Art and

Architectu
re
 CONTENT

1 2 3 4 5
Introduction Early forms Types of Overview of Summary
of temple temple Desai article
architecture

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 Introductio
n
The temple architecture in India has evolved
over the ages as the style changed along
with the changing dynasties and regions.It
was in the 600-750 A.D.period that temple
architecture crystallised into the Nagara
style in the north and the Dravida style in
the south.A fusion between these styles,led
to the emergence of Vesara style in
deccan.While the architecture of Hindu
temples varies from region to region,the
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major components of a temple remain
BASIC FORM OF HINDU
TEMPLE:
Sanctum-also known as garbhagriha,literally meaning
womb-house which was a small cubicle with a single
entrance and grew into a larger chamber in time.It is
made to house the major icon ,which is the centre of
much ceremonial attention.

MANDAPA-The entrance to the temple which may be

portico or colonnaded hall incorporates space for a large
number of worshippers.

SHIKHAR:Freestanding temples tend to have mountain-

like spire,which can take the shape of a curving shikhar
in North and pyramidal tower called vimana in South
India.

VAHANA:The vehicle of the principal diety together with

a dhvaj is positioned axially before the shrine.

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• There was a gradual progression from the flat-roofed,monolithic temples
in the initial stages to the sculptured ”shikhara” in the later years.The
progression can be distinguished into five stages:

FIRST STAGE :
The features of the temple that developed during this phase are:

The temples were square in shape.

The temples had flat roof.
The portico was developed on shallow pillars.
The entire structure was built on low platform.

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SECOND STAGE:
The temples built during this
phase continued most of the
features of the earlier phase.
However, the platforms were
higher or upraised .Some
instances of two -storied
temples have also been
found.Another important
addition of this phase was a
covered ambulatory
passageway was used as a
pradakshina path 6
.
THIRD STAGE:
This stage saw the emergence of
shikharas in place of a flat
roof.However,they were still quite
low and almost square,i.e.curvilinear
. Panchayatan style of temple
making,there were four subsidiary
shrines along with the temple of
principal diety.The main temple was
square with an elongated mandap in
front of it,giving it a rectangular
shape.The subsidiary shrines were
placed opposite to each other on
either side of the mandap,giving the
ground plan a crucified shape.
 FOURTH STAGE:

The temples of this stage were almost similar except that

the main shrine became more rectangular.

FIFTH STAGE:
In this stage ,circular temples with shallow rectangular
projections were introduced.Rest of the features of the
previous phase continued.

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 NAGAR
A

DRAVID VIJAYAN
A AGARA
TYPES OF
TEMPLE
ARCHITECT
URE
HOYSA PALA
LA AND
SENA

NAYAKA

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NAGARA STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE

From 5th century AD onwards,a distinct style of temple

architecture developed in the Northern part of India,known as
Nagara style of Architecture.Even in the Nagara school,different
sub-schools emerged in western,central and eastern parts of the
country.
FEATURES OF NAGARA SCHOOL-
• The temples generally followed the Panchayatan style of
temple making,which consisted of subsidiary shrines laid out in
a crucified ground plan with respect to the principal shrine.
• Presence of assembly halls or mandapas in front of the
principal shrine.
• Outside the garbhagriha,images of the river goddess Ganga
and Yamuna were placed.
• Generally
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,there was no water tanks or reservoirs present 20XX
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in
 • Generally,the temple
premises did not have
elaborate boundary walls
or gateways.

Under the Nagara school ,three

sub-schools emerged:
1.Odisha school-
* The exterior walls were
lavishly decorated with
intricate carvings,but interior
walls were plain.
* No use of pillars in the porch.
Shikhara was known as Rekha
deul and mandapa as
jagamohan.
* The ground plan of main
temple was square.
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2. KHAJURAHO SCHOOL:
*In these temples,both the
interior and exterior walls were
lavishly decorated with carvings.
*The sculptures were generally
erotic in their themes and drew
inspiration from Vatsyayana’s
Kamasutra.
*The temples were made up of
sandstone.
*The temples were north or east
facing.
*Panchayatan style of temple
making was followed.
*The temples were built on
relatively high platform and
3. MARU-GURJARA SCHOOL:
* The porticos had decorative arched
gateways known as torans.

* A unique feature is presence of step-

tank,known as suryakund in proximity of
temple.

* The temple was devoid of any carvings.

Sanctum was connected with mandapa both
internally and externally.

* The solankis used a variety of material like

sandstone,black basalt and soft-marble to
make temples.

* Most of the temples are east facing and

designed such that every year during the
equinoxes,the sun rays fall directly into the This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

central shrine.
 TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH INDIA
• Temple architecture in South India began under the Pallava
ruler Mahendravarman.The temples developed during the
pallava dynasty reflected the stylistic taste of the individual
rulers and can be divided into four stages chronologically:
1.MAHENDRA GROUP:This was the first stage of Pallava
temple architecture.This temple built under
Mahendravarman were basically rock-cut
temples.Under him,the temples were known as
mandapas,unlike the Nagara style in which the
mandapas meant only the assembly hall.
2.NARASIMHA GROUP:This represented the second
stage of the development of temple architecture in
South India.The rock-cut temples were decorated with
intricate sculptures.Under Narasimhavarman,the
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3. RAJASIMHA GROUP:Rajasimha led the third stage of
temple development.Under him,development of real
structural temples started in place of rock-cut temples.

4.NANDIVARMAN GROUP:This was the fourth stage of

temple development during the Pallava period.The
temples built were smaller in size.The features were
almost similar to the Dravidian style of temple
architecture.
After the decline of Pallava dynasty,temple architecture
acquired a new style under the Chola kingdom,known
as the Dravidian style of temple architecture.This
marked a new era in the development of temples in
South India.In the later periods,three other styles-
Vesara style ,Nayaka style and Vijayanagara style-also
emerged in this region.
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2. DRAVIDIAN STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
(CHOLA ARCHITECTURE)
Under the patronage of the chola rulers,hundreds of temples were
built in South India.It was a continuation of the previous Pallava
architecture,with some variations.This is what came to be known
as the Dravidian style of temple architecture.The features of the
Dravidian style or chola style are:
* Unlike the Nagara temples,the Dravidian temples were
surrounded by high boundary walls.
* The front wall had a high entrance gateway known as gopuram.
* The temple premise was laid out in panchayatan style with a
principal temple and four subsidiary shrines.
* Under Dravidian style,the spire is in the form of a stepped
pyramid that rises up linearly rather than curved.It is known as
vimana.
* The crowning element is shaped in the form of an octagon and is
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known as shikhara.It is similar to the kalash of the Nagara
*The assembly hall was
connected with the
garbhariha by a vestibular
tunnel known as antarala.
*The entrance of the
garbhariha had sculptures
of Dwaarpal,Mithun and
yaksha.
*The presence of a water
tank inside the temple
enclosure was a unique
feature of this style.
 CHOLA SCULPTURE
• An important feature of the chola sculpture of the chola
temples was the importance placed on the decoration through
sculptures.An important piece of chola sculpture was the
sculpture of Nataraja in the Tandava dance posture.Though the
earliest known Nataraja sculpture,which has been excavated at
Ravana Phadi Cave at Aihole,was made during the early
Chalukya rule,the sculpture reached its peak under the cholas.
• Some of the features of the Nataraja sculpture are:
* The upper right hand holds the drum,which signifies the sound
of creation.All creations spring from the great sound of the
damru.
* The upper left hand holds the eternal fire,which represents
destruction.
* The lower right hand is raised in the gesture of Abhaya mudra
signifying
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benediction and reassuring
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the devotee not to be
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• VESARA SCHOOL:
Also known as the Karnataka school of architecture,it was
conceptualised under the later chalukya rulers in the mid-7th
century AD.It combined features of both the Nagara and
Dravidian school and resulted in a hybridised style.Some of
the features are:
• Emphasis on vimana and mandapa.
• Open ambulatory passageway.
• The pillars,doorways and the ceilings were decorated with
intricate carvings.
Three prominent dynasties who made this style were:
* CHALUKYA of Badami and Kalyani.
* RASHTRAKUTAS(750-983 AD).for example:kailasha temple in
Ellora
* HOYSALA DYNASTY(1050-1300 AD).Temples at
Halebidu
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• VIJAYANAGARA SCHOOL:
The rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire (1335-1565 AD)were great
patrons of art and architecture with capital at Hampi.They combined
the features of Chola,Hoysalas,Pandyas,Chalukyas architectural
styles.Under them,the architectural style began getting influenced by
the Indo-Islamic style of Bijapur,which in turn was reflected in the
temples built during this period.The features of the temples were:
• The walls of the temples were highly decorated with carvings and
geometrical patterns.
• Goupurams,which were previously present on the front side,were
now built on all the sides.
• Monolithic rock pillars.
• Generally,temple pillars had a mythical creature Yali engraved in
them.
• The enclosing walls were larger and more than one mandapas were
built in each temple.The central mandap came to be known as
Kalyana
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HOYSALA ART:
• In the region of Karnataka(near mysore),the temples built under the
Hoysala rulers developed a distinct style of their own as the Hoysala
school of art.It developed in the period from 1050-1300 AD with the
promiment seats being Belur,Halebidu and Sringeri.
Some of the prominent features are:
• Multiple shrines were built around a central pillared hall.
• Unlike the crucified ground plan of the Panchayatan style,the shrines
led outi in the shape of an intricately designed star.This was known
as the Stellate plan.
• Soft soapstone was the main building material.
• Massive emphasis was laid on the decoration of the temple through
sculptures.Both the interior and exterior walls,even the jewelleries
worn by the deities were intricately carved.
• Temples were built on a upraised platform known as Jagati,which
was about 1metre high.
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• The walls and stairs of the temple followed a zigzag pattern.

PALA AND SENA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE:
• In Bengal region,this style developed in the period between 8th and
12th century AD under the patronage of Pala dynasty and Sena
dynasty.The Palas were primarily Buddhist rulers following Mahayana
tradition,but were very tolerant and tbey patronised both the
religions.Pala kings built lots of Viharas,Chaityas and Stupas.The
Senas were Hindus and built temples of Hindu gods,and also
sustained Buddhist architectures.Thus,the architecture reflected the
influence of both the religions.

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 Summary
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Thank you
Mirjam Nilsson Click icon to add picture