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Architecture in Ancient India

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In ancient India, life was dominated by religion to a large extent and so it is of no surprise that ancient Indian architecture includes mostly religious structures. Since the people of ancient India also had a political purpose there were many secular structures in ancient times. The first organized art activity in India belongs to the Mauryan period. The description of the city of Patliputra (modern Patna in Bihar) and the royal palace in the city by Megasthenes , who came to India during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya , suggests that the first Mauryan emperor built the buildings of the city. Other Mauryan architecture include the rock-cut Chaiya halls or cave dwellings in the Barabar and Nagarjuna Hills of Gaya in the sate of Bihar, the edict bearing and the non edict bearing Asokan pillars. Stupas Tradition has it that Stupas or tumuli were over the divided ashes of the Buddha . These stupas were built by Ashoka , the greatest Mauryan emperor, in honour of the Buddha