History of Built Environment III

Temple Architecture
TEMPLES OF RAJASTHAN (8 TH -15 TH CENTURY AD)

AR. UZMA KHAN

 Introduction
The temple architecture of Rajasthan came into prominence
during the time of
Gurjara-Pratiharas of Mandore.

Location : Osian, Jagat and Kiradu. Dilwara, Ranakpur

Characteristics:
Panchayatana temple, Nagara style consisting of Mulaprasada
surrounded by four smaller shrines at four corners. Mandapa
stands in front of open garbagriha, which in turn is fronted by
mukha mandapa.
Important Temples at Rajasthan from 8th-15th century -
Timeline
Hari Hara Temples 8th- 9th century
Surya I Temple, Osian (Jodhpur) 8th- 9th century
Pipla Mata Temple, Osian (Jodhpur) 8th- 9th century
Ambika Mata Temple 10th century
Jain Temple Complex at Dilwara, Mt Abu 11th – 15th century
Adinath Temple at Ranakpur 15th century

Kutina
 Osian
Religious city of Gurhara Pratiharas from 8th – 11th century.

More than 15 imposing temples of Brahmanical and Jaina

faiths adorn the landscape of Osian.

Belief: Vishnu, Surya, Sakti, and Jaina Tirthankaras

Early Phase Temples: 8th-9th century

Later Phase Temples : 10th- 12th century

 South Group temples,
Osian (8th-9th century)
South Group: Hari Hara II
Hari Hara group of temples I, II and III

Characteristic features:
Garbagriha fronted by a small open mandapa, which has flat
roof. Mandapas are provided with kakasana (seat with back
rests), moderately carved pillars with purna kalasas support
the ceilings

West group (8th-9th century):

Surya, Visnu, Mahisasuramardini (Pipla Mata and Mahavira |
vaulted design of Mandapa ceiling)

Surya temple and Sachiyamata Temple

Plan
Hari Hara I
Hari Hara I
 South Group temples, Osian (8th-9th century)
Saciya Mata Temple complex:
Doorway regarded as one of the finest, Shikhara clustered by two rows of Urushringas, a pradakshinapatha, sbhamandapa.

Characteristic features of temples of Osian:

Built on a broad pista
Over this pista was built the pitha, adisthana consisiting of mouldings, such as khura, kumbha, kalasa, kapotala and kapotali.
These mouldings were arranged in accordance with the ratha of the vimana.

Above the Pitha rests the Mandovara wall which is moderatley decorated in early temples.

All pagas of mandovara of these temples contain devakosthas or niches for images surrounded by miniature shikharas.

Temples do not have chhajjas. Over the mandovara stands the curvilinear shikhara crowned by Amalaka.

Antarala, pradakshinapatha and projecting gavakshas

 Ambika Mata Temple,
10th century
Location: Jagat, Udaipur

Planning : Pancharatana Mulaprasada with with

pradakshinapatha, gudhamandapa (main
enclosed hall) in front of garbagriha is fronted by
smaller mukha mandapa with projectig chhajjas
or eaves.

Walls of garbagriha, mandaps, doorways and

ceilings are adorned with fine carvings
surmounted by Shekahri shikhara, while
mandapas are supporting the phamsana
(pyramidical) shikhara.

Shekhari Kutina
 Jain Temple Complex,
Dilwara (11th – 15th century)
 Vimala Vasahi Temple, Luna Temple Vasahi Temple

 Context: Blending of regional variations with sculptural

ornamentation suggesting Maru Gurjaraand central Indian
influence.

 Material : Marble (white)

 Ornamentation: toranas, carved ceilings with lotus motifs,

female bracket figures, open backyards with deva kulikas
(niches with images of gods and goddesses).

1. Luna Vasahi -1230 AD

 Patrons: Tejpala and Vasupala

 Belief: Neminata

 charcateristic features: Intricaely carved on doorways, pillars,

walls and ceilings. Architectural members are
metamorphosised into a single unit.

 Structural support: Shallow domes surmounted by octagonal

naïve and supported by highly sculpted pillars. Eight pillars of
the assembly hall are loftier and different types.
 Jain Temple Complex, Dilwara (11th – 15th century)
Vimala Vasahi (1031-1045 AD)

Ruler: Vimal Shah

Belief: Adinatha

Plan: East facing, consists of Mulaprasada built of black stone, gudha mandapa, sabha
mandapa, deva kulika. In the front of this is a portico which, with the shrine, is raised
five steps above the surrounding court. This is approached through the mandap, or
outer portico, of twelve columns, arranged in a square covered by a dome resting on
eight of these: the two inner columns on each side being so arranged as to form an
octagon. The whole is enclosed in an oblong court-yard about 140 feet by 90 feet,
surrounded by fifty-five cells, each of which contains a cross-legged statue of one or
other of the Tirthankars

Characteristic features: Entrance porch has a false dome, leads into an octagonal
mandapa, whose pillars support an imposing corbelled dome decorated with sixteen
celestial nymphs.
Structural support: Lintels supporting the dome were reinforced by the system of
triangulated supports with their intricately carved brackets which also enhanced beauty
of the interior. This type of ceiling arrangements were used later on in temples at Mt.
Abu and Ranakpur.
The plan of the temple of Vimalśah will be suffice to explain the general arrangements
of Jaina temples, which, though of very great variety in size, are mostly tolerable
similar in plan. It consists of a shrine [c] lighted only from the door, containing across-
legged seated figure, in brass, of the first Jina – Adiśvara, to whom this temple is
dedicated.
 Adinath Temple, Ranakpur
Built year: 1439 AD

Belief: Adinatha

Plan: Temple is built on Chaumukha or four faced plan has cruciform structural
arrnagment in the interior. Mula Prasada has four subsidiary shrines at its four
corners, making it a panchayatana temple. Balconies buttress the main shikhara of
the mulaprasada. Temple is surrounded by porticoed courtyards. the richly carved
hypostyle sabha mandapas and the interior of the corbelled domes receive enough
daylight to project their sculptural marvel from the openings of the superlative
internal spaces.

It has 24 pillared halls with 80 domes that are supported by 400 columns.

The shrines are encircled with range of cells with separate roofs. The five spires rise
above the walls and around 20 cupolas rise from roof of the pillared hall. Each spire
has a shrine and the largest shrine is the important one that addresses the central
altar. The temple ceilings are festooned with foliate scrollwork and geometric
patterns.