Evolution of Temple

ARC244: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE III

 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

1. First stage
3. Flat
Roof

1. Square
shape

2. Shallow
pillars

4. Low
platform
Temple 17, Sanchi & Kankali Temple, Tigwa.
 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

2. Second stage
3. Flat
Roof

1. Square
shape

2. Pillars
(not shallow 4. Raised
anymore) platform

5. Garbgriha for Parikrama

Cont..
Parvati Temple, Nachna kuthara, MP
 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

2. Second stage (GUPTA PERIOD)

Stage 1

Plan of Parvati Temple,

Nachna, Kuthara , 6th century
 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

3. Third stage

1. Emergence
Of Shikhara

2. Intro to the concept of Panchyatna style

Dashavatara Temple, Deogargh

 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

4. Fourth stage

Rectangular platform for main shrine

Trivikarma temple (ter temple) , solanpur Maharashtra

 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES

5. Fifth stage

2. Rectangular Projections
1. Circular Temple on four cardinal directions

Maniyar math at Rajgir

Vastu Purusha Mandala
 TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
The ancient texts (vastu shastra), on the basis of architecture classify temples into
the different orders :
1. Nagara or Indo-Aryan or Northern style.
2. Dravida or Southern style.
3. Vesara or mixed style of temple architecture.
4. Nayaka
5. Hoysala
6. Vijayanagara style
7. Pala and sena school
 TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
Nagara Style of Temple Architecture: An
Introduction
• The Nagara style of temple architecture was
popular in northern India. In northern India, it
is common for the entire temple to be built on
a stone platform with a staircase leading to it.
• Another unique feature is the lack of elaborate
boundary walls or gates. 
• Garbhagriha is always under the tallest tower. 
• There are many subdivisions in the Nagara
temples, depending on the form of Shikhara.
Amalaka or Kalash installed in Shikhara is
another distinguishing feature of this form of
temple style. 
• The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Madhya Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho
Pradesh is an example of Nagara-style temple Madhya Pradesh
architecture. 
• Other examples of Nagara-style temples in
India are the Sun Temple in Konark, the Sun
Temple in Modhera, Gujarat, and the Ossian
Temple in Gujarat. 
 TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
Dravida / Dravidian style of temple architecture
• The Dravida temple is enclosed within a compound wall.
• The front wall has an entrance gateway in its centre, which is known as a Gopuram.
• The shape of the main temple tower known as vimana in Tamil Nadu is like a stepped
pyramid that rises up geometrically rather than the curving shikhara of North India.
• In the South Indian temple, the word ‘shikhara’ is used only for the crowning element at
the top of the temple which is usually shaped like a small stupika or an octagonal cupola
— this is equivalent to the amalak and kalasha of North Indian temples.
• Fierce Dvarapalas or the door-keepers guarding the temple adorn the entrance to
garbhagriha
• It is common to find a large water reservoir, or a temple tank, enclosed within the
complex.
• At some of the most sacred temples in
South India, the main temple in which the
garbhagriha is situated has, in fact, one of
the smallest towers. This is because it is
usually the oldest part of the temple

kailashnath temple at ellora

 TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
Vesara style of temple architecture
• The Vesara style emerged during the reign of Chalunkyan Rulers.
• It is a hybrid temple architecture. It has features of both the Nagara and Dravidian style of
temple architecture.
• It is mainly found in Deccan and Central India regions.
Though the trend of the Vesara Style of temples started by the Chalukyan Rulers, it
flourished during the Rashtrakutas Period.
• The main important feature of the Vesara Style is that they have Northern Indian Style
(Nagara Style) of Shikhara , and the Mandap was designed in Southern Indian Style
(Dravidian Style). In the Vesara Style of temples Shikhara (top of the temple) and Mandap
(main shrine) are joint by the Antarala. So, the temples do not have ambulatory passageways
around Sanctum Sanctorum

Ladkhan Temple, Aihole

TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
 GENERAL TERMINOLOGIES OF TEMPLE ARCITECTURE

1. Gopurams

• The gopurams were in the past

always the tallest structures in
town.
• Gopuram is a monumental tower
at the entrance of any temple,
especially in Southern India.
• They function as gateways through
the walls that surround the temple
complex.
• These gateways became a
dominant feature of a
temple's outer appearance,
eventually overshadowing
the inner sanctuary.
• It also dominated the inner
sanctum in amount of
ornamentation.
• Often a shrine has more than
one gopuram.
 GENERAL TERMINOLOGIES OF TEMPLE ARCITECTURE
2. Mandapa
• Mandapa means any roofed, open or enclosed hall resting on pillars,
standing independently or connected to the sanctum of the temple.
• Mandapas are one or more entrance porches or halls that lead to
the inner sanctum
 GENERAL TERMINOLOGIES OF TEMPLE ARCITECTURE
3. Garbhagiha

• The inner sanctum is called the

garbha-griha (womb house).
• This is where the altar of the
main deity of the temple is
located.
• It is usually a semi-dark and has
no sculptures, except the main
deity.
• There is usually a pradakshina
path that enables pilgrims to go
around the deities.
 GENERAL TERMINOLOGIES OF TEMPLE ARCITECTURE
4. Vimana and Sikhara

• The central shrine is topped by a pyramidal tower several stories

high called Vimana.
• The shikhara is crowned by a chakra in a Lord Vishnu
temple and a trident in a Lord Siva temple.
 TERMINOLOGIES
The basic form of the Hindu temple comprises the following:

• Sanctum (garbhagriha literally ‘womb-house’)

It was a small cubicle with a single entrance which grew into a larger chamber in
time. The garbhagriha is made to house the main icon.
• Entrance to the temple (mandapa)
It may be a portico or colonnaded hall that incorporates space for a large number
of worshippers and is known as a mandapa.
• Shikhara/ Vimana
Freestanding temples tend to have a mountain-like spire It can take the shape of
a curving shikhar in North India and a pyramidal tower, called a vimana, in South
India.
• The vahan
It was mount or vehicle of the temple’s main
deity along with a standard pillar or dhvaj is
placed axially before the sanctum.
•Gopurams – the grand entrance gateways
gneraly found more than one allows pilgrims
to enter the temple
Dravida / Dravidian style of temple architecture
 DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURAL GROWTH

• Architectural Historian sub divide the period of Dravidian

Architectural growth into
1. Pallava Period, 600-900AD
2. Chola Period, 700- 1150 AD
3. Pandava Period, 1100-1350AD
4. Vijayanagara Period and 1350-1565AD
5. Nayakkar Period. 1565-1600 AD
 PALLAVA PERIOD

• Pallava period provided us with

several buildings.
• Earliest ones are rock-cut temples.
• Later the temples carved in one
stone.
• Pallavas introduced the technique
of building in stone into Tamilnadu.
• The beautiful and grand Pallava
style of architecture can be divided
into four phases or styles:
• 1. Mahendra style (600-625 AD)
2. Mammala style (625-674 AD)
3. Rajasimha and Nadivarman style
(674-800 AD)
4. Aparajita style (early 9th century)
Kancheepuram Kailasanathar Temple
  Rapid quiz-Archi Brain Hunt

1. Evolution of temple plan started from which geometrical shape

2. Southern style is also known as
3. Northern Style is also known as
4. Vesara style is also known as
5. Share your own very famous temple in your areas/state/nation
 ASSIGNMENT 1 – PANEL PRESENTATION

Able to understand the evolution and significance of

temple architecture in India, To acknowledge the
significance of Islamic and Mughal architecture and
its contributions

Describe the structure assigned with analytic sketches,

short description of the building in terms of its time line,
planning, material, construction, structure system.
Individual test as per given topic.