Itkhori- A Sculptural and Architectural Complex in the Chotanagpur Plateau (7th-13th Centuries CE)

The present study incorporates the result of a thorough documentation of sites and artefacts (mostly sculptural and architectural remains) in and around Itkhori, situated in the Chatra district, Jharkhand. Besides the descriptive catalogue of the recorded art objects, the present endeavour essentially reconstructs the field data recorded from one of the core areas of the Chhotanagpur plateau region. This work highlights the characteristic features of different major and minor religious centres in the settlement dynamics of the said region. It may be noted that the retrieved archaeological database could be placed within a period ranging from the 7th century to the 13th century CE and the architectural style apparent from the temple and other structural remains may be attributed to both the Central Indian and Eastern Indian idioms of the post-Gupta period.

Swati Ray is presently teaching in the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta, and her specialisation is Fine Arts. She takes a keen interest in the sculptural art of ancient India. Her first book, Scythian Elements in Early Indian Art was published in 2009. She has several publications based on extensive field work in West Bengal and Jharkhand.

One of the features of the Post-Gupta development is the proliferation of ritual centres of various sizes, which are mostly accompanied by sculptural and architectural remains. These features can be observed in varying degrees all over the subcontinent. The current level of documentation of all these sites leaves much to be desired. What we know about them is in most cases based on brief field tours.. Swati Ray and R. K. Chattopadhyay's monograph on Itkhori at the north western edge of the Chhotanagpur plateau is a significant exception in this regard. Itkhori is still a living site. My memory of the site is a procession of village ladies dressed in colourful festive clothes on the way to the Itkhori temple.

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