THE TIERED TEMPLES

THE TIERED TEMPLES

Term ‘multi-storied’ for Nepali temples is a misnomer

Only in a few cases shrine occurs on the upper floor

Space above cella is wastage space

Windows on the upper floors | blind windows | visual purpose only

Space above roofs deliberately left open | to keep open vertical axis for the easy
movement of the gods to heaven
THE TIERED TEMPLES

No clear indication of when the style began

Seems to be existent during Lichchhavi as indicated by their inscriptions
The existing temples been renovated or reconstructed at various times | so do not
mirror the actual original designs

Pashupati believed to have been built by the 1st Lichchhavi king Supuspa dev
Another Lichchhavi king Haridattavarmen built the 4 Narayan temples

Structures of today are a result of several renovations & reconstructions

Respect for the tradition & practice of reconstructing temples according to the
original guidelines probably prevented innovations in construction and style
Despite many renovations & reconstructions, temples have faithfully retained as
much of the original character (belief)
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FEATURES

Despite its mass & weight | not aesthetically heavy

Decreasing size of the tiered roofs pointing upwards
Curved tiles or birds ready to take flight at the roof edges carry
one’s view skywards instead of following the downward
roofline
The swaying bells & leaves lend lightness while the flags,
birds, perforated borders & cloth banners led delicacy to the
structure
Temple, however, tied to the earth by the red brick & timber
which belong to the earth
Harmonious combination is responsible for the pleasing
aesthetics

Paved area around the temple demarcates the sacred ground

Shoes are often taken out when entering this area
Paved with small square tiles or stone

Usually set upon one or more plinths of diminishing pattern |

helps to raise the temple | give prominence and symbolic value
Practical value | protection against damp
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FEATURES

Composition of plinth not known

Excavations | bricks or stone rubble with shallow foundations
Not know whether the temple walls rest on the plinth
Of have separate walls with the intervening space filled with various materials

Visible portion of plinth covered with brick & edge of each step topped with stone
Ornamental molded bricks set below the stone slabs
Secondary shrines sometimes built at the corners of the raised plinths
Stairways guarded by stone lions, guardian beasts, minor deities, etc
Each successive guardian is supposed multifold powers

No. of steps of the platform often correspond to the no. of roofs

Sometimes are completely different | Eg- Maju Deval

Bricks extensively used in the main supporting structures

Bricks, no easy decoration | wood, heavily carved

Bands of timber at various levels – cornice level, roof support level

Cross ties provided additional structural strength to the walls
THE TIERED TEMPLES | TYPOLOGY

Most common plan is square | perfect absolute figure full of cosmic symbolism
Rectangles also common | few octagonal or circular plans, more as exotic
structures
Kathmandu temples based on an odd no. of squares: 1, 9, 25, 49, 81, 121, .. 981.
Most commonly used | square of 81 i.e. 9x9 (Tiwari, 1989)

Form of temple associated with the god within:

Square - Siva, Vishnu, Ganesh, Mother goddess
Rectangle - Bhairav, Bhimsen, Mother Goddess, ensemble of mother
goddesses
Octagon - Krishna, although Krishna can have other plans
 THE TIERED TEMPLES | TYPOLOGY

Tiered temples | Square Plan

 THE TIERED TEMPLES | TYPOLOGY

Tiered temples | Rectangular Plan

THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION DESIGN

Another variation in plan is

the type of sanctum

Square or rectangular room

with 3 open sides

Sanctums often exposed for

mother goddesses &
Ganesha

Although complex
superstructures may exist

Open sanctum closely

related to open roofless
shrines that preceded them
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION DESIGN

Another variation in plan is the type of

sanctum

Sanctums can be a simple room entered by

a single door with the image facing the
door set at the rear wall
Usually temple for Narayan
Example: Narayan temple, Tripureshwor
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION DESIGN

Another variation in plan is the type of sanctum

Square temple | sovereign of mandala occupies centre of the sanctum

Image placed in the centre
Sanctum pierced by 4 doors at the centre of each façade
Appropriate for the worship of Sivalinga, Chaturvyuha Vishnu or 4-
faced Brahma meant to be viewed from all sides
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS

Another variation in plan is the

type of sanctum

Some have second outer wall |

space between the inner walls
serving as a circumambulatory
space | however this space rarely
accessible to the public | used by
the priests
Deity generally shivalinga
occasionally Narayan
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS

Another variation in plan is

the type of sanctum

Many temples, outer wall

replaced by columns so that
the space becomes public
and is used for
circumambulation
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS

Another variation in plan is the type of sanctum

Some gods in upper floor, particularly Bhimsena, agama

gods of viharas, some Bhairavs and some mother
goddesses
In free standing temples, sanctum is a small partitioned
space on the upper floor & surrounding hall like space
used by guthiars for religious functions

Some have second outer wall | space between the inner

walls serving as a circumambulatory space | however this
space rarely accessible to the public | used by the priests

Many temples, outer wall replaced by columns so that the

space becomes public and is used for circumambulation
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS

Another variation in plan is the type of sanctum

Some temples built on top of other buildings

Common among these are temples built on some of the courtyard wings of the
palaces such as Taleju or Degutale
Rich families also often built agamchhen temples on their houses
THE TIERED TEMPLES | FORMS

Bhairavnath temple | Bhaktapur

Rectangular temples never placed on high bases or on top of buildings

Unlike square temples, rectangular temples attempt to have an orientation with the
entrance façade heightened

Bhairavnath temple of Bhaktapur | small structure of only one storey

Built by king Jagat Jyoti Malla (1614-1637) | later restored and enlarged by
Bhupatindra Malla in 1718 | addition of two more tiered roofs
Has a unusual feature of 3 small gajuras & metal flags protruding from the centre
of the lowest roof
Probably indicates the original pinnacle of the one storey temple
Destroyed in 1934 earthquake | rebuilt in its original form along with Nyatapola
Striking entrance facing the square which is false
Actual entry from the back through a small back door
God is in an upper floor cella
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Distinct feature of the temple | tiered hipped roof number from 1-5
Most roofs are square or rectangular corresponding to the plan
Few examples of round or octagonal roofs over square plans

1st stage of a multi roof supported by the cell wall (in case of single enclosure)
Or outer closing wall (in case of double enclosure)
Or colonnade (in case of colonnade surrounding the main enclosure)

For next stage, wooden beams support the inner walls which support the upper roof
(in case of single enclosure)
Inner wall supports the upper roof in case of double enclosure or outer colonnade
If more roofs, timber beams support the recessed walls which support the roofs
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
 8 Eaves Plate
9 Strut Rail Rafter (Musi)

10 Wedge (Chukul)
11 Eaves Board

1 Joist (Dalin)
12 Board (Chirpat)

Strut (Tunal)
Wall plates regular/hanging over corbels
Eaves beam + eaves board
Struts - bird-mouthing/ carving
Wedges -Spacing and tie to adjacent
elements
Top roof main rafters along hip edges,
also fanning rafters, king posts/ finial
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Thick layer of clay laid over the roof to delay percolation & prevent leakage
However, disadvantage | moisture often absorbed by the clay which came in
contact with the wooden members causing their decay
This has caused temples to require extensive repairs from time to time
Heavy roofs supported on slanted carved brackets which rested on wooden or brick
cornices
End brackets longer and larger & supported the larger projection of the roof
Roof rafters closely spaced & laid in fan shape pattern at the corners & on the
topmost roof
Erotic scenes often carved on the brackets on the belief that it would avert the evil
or shy eyes of the thunderbolt, who was conceived of as a maiden & would be
abashed by the carvings
Lowermost roof sometimes covered with wooden latticework aligned to the
sloping supporting roof struts which were exquisitely carved
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Construction of Colonnade
Timber colonnade/columns, the timber posts rest on stone plate (doweled)
Horizontal timber member called lakan sin
Timber posts (carved) can be square, octagon & circular
Above the post, bracket (meth) & corner post have half brackets used
Small projection out with carvings of lion motif
Over the bracket beam (nina) runs around the structure & above it walls
constructed

Post & beam

Trabeated system that is combination of vertical columns & horizontal beams
Timber columns (Tham), normally square base with numerous mouldings, square/
cylindrical shafts
Brackets (metha+bagah metha)
Beam (nina)
Base stone (lakasi)
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Some temples | gilded roof

Sheets laid over wooden boards & overlaps were placed over wooden beads
(runners)
Ends covered by metal images
Eaves carved with intricate motifs & had hanging leaves
Birds on the verge of taking flight | placed on the 4 corners of the roofs

Special feature | band on stringed cornices supporting the struts of each roof tier
Lowermost layer of the cornice band composed of lotus petals followed by a band
of nagpasa, a symbolic representation of snakes tying the temple together, then by
a string with lion faces called simhamvaha & other decorative courses
Layers of wooden cornices acted as horizontal ties providing structural strength to
the temples
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Wooden ties also provided at various levels for structural support

Just above the simhamvah level, at 4 corners, cornices projected out as two layers
of flat rectangular pieces with curved ends, supported on cantilevered wooden
projections
Cornice details
THE TIERED TEMPLES | CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Doorways
Structural posts and lintels
Threshold or sill stone
Inner frame, outer frame & tie
Lintel extension & side details
Torana (decorative)
Triple doorways
THE TIERED TEMPLES

Exquisitely carved doors, often covered on gilded metal or metal

Doors had toranas, extended heads & bases, carved flanges & in case of larger
temples, additional panels

No. of roof tiers determined by the god within

- 1 or (7) Guru, Ganesh, Siddhi, Buddhi, Chaitanya
- 2 or (6) Brahma, Agni, Savitri, Susumni
- 3 or (5) Bishnu, Jeeb, Avidhya, Laxmi
- 4 Rudra, Uma

Thus, a Shiva temple could be 3,4 or 5

Two existing 4 tiered temples are Bhagwati at Nala & Harisiddhi Bhawani both
dedicated to Uma
Uma-Maheswora temple at Kirtipur once believed to have been 4 tiered but
damaged in 1934 & later rebuilt with 3 tiers
Of the two 5 tiered temples, Kumbheshora dedicated to Shiva & Nyatapola to a
tantric goddess, probably Bhairavi
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PAGODA & TIERED TEMPLES
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES

Shikhara temple

Shikhara temple style developed by Guptas in the 6th cen

Introduced by Lichchhavi in Nepal & continued into the later period
Used for both Hindu & Buddhist temples

Normally dressed stones but often of brick construction as well

Consist of a square cell with tapering tower symbolizing the cave & the
mountains
Usually on stepped plinth, followed by molded courses | done to protect the
temple from damp
Cella & the tower ends in a flattened ribbed disc known as the amalaka
Amalaka often surmounted by a gajur
Entrance to the cella through one or four porticos
Nepali shikhara temples found to have a wooden frame of posts & beams
enclosed within the walls to give it added structural strength & resilience
Mahaboudhha temple of Patan
Krishna temple of Patan
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES

Shikhara temple

Nepali shikhara temples lack the additional ardhamandapa & mandapas of the
Indian temple design as worship tend to be more personal, rather than
congregational
Also lack rich embellishment of the Indian temples

Octagonal shikhara temple in Patan dedicated to Krishna is an exception

Krishna Mandir & Mahaboudhha in Patan | elaborately ornamented
The Mahaboudhha | design based on the Bodhgaya temple design | started in 1565
completed only in 1601
Covered with tiles bearing the image of Buddha | included in the World Heritage
list
Withdrawn from the list after the government failed to restrict the development in
the surroundings, despite repeated warnings

Towards the end of Malla period, the shikhara shrined adopted a different outline,
shape of an inverted flower bud
Became popular due to ease of construction
Shikhara temple at Maru tole, Kathmandu
 Kalamochana temple
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES

Domed temples

Domed temples influenced by Mughal

architecture & believed to be Rana
imports
Actually introduced during the Malla
period
Favored by the Shah & Rana rulers |
built around Kathmandu
Domed temples of Bhimeswara &
Ranamukteshwara | Bhimsen Thapa
Jagannath temple | Rana Bahadur Shah
Kalomochana (Vishnu temple)
Vishwaroop at Pashupati | Jung Bahadur
Rana | 1874
Ranamukteshwara temple Jagannath temple
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES

Domed temples

Temples are plastered &

whitewashed | an imitation of the
white marble used in the Indian
structures
Recessed niches with arches flank
the doors on the four sides
Bands of floral motifs used at the
base of the dome & upper part of the
structure supporting the dome,
typical of Muslim architecture
Small pavilions built at the 4 corners
in imitation of Indian buildings
Encircling sattals however done in
traditional style
SHIKHARA & DOME TEMPLES

Sattal of Vishnu temple at

Kalamochana