Prayer halls in Buddhist architectural monuments were also known as ________.

The correct answer is chaitya grihas.

Key Points

• Chaitya Grihas refers to a shrine, sanctuary, temple, or prayer hall in Buddhist architectural monuments.
• The majority of surviving early examples of chaitya are found in Indian rock-cut architecture.
• Chaityas has a massive hall with a tall vaulted ceiling and ornate sculptures at the entrance and pillars.
• The Karle caves are the biggest Chaitya-Griha of all the Buddhist sites in India.
• Numerous Chaityas display a stupa at the rear. Chaityas were carved as pillarless apsidal vault halls, rectangular halls, or apsidal vault-roof halls.
• Ellora, Ajanta, Bhaja, Bagh, Karle, Nasik, and Kanheri are some of the most beautiful Chaitya caves.

Additional Information

• Buddhism and Jainism are the two main sources of inspiration for many Indian architectural styles.

  • Buddhist advancements were as dynamic between the sixth and the fifteenth century, frequently collaborating closely with Hindu developments.

  • There are Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monuments in places like Ellora.

  • Bodhgaya is the most important Buddhist site in India.

    • Due to the fact that Bodhgaya is a pilgrimage place, it is where Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became the Buddha.

    • The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya is a significant legacy of the brickwork from that era, even if the Bodhi tree is of utmost importance.

• Stupas : Typically solid and bell-shaped, stupas contain a holy relic—such as a Buddha's hair or teeth—as well as holy Buddhist texts or notable Buddha figures.
  • Buddha's symbol is a stupa.
  • The Buddhist stupas represent the Buddhist conception of the universe. 
  • The most famous among these are Sanchi, Bharhut and Amaravati.
• Viharas: It was the name given to a Buddhist monastery in ancient India.
  • Viharas were initially temporary homes for itinerant monks during the rainy season, but thanks to donations from affluent lay Buddhists, they eventually developed into Buddhist educational institutions.
  • Early on, "Viharas" codified life. It is the subject of the Vinaya Pitaka, or "basket of monastic discipline," which is a portion of the Pali canon.
  • Numerous viharas can be found in typical big locations like the Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad Caves, Karli Caves, and Kanheri Caves.
• An iwan is a rectangular hall or room that has one end completely open and three walls surrounding it.
  • Typically, it is vaulted. The ceremonial entrance to the iwan is known as the "pishtaq," which is a Persian word for a doorway that protrudes from a building's exterior and is typically embellished with geometric patterns, glazed tilework, and calligraphy bands.
  • These are most commonly associated with Islamic architecture