Murals

Sanskrit literature contains numerous
references to mural painting. In early
medieval times, these were common
forms of decorating both temples and
the homes of the wealthy. The heat and
moisture of the Indian climate have not
been kind to such artwork; few examples remain today. The most famous
murals are at Buddhist sites—Ajanta in
central India and Sigiriya in Sri Lanka.
These murals convey themes about
everyday life. There are also traces of
painting in the caves at Ellora. Paintings
from the Chola era were recently discovered at the Rajrajeshvar temple in
Tanjore; they are being restored. See
also Chola dynasty.