Hinduism

Dravidian(South)andNagara
(North)Styles

Hinduism
Polytheisticreligion(worshipmanygodsand
goddesses)
Goalistoachievemoksabypraying,
worshipping(darsana)andgivingofferingtogods
Eachgodhasafemalecompanionandrideson
vehiclesuchasbull(Nandi),lion,goose;each
holdssomeattributes(Siva:tridentsandVishnu:
conchshellandwheel)

Triad
BrahmaGodofCreator
VishnuGodofPreserver(hasmanyincarnations
suchasRamaandKrishna)
ShivaGodofDestroyer(alsotheprotectorof
animals)
Devigoddess(e.g.,Laksmi(GoodFortune)and
Parvati);symbolizingbeauty,benevolent,and
wealthaswellaspowerandwrath

3.25ShivaasNataraja,LordoftheDance,Chola,1112thC

Vastupurusamandala
Amythexplainsthesymbolicdiagram(mandala):the
godsinseekingtoimposeorderonchaos,forcedthe
primevalman,Purusa,intoasquaregrid,thevastupurusa
mandala,whosebasicunitisthesquarepada
Hindutempleisthedwellingofthegods.Itisbasedonthe
gridsystemsof64(8x8)and81(9x9)squares.
Squareistheprefectshapeforthegroundplan.
Priestsperformritualofconsecrationswhichconnect
betweensexualritesandfertilityinHinduarchitecture.

Hindutemples
Thetempleisaholysite(tirtha),wheretheypractitionerscanperform
circumambulation(pradaksina).Theyalsoperformthepiousactof
gazingatthedeity(darsan)andofferingprayers,flowersandfood
(puja).Thetempleisneverameetingplaceforacongregation,butit
cametobeafocalpointofthecommunity.
Theheartofthetempleisthedarkhallcalledgarbhagrha(womb
hall),wherethemostimportanticonisplaced.Itisthemostimportant
area.
Pillaredhalls(mandapa)andporticoswereaddedtothegarbhagrha,
whichwassurmountedwithatower(sikhara)centeroftheuniverse
(axismundi).

Vastupurusamandala

Mediaandornaments
Manyvarieties:wood,brick,terracotta,and
varietyofstone(e.g.,schist,chlorite,
marble)
Templesrequiredtobeheavilyornamented
(thingslackinginornamentwere
consideredimperfectorincomplete.
Motifs:narrativereliefs,animalmotifs,
floralandvegetationmotifs.

Dravidianarchitecture
Stoneusedasmediumforfunerarymonuments
Religiondevelopments,particularlybhakticult,playedan
importantrole
Earlyphasesofarchitectureconsistedofrockcut
monuments
Laterphaseisdominatedbystructuralbuildings;Gopuras
becamelargerthanthemainbuilding
Theemphasisisonhorizontalitylines;oneormorestories,
toppedwithsteppedpyramidalshikharaandamushroom
cap

Mamallapuram
LargeremainsofPallavaperiod,7th
century
Mostofthemonumentsarerockcut,carved
outofthebouldersandcliffsinthearea.
DescentofGangesRiverorArjunaPenance
Rathas
Kailasanathatemple(Ellora16)

TheDescentofGanges

Mid7thcentury,MamallaIatMamallapuram
30metersinlength;50metersinheight
Containsanimalsandotherobjects
Approximatelylifesizescale
Sculpturesweredoneinrealisticmanner

3.20TheDescentoftheGanges(orthePenenceofArjuna)

Mamallapuram.Pallavaperiod,7thcentury

3.20TheDescentoftheGanges(orthePenenceofArjuna)

Mamallapuram.Pallavaperiod,7thcentury

Rathas,Mamallapuram
Mid7thC,MamallaIperiod
Consistsoffivefreestandingrockcut
structures:Draupadi(dedicatedtoDurga),
Arjuna,Bhima(toVishnu),Dharmaraja,
andNakulaSahadeva;threefreestanding
animals:lions,bull,andelephant

3.21Rathas,Mamallapuram.Pallavaperiod,mid7thcentury

3.21Rathas,Mamallapuram.Pallavaperiod,mid7thcentury

3.21DharmarajaRatha

BuddhistArt
ReadFisher,BuddhistArtandArchitecture,
chapter:pp.1164.
Importantfigures:16,17,18,21,22,32,33,
37,38,40,42,43,44

Kailasanathatemple,Ellora16
WorldHeritagesite
BuiltduringthereignofKingKrisnaIofthe
RatchatrakutaDynasty,757773
**Freestandingrockcutarchitecture**
Mainbuilding:exteriorrichlycarvedwithniches,high
reliefs,windowsaswellasimagesofdeities,mithunasand
theotherfigures;mainsubjectsareSaivite
NandiShrine:solid
Builtinrectangularformat

3.22Kailasanathtemple,Ellora,Rashtrakutadynasty,c.760800

3.22Kailasanathtemple,Ellora,Rashtrakutadynasty,c.760800

RajareshvaraTemple(Great
Temple)atThanjuvar(Tanjore)
Cholaperiod(9th13thcenturies)
CenteredatThanjuvar(Tanjore)
RajarajeshvaraorBrihadevaratempletoShivaat
Thanjavur(Tanjore),c.1000CE

Templesmadeofbricksandstone(forbase)
Rectangularenclosure
Largegateways(Gopuras)
Niches:30representationsofSivainhis
Tripuramtaka(DestroyerofthreeCities)

3.24RajarajeshvaraorBrihadevaratempletoShivaatThanjavur(Tanjore),c.1000CE

3.24RajarajeshvaraorBrihadevaratempletoShivaatThanjavur(Tanjore),c.1000CE

MinakshiTempleatMadurai
Nayakperiod(16th18thcenturies)
DualshrinesdedicatedtoSiva(knownlocallyas
Sundaresvara,HandsomeOne,andMinakshiFishEyed
One
Hallofthousandpillars
Gopuras(gate):Swasbuiltbyawealthylandowner(197
feet)iscoveredwithover1500plasterfiguresofgodsand
demons

3.35MinaksiSundareshvaratemple,Madurai,17thcentury

3.35MinaksiSundareshvaratemple,Madurai,17thcentury

Nagara
ReferstoartintheregionsofBengal,Orissa,NE,andNC,Delhiand
Gujaratregion.
UsedstonesuchasChlorite,sandstoneandwhitemarble
Templeemphasisisprimarilyonvertically;horizontalityis
suppressed.
Highbaseemphasistheverticallyofthewhole
Theporchandcongregationalhallsarecalledmandapa,whichinthe
Sstylewasclearlyseparatedwiththetowerovertheshrine.
Sikharaisthetalleststructure,symbolizingthecenteroftheuniverse;
oftenrosearound2430meters(7998ft)somereachedover60m
(196ft).
Amalakaisacapstone.

Nagara
Amalakathefinialinashapeofaturban
ToranaGate
Thereare2maintypesitedintheNstyle:
KhajurahoandBhuvanesvara

3.2627KandariyaMahadevatemple,Khajuraho,1000CE

3.28VishnuandLaksmi,Parsvanathatemple,c.1000

ExteriorWall,KandariyaMahadevatemple