Temple Art in Gupta Period Share on emailShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on printShare on google May 23, 20131

Comment Gupta Period is called the Golden age of India or the Classical Age of India partially due to the unprecedented
activities and development in the arts, architecture, sculpture, painting and literature. During Gupta Era, the rock cut
architecture reached its zenith and this era marked the beginning of the Free Standing temple Architecture. Most of the temples
built in the Gupta era were carved with representation of Gods (mainly avatara of Vishnu and Lingams) and Goddesses.
The most important temple of Gupta era is Dasavatar Temple of Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh. Following is a brief description of the
temples & Stupas of the Gupta Era: Contents
[hide] Dasavatara temple, Deogarh Uttar Pradesh
Bhitargaon Temple Dhamekha Stupa
Other Temples Salient features of the Gupta Temples: Dasavatara temple, Deogarh Uttar Pradesh
Dasavatara temple is located in Deogarh Village in Lalitpur town in Uttar Pradesh. The temple was discovered by Captain
Charles Strahan and was named so by Alexander Cunningham. It depicts the 10 avatara of Vishnu. It is a large and elaborate
edifice with typical temple art of Guptas (without Shikhara) and cubical Garbhagriha. This temple has also been linked to the
Sarvatobhadra temple mentioned in the Vishnudharmottara Purana by several scholars.
Bhitargaon Temple Bhitagaon Temple is located in Kanpur District of Uttar Pradesh. It is the oldest remaining Hindu temple,
and was built in the Gupta Era in 6th century.
Dhamekha Stupa The Dhamekha stupa is located at Sarnath, 13 km away from Varanasi. It marks the deer park or
Rishipattana where Buddha gave his first sermon. As per an inscription dated 1026 AD, recovered from the site, its older name
is Dharmachakra Stupa. Archeologist, Alexander Cunningham in search of a relic casket bored a vertical shaft through it center
down to the foundation and at a depth of around 91 centimeter he found a slab with an inscription..Ye Dharma Hetu
Prabhava Hetu..written in Brahmi script. This inscription is of 6th or 7th century. Below this, one more stupa made of mauryan
bricks has been found which gives in indication that Asoka might have commissioned it.
Other Temples Other temples of the Gupta Era are as follows:
Vishnu Temple of Tigawa Jabalpur Shiva Temple of Bhumara Parvati Temple of Nachria Kathura Mukund Darra Temple of Kota
Lakshaman Temple of Raipur Shiva Temple of Koh. Bhitari Temple at Ghazipur
Salient features of the Gupta Temples: In Gupta period, the basic, characteristic elements of the Indian temple consisting of a
square sanctum sanctorum and a pillared porch had emerged. The Shikhara was not much prominent in the early Gupta
temples but was prominent in later Gupta era. There was a single entrance or mandapa or Porch. Gupta style temple was
modeled on the architectural norms of the Mathura school. Some Other Notes about Gupta Temples Sanchi temple at Tigwa
has a flat roof. Dasavatar Temple at Deogarh , Bhitargaon temple and Mahadev Temple at Nachna Kuthar have a square tower
of Shikhara. Manyar Math at Rajgriha is a circular temple of Gupta Era. Main style of temple architecture in i.e. Nagara style
and Dravida style actually began from the Gupta era. The earliest stone temple with Shikhara is Dasavatar Temple at Deogarh.
The Bhitargaon temple at Kanpur is entirely made up of Bricks.
http://www.gktoday.in/temple-art-in-gupta-period/

MAJOR OILSEEDS

India is the world's largest producer of sesame seeds. India produces a wide range of
sesame seed varieties and grades each peculiar to the region where they are grown.

WHITISH SESAME SEEDS

From Gujarat and it's adjoining states are widely preferred due to its colour
and size. Different grades available are:

BLACK SESAME SEEDS

Black Sesame seed is available in following grades

CRUSHING QUALITY SESAME SEED

Mixed Grade (Brown, Brown / Bla

HULLED SESAME SEED
Hulling is done mechanically and manually, colour
sortexed and meeting required global standards, top grade
product for round the year shipments. Indian hulled
sesame seeds now find market for both wide range of
edible purposes.
INDIAN SAFFLOWER SEEDS
Indian Safflower seed crop is harvested during February
every year and is estimated at about 3,50,000 Tons.
Indigenously, use of safflower oil as cooking medium is on
increase due to low saturated fats. Indian safflower seed
has special demand for bird feed due to its bold size and
whitish colour.
INDIAN SUNFLOWER SEEDS
The Sunflower seed production has registered a quantum
growth with Sunflower Oil gaining popularity as a cooking
medium in recent years. The oil content in Indian
Sunflower seed ranges between 38 and 44% whereas
protein
content
is
18-20%.
In recent years, exporters have invested in developing
technology for Hulling of Sunflower Seeds. Few plants are
now processing Sunflower Kernels and their product has
gained importers' attention in major markets. Capacities
are expected to grow rapidly in new future.
INDIAN HPS GROUNDNUT KERNELS
India is one of the largest producer of Groundnuts in the
world. Indian groundnuts are available in different
varieties: i.e. Bolds or Runners, Javas or Spanish and Red
Natals; and have a rich nutty flavour, sweet taste, crunchy
texture
and
a
relatively
longer
shelf
life.
Groundnuts in India are available throughout the year due
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The awareness and concern for quality amongst the Indian
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Multiple sorting and grading are fast becoming a norm.

Indian shippers have the capability to prepare and supply

edible peanuts conforming to highest standards.

RAPESEEDS & MUSTARD

Predominantly grown in the northern belt of India, the production of this
seeds
has
made
rapid
progress
in
the
last
decade.
The biggest advantage is that they can be grown in a wide range of agroclimatic conditions. In India, rapeseed and mustard are grouped together.
Amongst the nine major oilseeds cultivated in India, they come second, only
after groundnut. The harvest usually takes place in March or April.
The oil content in rapeseed and mustard is between 36 and 42 %. Indian
mustard, has a pungent flavour and is often used as a spice in the varied
Indian cuisine.

The characteristic pungent flavour of mustard oil is due to allylisothiocyanate. Mustard oil has about 60% monounsaturated fatty acids
(42% erucic acid and 12% oleic acid); it has about 21% polyunsaturated fats (6% the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and 15% the omega6 linoleic acid), and it has about 12% saturated fats

CASTOR OIL :
Castor oil is generally a non-edible vegetable oil obtained by pressing the seeds of the castor oil plant (Ricinuscommunis). It is a
triglyceride in which approximately 90 percent of fatty acid chains are ricinoleate. Oleate and linoleates are the other significant
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In the food industry, castor oil (food grade) is used in food additives, flavorings, candy (e.g., polyglycerolpolyricinoleate or PGPR in
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EDIBLE OILS
PEANUT

OIL :

Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a mild tasting vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil is available in refined,
unrefined, cold pressed, and roasted varieties, the latter with a strong peanut flavor and aroma, analogous to sesame oil.
It is often used in Chinese, South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine, both for general cooking, and in the case of roasted oil, for added
flavor. Peanut oil has a high smoke point relative to many other cooking oils, so is commonly used for frying foods. Its major component
fatty acids are oleic acid (46.8% as olein), linoleic acid (33.4% as linolein), and palmitic acid (10.0% as palmitin). The oil also contains
some

stearic

acid,

arachidic

acid,

arachidonic

acid,

behenic

acid,

lignoceric

acid

and

other

fatty

acids.

SESAME OIL :
Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame
seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is
often used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Middle
Eastern,
Korean,
and
Southeast
Asian
cuisine.
The oil from the nutrient-rich seed is popular in alternative
Nutritional value of Peanut oil per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy

medicine, from traditional massages and treatments to the

modern day. The traditional Indian medical practice of Ayurveda

3,699 kJ (884 kcal)

uses

sesame

oil.

Carbohydrates

0g

Fat

100 g

The oil is popular in Asia and is also one of the earliest-known

crop-based oils, but world-wide mass modern production

Saturated

17 g

continues to be limited even today due to the inefficient manual

harvesting
process
required
to
extract
the
oil.

Monounsaturated

46 g

Polyunsaturated

32 g
Source : USDA Nutrient Database

MUSTARD

AND

RAPESEED

OIL :

Mustard oil has a distinctive pungent taste, characteristic of all

plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family.It is often used for
cooking in North India, Eastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh and
Pakistan. In Bengal, Orissa, Assam and Nepal, it is the traditionally

Nutritional value of Sesame oil per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy

3,699 kJ (884 kcal)

preferred oil for cooking. The oil makes up about 30% of the mustard Carbohydrates
seeds. It can be produced from black mustard (Brassica nigra),
Fat
brown Indian mustard (B. juncea), and white mustard (B. hirta).

0.00 g

Saturated
The characteristic pungent flavour of mustard oil is due to
allylisothiocyanate. Mustard oil has about 60% monounsaturated Monounsaturated

14.200 g

fatty acids (42% erucic acid and 12% oleic acid); it has about 21%
Polyunsaturated
polyunsaturated fats (6% the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and 15%
the omega-6 linoleic acid), and it has about 12% saturated fats.

100.00 g

39.700 g
41.700 g
Source : USDA Nutrient Database

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae. B. napus is cultivated mainly for its oil-rich
seed,
the
third-largest
source
of
vegetable
oil
in
the
world.

SUNFLOWER

OIL

Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil compressed from sunflower

(Helianthus annuus) seeds. Sunflower oil is commonly used in

food as frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient. The world's largest sunflower oil producers are Ukraine, Russia and
Argentina.
Sunflower oil is a monounsaturated (MUFA)/polyunsaturated (PUFA) mixture of mostly oleic acid (omega-9)-linoleic acid (omega-6)
group

of

oils.

SAFFLOWER

OIL

Safflower ( Carthamustinctorius) is a minor crop today, with

about 600,000 tons being produced commercially in more than
sixty countries worldwide. India, United States, and Mexico are
the leading producers, with Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, China, the
Arab World, Argentina and Australia accounting for most of the
remainder.
Nutritional value of Sunflower oil per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy

3,699 kJ (884 kcal)

Safflower seed oil is flavorless and colorless, and nutritionally

similar to sunflower oil. It is used mainly in cosmetics and as

Carbohydrates

0.00 g

cooking oil, in salad dressing, and for the production of

margarine. It may also be taken as a nutritional supplement.

Fat

100.00 g

There are two types of safflower that produce different kinds of

Saturated

9.748 g

oil: one high in monounsaturated fatty acid (oleic acid) and the
other high in polyunsaturated fatty acid (linoleic acid). Currently

Monounsaturated

83.594 g

the predominant edible oil market is for the former, which is lower
in saturates than olive oil. The latter is used in painting in the

Polyunsaturated

3.798 g

place of linseed oil, particularly with white paints, as it does not

have the yellow tint which linseed oil possesses.

Source: USDA Nutrient Database