecture in Bihar are the most conspicuous parts of the architecture in the East India.

East India was the heart of the ancient empires of the Maurya, Kalinga and the Magadha. Buddhism originated in the East India and was propagated extensively by Ashoka. As result a number of Buddhist architectures came into being such as the Nalanda University was set up in Bihar in the East India. Sikkim also witnessed numerous creations of Buddhist architectures. During Emperor Ashoka`s reign, unique developments in Indian architecture took place. The construction of cave temples was one such development. Hindu temples were also major architectural creations of this period. However the Muslim invasion in the 13th century resulted in the disintegration of the Hindu and Buddhist styles of architecture. The states of Bihar and West Bengal came under the supremacy of the Mughal Empire during the 16th and the 17th century. Orissa, however, continued to be under the reign of the powerful Hindu dynasties till the 16th century. The architecture of East India witnessed further changes with the coming of the colonial rule. The British East India Company defeated the Muslim rulers and established their control over East India. The impact of the British invasion was strongest in Bengal and the Orissa coast. Hence one would witness several colonial monuments in these regions.

While the ruling dynasties left behind their indelible marks, religion also played a significant part in moulding the architecture of East India. For instance, the noteworthy monuments and buildings in Sikkim are mostly Buddhist monasteries because the state has cultural links with Ladakh and Tibetan Buddhism. The Rumtek monastery of Sikkim is the most popular of all and is built in the traditional style. The other monasteries are the Labrang monastery, the Pemayangtse monastery and the Tashiding monastery. Buddhism and Jainism originated in Bihar as well and this fact adds to the importance of the place. The Daibosatsuji Temple in Bodh Gaya and the ruins of Nalanda are the Buddhist architectural specimens of this place. Vaishali in Bihar is the birth place of Lord Mahavira and the Parasanad hills are a sacred place for Jains, but architecturally there is not much left here. The Choti Dargah in Bihar is an earliest example of Islamic architecture which dates back to the Mughal era. There is a closed corridor and a small mosque in the precincts. The Lomas Rishi cave in the Barabar hills in Bihar belongs to a religion called Ajivika which was prevalent in those days. The caves are small and uncomplicated, with very little adornment.

From ancient times to the middle age Buddhism was the main religion in West Bengal. In the 12th century Bengal was taken over by the Hindu Sena dynasty. In the 13th century it came under Muslim rule. Even though the ruler was a Muslim the culture of the citizens were steeped in Hindu culture, which is evident from the Bengali-type Hindu temples found in every nook and corner of West Bengal. Bricks were primarily used to construct houses and temples. To make the temples monumental, raw clay panels were carved on, baked in the kiln and used as decorative cladding over brick walls. This is a unique terracotta style seen only in West Bengal. Unlike the temples in Orissa, Bengali temples are small and cannot be called very grand, but they reflect the Bengali lifestyle and are appealing structures. Bishnupur with its varied and beautiful terracotta and laterite temples is a treasure trove of Bengali temples for example the Madana Mohana temple. In the 18th century, when the British founded the East India Company they made Kolkata their head quarters and built many buildings here and left behind an architectural legacy. The major colonial architectures of West Bengal are the Victoria memorial hall and the Writer’s building in Kolkata.

Orissa, the Kalinga kingdom of the past, is often called the Kalinga region. During the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka conquered this region and unified most of India. Renouncing violence, he converted to Buddhism and built stupas (Pagodas) and stambhas (memorial pillars) in various places. Buddhist ruins of 7th to 10th century are scattered around the Khandagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitagiri hills. Jain rock-cave temples of Orissa are much older and belong to the 1st century, BC. Bhubaneshwar in Orissa is interesting because every milestone in architectural development from the 7th to13th century is seen here. Maturity in design and the scale of the Lingaraja Temple of Bhubaneshwar and the Jagannath Temple of Puri is equal to that of Gothic cathedrals. The Sun Temple in Konark is the zenith of Orissa’s architecture. The unique feature of Orissa’s architecture is the numerous statues of gods and scooped-out decorations sculpted on stone.

Thus the architecture in East India is a magnanimous array of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic architecture. The variety of architectural specimens as perceived in the states of Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar and Sikkim makes East India one of the most coveted destinations for the tourist.