Traditional Indian Style.

All architectural monuments were mainly in the form of royal palaces and the temples. The royal palaces of India are still among the most spectacular monuments of the glorious era. Built in a variety of styles these structures became the egocentric expressions of the personal wealth and prestige and the power of their princely builders. The extravagant use of rich materials like marble, granite, gold, silver, jewels, fine textiles make them virtually unreachable for any common man. These were the high standards set by the aristocrats in the country.

On the other hand temples of the country are the fine expressions of spirituality. The intricate carvings in the stones and marble are nothing but divine. These temples lack all the materialistic comforts and are considered as the holy place to meet the God.

Thus the architecture and interior design were mainly in the form of either aristocratic or spiritual expression. The life style of common man was neither recognized nor was given any particular importance. Yet traditional Indian style is something different from what India is today.

Like Japanese typical Indian households are devoid of any material possessions. According to Hindu philosophy one has to live with bare essentials in life. Thus the houses do not have much furniture.

Removing shoes before entering the threshold of the house is an essential ritual in the household. Shoes are strictly forbidden in worship and kitchen area.

In India joint families is a tradition where many generations live under the same roof. The houses are built in order to accommodate many independent families with some privacy. The rooms are usually built around the open courtyard, which has common washing and bathing facilities.

Every morning and evening the courtyards are sprinkled with water to settle the dust. Then the women of the household draw design on the floor with "Rangoli" (it is a powder made of white sparkling stone). The auspicious designs like Swastika and Om are drawn mostly in red color on the walls and doors. Every house entrance is adorned with "Toran". This toran is made of fresh flowers and green mango leaves or decorative cloth. The entrance is decorated this way to welcome wealth in the house and to keep the evil away.

The common furniture items in any household are divan (low wooden bedstead); some type of swing or swing chair and coffee tables. Divans are used for sitting and sleeping. Usually they have ornate, carved legs. Swings and swing chairs are the integral part of any household. They can be heavy and ornate or they can be just plain wooden with metal rods. The continuous and monotonous swinging movement is believed to elevate and introduce one to a divine energy.

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