Page 52 - Journeys Through Society-7

the landscape. The themes depicted included the Architecture
legends of Krishna and Radha. The medieval buildings (temples) of Bengal show a
distinctive architectural style. What is noteworthy in
Pahari Painting
these buildings is the extensive use of terracotta and
The Pahari regions were
burnt bricks brought together into a simplistic style of
centres of great artistic
architecture. Bishnupur or Vishnupur, the capital of
activity from the latter half of
the kingdom of Bengal in the medieval period, is
the seventeenth century to
adorned with many such temples like the Jor Bangla
nearly the middle of the
Temple, the Radha Shyam Temple and the
nineteenth century.
Rasamancha Temple.
Early centres of painting in the
The largest mosque of the medieval period, the Adina
Deccan, during the sixteenth
Masjid, was built in the fourteenth century by Sultan
and seventeenth centuries,
Sikandar Shah of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty. It is adorned
were Ahmednagar, Bijapur
A pahari painting with inscriptions from the Koran carved into the walls.
and Golconda. In the Deccan,
Music
painting continued to develop independent of the
Mughal style in the beginning. However, in the Folk, modern and classical music were popular in
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was Bengal. These included a variety of songs sung over
increasingly influenced by the Mughal style. centuries by travelling bards or village minstrels,
singers, musicians, actor and dancers.
Developments in Bengal During Medieval Period
Developments in Music
Political and Religions Development
The medieval period witnessed great developments in
The Mughals brought large parts of south-eastern
music. Many new forms of music and instruments to
Bengal under their rule. When the Mughal power
play them were developed. Music was originally not a
declined in the eighteenth century, a separate dynasty
part of the Islamic tradition but it developed under the
emerged in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha which was
influence of the Sufis and became a part of court life.
governed by the Nawabs of Bengal. Throughout these
The Bhakti and Sufi traditions of the medieval period
periods of history, Bengal developed a rich cultural
invoked the divine through music and dance.
tradition.
After the dissolution of the Mughal Empire, music
Language and Literature
continued to be patronised in smaller princely
The earliest literature in Bengali comprises the
kingdoms like Lucknow, Patiala, and Banaras, giving
collection of poetic pieces from the Sahajiya religious
rise to the diversity of styles that is today known as
sects. Important are the eulogies or the prashatis of
gharanas.
the Pala kings inscribed on copper plates and
Amir Khusrau, who had
composed in Sanskrit, which show that Sanskrit had
contributed to literature and
great stature under the Palas. Other noteworthy
historical writings, is believed to
pieces of literary activity are the Charyagitika, a
have invented musical
collection of verses by the Buddhist monks composed
instruments like the sitar and
during the Pala rule.
tabla as well. He developed the
Jayadeva, who wrote Gita Govinda, a twelfth century
early form of the popular
Sanskrit masterpiece, was a court poet of Lakshman
musical style known as Qawwali.
Sena. Both Bengali language and poetry reached a
Khayal, a unique style of Indian Amir Khusrau
high watermark during the Bhakti movement. The
classical music is also believed to have been
Bhakti saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, composed
developed by him. Instruments such as the sitar and
devotional hymns in praise of Lord Krishna. This led to
tabla were also introduced in his time. He was a friend
the emergence of a new generation of poets.
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