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Contents: 1. Authors' note: a peek into the glorious past. 2. In the image of man from formless to form. 3. From rock cut cave shelters to Vedic dwellings. 4. Bharat's gift of religions to the world. 5. Early history of Bharath-an overview. 6. Breathtaking discoveries on the banks of the Tamira Bharani. 7. Early history of peninsular India-the Sangam age (3rd century bce-3rd century ce). 8. The lords of the Malaprabha river valley-the Chalukyas (6th-8th century ce). 9. Chalukyas and the evolution of Indian temples. 10. The Pallavas-a formidable power in the south (275-897 ce). 11. Pioneers in stone: the architectural innovations of the Pallavas. 12. The middle Pandyas-the longest ruling dynasty (3rd-10th century ce). 13. The architectural marvels of the pandyas. 14. The chola dynasty-a galaxy of supernovas (850 ce-1279 ce). 15. Chola art and architecture: a timeless legacy. 16. The monarch's mentor. 17. Temples of south east Asia. 18. The unique treatment of specific architectural elements in the south Indian temples. 19. The mountain of Kailash and temple architecture. 20. Temple: a conduit connecting the self with the divine. 21. Acknowledgement. 22. Bibliography.