archaeology in India

LAKKUNDI AS ACENTRE OF REIGIOUS PLURALISM & TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN MEDIEVA DECCAN

Lakkundi in Karnataka is an important medieval heritage town known for its rich cultural, religious, and architectural legacy. Flourishing under the Western Chalukyas and Hoysalas, it became famous as the “village of a hundred temples and wells.” The site reflects religious pluralism, with strong associations with Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Jainism, and the Virashaiva Bhakti movement.

Its beautifully carved temples and stepwells, built in the distinctive Kalyana Chalukya style, highlight both artistic excellence and sacred utility. Recent archaeological excavations, including evidence of much earlier habitation, have strengthened efforts to include Lakkundi in UNESCO’s World Heritage tentative list, underscoring its enduring historical significance.

ZEHANPORA & THE EVOLUTION OF BUDDHISM IN KASHMIR

The Zehanpora archaeological site in North Kashmir is a major Kushan-period Buddhist complex that provides crucial evidence of Kashmir’s role as a centre of Buddhist architecture, learning, and Mahayana thought, as well as its position on ancient trade and cultural exchange routes connecting India with Central Asia.

PIPRAHWA RELICS & LIVING HERITAGE IN INDIA

The Piprahwa relics, associated with the mortal remains of the Buddha, hold immense archaeological, spiritual, and civilisational significance for India. Their reunification and exhibition highlight issues of ethical stewardship, museum reform, and heritage repatriation, while reinforcing India’s role as the land of the Buddha and a key centre of global Buddhist heritage.