Art & Architecture of Odisha

Odisha has a rich deep-rooted cultural heritage with building traditions that can be traced back to thousands of years. The Sadhavas of Kalinga have a history of sea voyages going as far back as seventh century BC. The fact that present day Odisha was a prosperous region and extended into present day Bengal in the north to Andhra Pradesh in the south is known from the fact that before the Mauryan empire, the coastal region of eastern India was called the Kalinga coast. The images of Surya on a chariot driven by four horses with Chaya and Sajna is found in Anantagumpha of Khandagiri and Udayagiri cavesof Bhubaneswar which is of the most ancient type of Surya image in India. From the Indus seals of third millennium BC to the Matrika figures of ancient Jain caves in Bhubaneswar to the Sapta-Matrikas of Parsurameswar temple of Bhubaneswar of medieval times, we find that the reverence for Mother Goddess figures has never diminished. The book focuses on indigenous origins of Art forms in India.

About the Author:

LEETA MOHANTY is an architect and planner with wide national and international experience. Born into a family deeply immersed in Indian culture, Leeta’s life has been infused with spirituality and appreciation for Indian art and culture since childhood. As a child, she learnt Hindustani classical music and painting which has given her a penchant for not only dabbling in different artistic mediums but also navigating the field of art history and its complexities. Her choice of architecture as a profession and interest in the indigenous architecture of India stem from a chance meeting with Architect Laurie Baker, back in her High School. She has travelled extensively in India during her undergraduate studies as an architecture student. She studied masters in architecture with a focus on historic preservation from Texas A&M university and Urban Planning from Harvard Graduate School of Design in the United States. She has also taught at CEPT University, Ahmedabad. Presently, Leeta’s Architectural practice revolves around her hometown in Bhubaneswar.