Question

Art and archietecture during harshvardhan's period

Answer 1

Emperor Harshavardhana, better known as Harsha, lived from 590 to 647 CE and was the third ruler of the Vardhana Empire, the last great empire in ancient India before the Islamic Invasion. He ruled from 606 CE to 647 CE. 

The art and architecture of Harsha’s period are very few and mostly followed the Gupta style. Hiuen Tsang describes the glory of the monastery with many stories built by Harsha at Nalanda. He also speaks of a copper statue of Buddha with eight feet in height. The brick temple of Lakshmana at Sirpur with its rich architecture is assigned to the period of Harsha. Harsha was a great patron of learning. His biographer Banabhatta adorned his royal court. BesidesHarshacharita, he wrote Kadambari. Other literary figures in Harsha’s court were Matanga Divakara and the famous Barthrihari, who was the poet, philosopher, and grammarian. Harsha himself authored three plays -Ratnavali, Priyadarsika, and Nagananda. Harsha patronized the Nalanda University by his liberal endowments. It attained the international reputation as a center of learning during his reign. Hiuen Tsang visited the Nalanda University and remained as a student for some time.