INDIAN TEMPLE

ARCHITECTURE

Devanshu .D. Veshviker

Roll no. 65
Submitted to- Bharti Teacher
Class- 10th - C
Linear sketch
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho
 Parts of a Hindu temple
• Garbha-griha, which contains the main deity of the
temple. It has a tower called a vimana over it.
• The ardha-mandapa and maha-mandapa are in front of
the garbha-griha (inner sanctum).
• The gopurams are entrance towers.
• The veranda next to the inside walls of the pradakshina
path.
• Tanks and wells, which are either sacred or for bathing
purposes.
• Subsidiary deities and shrines dedicated to minor gods.
• The Hindu temple Temple Architecture of
architecture developed
over two thousand India
years.
• The architectural
evolution of the indian
temples took place
within the rigid
frameworks derived
entirely from religious
thoughtfulness.
• Therefore the architect
was bound to keep to
the ancient primary
dimensions and strict
configurations, which
remained unaltered
over the period of time.
• The architect and
sculptor were given a
plenty of freedom in
the ornamentation and
decoration of the
temples.
• This resulted in an
overwhelming riches
of architectural
elements, sculptural
forms and decorative
ebullience that is the
characteristic feature of
Indian temple
architecture has few
analogues in the
aesthetic manifestation
of the whole world.
North-Central Indian temples of
Khajuraho
The temples at Khajuraho,
built by the Chandella
rulers circa 1000 AD are
at the pinnacle of the
Nagari architectural
style.
900 AD to 1100 AD
The Nagari style has
several distinct features,
all of which are clearly
manifested in the
temples at Khajuraho.
Khajuraho group of temples
The temples have
been built from
granite or sandstone,
the two chief rocks
found in this area
upon raised platforms.
The platforms
themselves stand on
solid rock masses that
are one of the oldest
rocks on this earth.
• The sculptures are
exquisite.
• They show the daily
lives of the kings
(hunting etc), the
deities in their various
forms, the beautiful
apsarases in their
elegant and enticing
postures and other
royal motifs like lions
and elephants.
 Eastern Indian temples of Orissa
• Under the ancient name of Kalinga, Orissa was the seat
of great empires as far back as 300 B.C.
• as the most remarkable examples of architectural
achievement in all of Asia.
• Although Orissa presents a fairly large variety of styles
in temple building, it has nevertheless a characteristic
architectural genius.
• Its temples have been described as one of the most
compact and homogeneous architectural groups in India.
• In these the Indo-Aryan style of architecture may be
seen at its best and purest.
• Bhubaneswar has the richest
profusion of temples and is known
as the temple town of Orissa, not
only because of the large number
of temples found there, but also
because it is the home of the
famous Lingaraja temple.
• The city of Bhubaneswar is
believed to have been created by
Yayati, founder of the Kesari
dynasty of Orissa.
• The striking concentration of
temples in Bhubaneswar is partly
accounted for by the fact that the
city was the seat of powerful
religions.
• The sacred lake of Bhubaneswar
was once encircled by 7,000
shrines, of which only 500 now
survive in different stages of
dilapidation.
 Sun Temple, Konark
Sun God – in ruins today
Greatest achievement in Orissan architecture
Temple conceived as the eternal sun god travelling in a
ratha (chariot) – the chariot of time.
High plinth
12 no; of 10ft diameter wheels (6 on either side)
Drawn by a team of 7 horses
Upper part of the ratha – Deul and Jagmohan
Path on the plinth for parikarma
3 subsidiary shrines on S, W and N
Sun Temple, Konark
 Sun Temple, Konark
• The natmandir and the bhogmandir were
detached structures, all enclosed within a
courtyard measuring 865 ft. by 540 ft.
• The sculptures executed in hard stone to ensure
their preservation, display an exuberance of
mood and appearance rarely encountered
elsewhere.
• The technique also varies from designs carved
with minute precision to vigorous groups
modeled on a massive scale.
• Much of the relief work on the outer walls of the
temple at Konark --as of certain other temples in
Orissa --has an obviously erotic import.
 Papanath temple, Pattadakkal
• 7th century temple
• Last example of a
Southern shrine
adorned with a
shikhara
The Lad Khan temple in Aihole, which was built around the 7th century A.D.
The Lad Khan temple in Aihole, which was built around the 7th century A.D.
The Durga temple in Aihole.
Dravidian culture - Rock cut productions under Pallavas

• The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition

from rock-cut architecture to stone temples.
• The earliest examples of Pallava constructions are
rock-cut temples dating from 610–690 CE and
structural temples between 690–900 CE.
• The greatest accomplishments of the Pallava
architecture are the rock-cut temples
at Mahabalipuram.
 Dravidian culture
• There are excavated pillared
halls and monolithic shrines
known as rathas in
Mahabalipuram.
• Early temples were mostly
dedicated to Shiva.
• The Kailasanatha temple
inKanchipuram and the Shore
Temple built
by Narasimhavarman II, rock
cut temple in Mahendravadi by
Mahendravarman are fine
examples of the Pallava style
temples.
 Dravidian culture
• The five ratha temples commonly known as the
Pancha Rathas or five chariots stand
majestically on the southernmost extreme of
Mahabalipuram.
• Built by the Pallava ruler Narsimha Varman 1
(AD 630- 68) alias Mamalla in the 7th and 8th
centuries, each temple is a monolith, carved out
of a single rock.
• The temples which are different icautiously cut
out from a huge rock, sloping from south to
northn forms, plans and elevations were.
• These individual 'rathas' are named after the
Pandava brothers Yudhistara (Dharmaraja),
Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula & Sahadeva of the Epic
Mahabharata and their wife Draupadi.
 Dravidian culture
• Besides these rathas, the sculpture of an
elephant (the vehicle of Indra), lion (the vehicle
of Durga) and Nandi bull (the vehicle of Shiva)
are structurally displayed.
• Though these temples are named after the
Pandava brothers, they are not in any way
related to Mahabharata.
• While the Dharmaraja, Arjuna and Draupadi
rathas are square on plan, the Bhima ratha is
rectangular and Nakula Sahadeva ratha apsidal.
 Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

The Shore Temple is a five-storeyed

structural Hindu temple rather
than rock-cut as are the other
monuments at the site.
It is the earliest important structural
temple in Southern India.
Its pyramidal structure is 60 ft high
and sits on a 50 ft square
platform.
There is a small temple in front
which was the original porch
It is made out of finely cut local
granite.
Recent excavations have revealed
new structures here under the
sand
• The temple is a combination of three shrines.
• The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva as is the smaller second
shrine.
• A small third shrine, between the two, is dedicated to a
reclining Vishnu and may have had water channeled into the
temple, entering the Vishnu shrine.
• The two Shiva shrines are orthogonal in configuration.
• The entrance is through a transverse barrel vault gopuram.
• The two shikharas have a pyramidal outline, each individual tier
is distinct with overhanging eaves that cast dark shadows.
• The outer wall of the shrine to Vishnu and the inner side of the
boundary wall are extensively sculptured and topped by large
sculptures of Nandi
• The temple's outer walls are divided by plasters into bays, the
lower part being carved into a series of rearing lions
 Dravidian culture
Dravidian Order - Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore
• Brihaeshwara temple - through the gate to the courtyard
where dthe 60 meter tower, a feast of Dravidian
architecture towers into the sky dwarfing the landscape
offers a glimpse into the mind of the once invincible
imperial Cholas.
• Built in 11th century by Rajaraja I, it established the
power of the Cholas.
• Granite blocks were brought for the temple from a
distance of 50 km.
• The tower or vimana soars to height of 60.96 metres and
the stone cupola at the top weighs 81.284 tonnes.
• Long plinths were used to put the stones in place.
• Hall of thousand pillars – 985 pillars, 240ft X250ft
• Soaring gopurams – 150ft (48m) high gopuram
Thank You