India

• Ensure that you have completed the assigned textbook reading for this unit.
• Choose one of the following topics for your essay:

1. How Buddhist and Hindu temples reflect religious ideals
2. Comparing image of Buddha with images of Hindi gods and goddesses
3. Examining the Bhagavad Gita and the fundamental teachings of Hinduism
4. A historical and artistic overview of the Taj Mahal

Prompt

• Respond to the appropriate prompt according to the topic you have chosen:

1. How are Buddhist and Hindu religious ideals reflected in temple structures from this region of the world?

• Select, identify, describe, and discuss four examples from your assigned textbook readings (two of each type) to focus your discussion.

1. Please compare the image of Buddha with images of Hindi gods and goddesses.

• How do they reveal differing religious beliefs?
• Find three very unique temples that shocked or surprised you when you first saw them.
• What was it about the temples that shocked you? What kinds of values were reflected? What kinds of religious practices or holiday merriment might have been included?
• Identify, describe, and discuss four specific examples from your assigned textbook readings (two of each type) or scholarly sources (in the OU online library).

1. Please examine how the Bhagavad Gita reveals the fundamental teachings of Hinduism.

• How are those teachings expressed in visual images?
• How is this poem written to express its ideas in a lyrical format?
• Do these aesthetics find a parallel in visual images?
• Use four examples of art from your assigned textbook readings to answer these questions.

1. Give a historical and artistic overview of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Describe ten unique aspects that reflect Islamic art and ideals. They can range from the decorations to landscaping and architecture. Explain why the Taj Mahal has been controversial.

• Use your textbook readings and three additional online scholarly sources to discuss this important architectural complex. See the .

Procedure

• Write a 5-page essay (roughly 1250 words).
• Include an APA-formatted title page and reference page in Word format.
• Paste your images at the end of your essay, after the reference page.
• All images included should have typed under the image the following information: Title, artist, date, medium, and location. Each artwork you describe should have an image included.
• See the for general writing requirements.
• Consider the grading rubric when planning your assignment.

Texts and Materials:

Kleiner, F. S. (2016). Gardner’s Art through the Ages: Backpack Edition, Book C, Non-Western Art to 1300 (15th ed.). Cengage Learning.

ISBN: 9781285838007

ISBN10: 1285838009

Kleiner, F. S. (2016). Gardner’s Art through the Ages: Backpack Edition, Book F, Non-Western Art Since 1300 (15th ed.). Cengage Learning.

ISBN: 9781285838151

ISBN10: 1285838157