Images

The course of the River Ganges. Beginning in the Himalaya it runs for 2,700 km to the Bay of Bengal.

Ganga, the Hindu personification of the River Ganges. A sandstone lintel from a temple at Beshnagar, c. 500 CE. The goddess stands on a makara (a mix of crocodile and elephant) which symbolises the life-giving nature of water.

A view of the orchestra of the Theatre of Epidaurus taken from the steps of the audience seats.

The Manikarnika Cremation Ghat on the Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi, 3rd century BCE to 1st century CE.

The chaitya facade of Cave 19, Ajanta, north-west Deccan, India. The columned porch, cushion column capitals, and ornate decorative sculpture are typical of Gupta architecture (4-6th century CE). The relief panels show scenes from the life...

The Udayagiri caves in Madhya Pradesh, India. The rock-cut caves were constructed in the early Gupta Period (4th century CE) and functioned as Hindu shrines.

A sculpted panel at the Gupta-period (4th-6th century CE) caves of Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh, India. The caves are rock-cut Hindu shrines and this panel shows Vishnu as the boar-headed incarnation Varaha. The god rises from the cosmic waters...

The Vishnu Anantasayana panel, Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh. 5th-6th century CE. The Gupta-period sculpture adorning the temple includes many images from Hindu mythology. This celebrated panel from the south wall of the temple has Vishnu reclining...

The Gupta style Dashavatara temple, Deogarh in Madhya Pradesh, India. 5th-6th Century CE.