Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c38.4

c38.4

It is however the character of the country itself, and the nature of the building material most readily available, which have mainly conditioned the architecture of these parts. In those rare places where there is an outcrop of stone, this material has been employed, as in the case of a few laterite temples towards the south-west, and in the basalt buildings of the Malda district, situated more in the middle of the State. On the other hand as the country is deltaic and composed mostly of alluvium, everywhere there are deposits of clay suitable for the manufacture of bricks. Therefore much of the construction is produced in this manner. In addition a good supply of timber was procurable in many parts, as well as heavy growths of bamboo, the plaint nature of the latter giving that curvature of cornice characteristic of the building art of Bengal.