Hinduism

Dravidian (South) and Nagara

(North) Styles
 Vastu-purusa mandala
• A myth explains the symbolic diagram (mandala): the
gods in seeking to impose order on chaos, forced the
primeval man, Purusa, into a square grid, the vastu-purusa
mandala, whose basic unit is the square pada
• Hindu temple is the dwelling of the gods. It is based on the
grid systems of 64 (8x8) and 81 (9x9) squares.
• Square is the prefect shape for the ground plan.
• Priests perform ritual of consecrations which connect
between sexual rites and fertility in Hindu architecture.
Vastu-purusa mandala
 Hindu temples
• The temple is a holy site (tirtha), where they practitioners can perform
circumambulation (pradaksina). They also perform the pious act of
gazing at the deity (darsan) and offering prayers, flowers and food
(puja). The temple is never a meeting place for a congregation, but it
came to be a focal point of the community.
• The heart of the temple is the dark hall called garbha grha (womb
hall), where the most important icon is placed. It is the most important
area.
• Pillared halls (mandapa) and porticos were added to the garbha grha,
which was surmounted with a tower (sikhara)--center of the universe
(axis mundi).
 Media and ornaments
• Many varieties: wood, brick, terracotta, and
variety of stone (e.g., chlorite, marble)
• Temples required to be heavily ornamented
(things lacking in ornament were
considered imperfect or incomplete.
• Motifs: narrative reliefs, animal motifs,
floral and vegetation motifs.
 Dravidian architecture
• Stone used as medium for funerary monuments
• Religion developments, particularly bhakti cult, played an
important role
• Early phases of architecture consisted of rock-cut
monuments
• Later phase is dominated by structural buildings; Gopuras
became larger than the main building
• The emphasis is on horizontality lines; one or more stories,
topped with stepped-pyramidal shikhara and a mushroom
cap
 Mamallapuram
• Large remains of Pallava period, 7th
century
• Most of the monuments are rock-cut, carved
out of the boulders and cliffs in the area.
• Descent of Ganges River or Arjuna Penance
• Rathas
• Kailasanatha temple (Ellora 16)
 The Descent of Ganges
• Mid-7th century, Mamalla I at Mamallapuram
• 30 meters in length; 50 meters in height
• Contains animals and other objects
• Approximately life-size scale
• Sculptures were done in realistic manner
3.20 The Descent of the Ganges (or the Penence of Arjuna)
Mamallapuram. Pallava period, 7th century
3.20 The Descent of the Ganges (or the Penence of Arjuna)
Mamallapuram. Pallava period, 7th century
 Rathas, Mamallapuram
• Mid 7th C, Mamalla I period
• Consists of five free-standing rock-cut
structures: Draupadi (dedicated to Durga),
Arjuna, Bhima (to Vishnu), Dharmaraja,
and Nakula-Sahadeva; three free-standing
animals: lions, bull, and elephant
3.21 Rathas, Mamallapuram. Pallava period, mid-7th century
3.21 Rathas, Mamallapuram. Pallava period, mid-7th century
3.21 Dharmaraja Ratha
 Kailasanatha temple, Ellora 16
• World Heritage site
• Built during the reign of King Krisna I of the
Ratchatrakuta Dynasty, 757-773
• **Free standing rock-cut architecture**
• Main building: exterior richly carved with niches, high
reliefs, windows as well as images of deities, mithunas and
the other figures; main subjects are Saivite
• Nandi Shrine: solid
• Built in rectangular format
3.22 Kailasanath temple, Ellora, Rashtrakuta dynasty, c. 760-800
3.22 Kailasanath temple, Ellora, Rashtrakuta dynasty, c. 760-800
 Rajareshvara Temple (Great
Temple) at Thanjuvar (Tanjore)
• Chola period (9th-13th centuries)
• Centered at Thanjuvar (Tanjore)
• Rajarajeshvara or Brihadevara temple to Shiva at
Thanjavur (Tanjore), c. 1000 CE
• Temples made of bricks and stone (for base)
• Rectangular enclosure
• Large gateways (Gopuras)
• Niches: 30 representations of Siva in his
Tripuramtaka (Destroyer of three Cities)
3.24 Rajarajeshvara or Brihadevara temple to Shiva at Thanjavur (Tanjore), c. 1000 CE
3.24 Rajarajeshvara or Brihadevara temple to Shiva at Thanjavur (Tanjore), c. 1000 CE
 Minakshi Temple at Madurai
• Nayak period (16th-18th centuries)
• Dual shrines dedicated to Siva (known locally as
Sundaresvara, “Handsome One,” and Minakshi “Fish-Eyed
One”
• Hall of thousand pillars
• Gopuras (gate): S was built by a wealthy landowner (197
feet) is covered with over 1500 plaster figures of gods and
demons
3.35 Minaksi-Sundareshvara temple, Madurai, 17th century
3.35 Minaksi-Sundareshvara temple, Madurai, 17th century
 Nagara
• Refers to art in the regions of Bengal, Orissa, NE, and NC, Delhi and
Gujarat region.
• Used stone such as Chlorite, sandstone and white marble
• Temple emphasis is primarily on vertically; horizontality is
suppressed.
• High base emphasis the vertically of the whole
• The porch and congregational halls are called mandapa, which in the
S style was clearly separated with the tower over the shrine.
• Sikhara is the tallest structure, symbolizing the center of the universe;
often rose around 24-30 meters (79-98 ft) some reached over 60 m
(196 ft).
Amalaka is a capstone.
 Nagara
• Amalaka-the finial in a shape of a turban
• Torana-Gate
• There are 2 main type-sited in the N style:
Khajuraho and Bhuvanesvara
3.26-27 Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho, 1000 CE