Cultural Guides to Chennai and Thanjavur, India
We have hand-selected Approach Guides relevant to travel to Chennai and Thanjavur, in Tamil Nadu, India.
South Indian Temple Architecture
In Chennai and Thanjavur, you are in the epicenter of South Indian Hindu temple construction!
The south of India is the premier region from which to gain a true understanding of the Hindu architectural tradition and is the only place in the world where you can see a large number of Hindu temples from all time periods and empires. It is our goal to place these sites into context for the reader, giving an appreciation of both the unique elements of each style as well as the threads that connect all of these dynasties together. Learn more about the architecture of South India…
Download a FREE PREVIEW (4 of 27 pages)
Price $5.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)
Indian Art & Architecture: Buddhist
Ancient Buddhist art and architecture — e.g. Buddhist rock cut caves and Hellenistic-inspired painted and sculptural forms — serves as the foundation for the Indian aesthetic. In fact, Buddhist forms exerted tremendous influence on the abundant Hindu art and architecture you will encounter in South India. In this Approach Guides document, we provide a condensed, yet comprehensive overview of Buddhist architecture and sculpture, designed specifically for the traveler in India. We also provide site reviews of the most important Buddhist architectural and artistic sites in India, including Ajanta, Ellora, and Sanchi. Learn more about Buddhist art and architecture in India…
Download a FREE PREVIEW (4 of 22 pages)
Price $5.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)
Indian Art & Architecture: Hindu
In visiting temple after Hindu temple, this guide will serve you well in South India. Hindu architecture, while structurally simple (no arches are ever used in its construction), exhibits some of the most ornate decoration and symbolic design elements in the world. This document offers travelers an approach to understanding Hindu architecture and sculpture and be able to easily answer questions like, “What’s the main difference between Hindu architecture in the North and South” and “What Mediterranean culture influenced Indian sculpture?” (Hint: think Alexander the Great). Learn more about Hindu art and architecture in India…
Download a FREE PREVIEW (4 of 20 pages)
Price $5.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)
Religion: Hinduism
The Hindu faith is palpable in the South India! This document is designed to provide a comprehensive background on the history of the Hindu religion, a discussion of the primary Hindu gods (and how to recognize them), the central tenets of the faith, the history of and thoughts espoused in the primary Hindu religious texts, the relevant religious symbolism, and the primary related religious movements. Particularly when accompanied with our Hindu Architecture primer, this document should prove helpful toward understanding this religion’s rich cultural legacy. Learn more about Hinduism…
Download a FREE PREVIEW (3 of 12 pages)
Price $3.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)
Historical East-West Trade Connections
Throughout its history, India has served as a critical link in the global trade network. The southeastern tip of India (Chennai and Thanjavur), serving as the capital for many powerful Hindu dynasties, participated greatly in East-West exchange. Although fundamentally economic in orientation, this worldwide trade network spawned vast cultural, artistic and religious exchanges. We encourage our readers to use this Approach Guide to discover the nature of these exchanges, which served as the underlying (and often overlooked) inspiration for many of the world’s greatest cultural landmarks. Learn more about how early global trade impacts your trip today…
Download a FREE PREVIEW (2 of 7 pages)
Price $3.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)
Buy this guide on amazon.com. View it on your kindle, kindle for mac, kindle for windows, or kindle for iPhone.
Note that free previews reveal only a small, yet representative, portion of the content available in the complete Approach Guides document. All images and photos in these Approach Guides and on www.approachguides.com were taken on location by David and Jennifer Raezer.
Click here to see our Suggested Reading List for India
All Approach Guides are offered as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed immediately after purchase.
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. We are confident that our guides deliver an exceptional value to travelers. If you are not satisfied or find that the guide does not meet your expectations, we will refund your purchase, no questions asked.
Italy - China - India - Middle East - Southeast Asia - Turkey - Americas