Thread by @INDArtCulture

𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

Two broad orders of temples

- Nagara in the north

- Dravida in the south.

- Vesara style of temples - selective mixing of the Nagara and Dravida orders

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𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖 𝑻𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔

- Sanctum Sanctorum: Garbha Griha: main deity

- Mandapa: Entrance of the temple Hall- incorporates space for worshippers

- Shikhara- mountain like spire

- Vahana – vehicle of the chief deity

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𝑵𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆
- Followed panchayatan style
- Presence of assembly hall
- does not usually have elaborate boundary walls or gateways
- built on an upraised stone platform with steps leading up to it.
- Pillared approach
- No water tank/reservoir

PC -Jagranjosh

Shihara -3styles

- Rekhaprashada/Latina - square at the base and whose walls curve/slope inward

- Phamsana – broader base, shorter than latina, slope upwards on a st. line

- Valabhi – rectangular base, rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber.

- On the top of Shikhara – Fluted disc – Amalak ,

- On the top of that – Kalash

- Pradakshina path generally covered

- Walls divided into verticle planes- Rathas - Trirathas, Pancharathas, Saptrathas

- Temples – not having elaborated gateways

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3 Sub schools of Nagara Style

A) Odisha School

B) Solanki School

C) Khajoraho School

𝑶𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Kalinga empire
- Exterior walls- excessively decorated
- Interior walls – Plain
- No use of pillars
- Shikhara – Rekhadeuls
- Mandap – Jagmohan
- Temples surrounded by boundary walls

Sun Temple Konark - Black pagoda

Jagannath Temple, Puri

Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneshwar

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𝑲𝒉𝒂𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒐 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Chandela Rulers

- Built on high platforms

- Both interior and exterior walls lavishly decorated

- Erotic sculptures – inspiration from Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra

- Temples in sandstone

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- 3 chambers – Garbhagriha, mandapa, ardha-mandpa

- Panchayatan style followed

- Rekhaprasad – created impression of mountain range

- North or east facing

Ex. Kendariya Mahadeo Mandir, Khajoraho

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𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Spread over GJ, RJ – by Solanki rulers

- Temple walls devoid of carving

- Garbhagriha connected with mandapa

- Decorative gateways- toranas

- Presence of step-tanks

- Wooden carving present
- Variety of materials
- Mostly east-facing temples

Ex. Modhera Sun temple (by Bhima1 built in 1026-27)

- There is a massive rectangular stepped tank called the surya kund in front of it, perhaps the grandest temple tank in India

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Modhera Sun temple

Every year, at the time of the equinoxes, the sun shines directly into this central shrine of the temple.

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆

- Under the patronage of chola rulers

- Cont. of pallava architecture

- enclosed within a high compound wall.

- High entrance gateway- Gopuram

- Panchayatan Style

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- shape of the main temple tower known as vimana - stepped pyramid that rises up geometrically

- Kanchipuram, Thanjavur or Tanjore, Madurai & Kumbakonam are the most famous temple towns of Tamil Nadu, where, during the 8th-12th centuries

- Temples- rich administrative centers

- Assembly hall connected to garbhagriha by Antarala

- Mithun and Yakshas at the entrance – dwarapala

- Presence of water tank

Brihadeshwara Temple at Tanjore ( by Raja Raja 1 in 1011CE)

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Gangaikondacholapuram temple ( by Rajendra 1 to commemorate victory in Gangetic delta)

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𝑵𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒌𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Patronage of Nayaka rulers (16-18th cen. CE)

- Known as Madhurai School

- Dravidian style having some Islamic influence

- Presence of huge corridor

- Gopurams are the largest one

- Art of gopuram reached to climax in Nayaka rulers

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

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𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Also known as Karnataka school

- Under Chalukya Rulers

- The hybridization of both Nagara and Dravida style

- Emphasis on Vimana and mandapa

- Pillars doorways are decorated

- Chalukyas of Badami and Kalyani (mid seventh century)

- Rashtrakutas (750-983CE) – Kailashnath temple, Ellora

- Hoysala Dynasty – Temples of Halebid and Belur (1050-1300 CE)

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𝑽𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Vijaynagar empire (1335-1565CE)

- Capital city – Humpi

- Combined features of Chola, Pandyas, Hoysalas, Chalukyas, etc

- Walls are highly decorated

- Goupurams to all the sides

- Monolithic rock pillars

- Enclosing walls were larger

- More than one mandapa

- Concept of secular buildings inside temple premises

- Temple enclosed by boundaries

Vitthala temple,
Virupaksha temple in Humpi

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𝑯𝒐𝒚𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Near Mysore

- 1050.1300CE

- Belur, Halebid, Sringeri

- Multiple shrines

- Central pillared hall

- Designed start structure

- Stellate Plan

- Soft sope stone as main building material

- Built on the upraised platform- Jagati

- Walls followed zig-zag pattern

Ex. Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapuram

𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Bengal Region
- Hindu ruler
- Built temples for hindus + Buddhist sculpture
- Influence of both religions
- Curved or sloping roof

- Terracota bricks
- Tall and curving shikhara
- Highly lusterious finish to figures

Ex. Siddheshwar mahadeo temple, Dhakeshwari temple Bangladesh

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𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒂 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍

- Bengal Region
- 12th cen CE
- Palas primarily Buddhist rulers
- Tolerant and patronage both Hindu+Buddhist architechture
- University of Nalanda, Jagaddala, Odantapuri and Vikramshila
- Somanathpura mahavihara in Bangladesh

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𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒎

- founded by a 7th-century Hindu Pallava King—Narasimhavarman, also known as Mamalla

- Arjuna’s Penance,” or “Descent of the Ganges,” a series of sculptured cave temples, and a Shiva temple on the seashore

PC-TNTourism

𝑭𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒔

- Dharmaraja Ratha
- Bhima Ratha
- Arjuna Rath
- Nakul & Sahadeva Ratha
- Draupadi Ratha

PC- The heritage lab

𝑹𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒄𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔

- Varaha cave temple
- Krishna cave temple
- Panchapandava cave temple
- Mahishasurmardini mandapa

PC-flicker, Ronit gaikwad

References:
-nativeplanet
-indiaculture.nic.in
-mahabalipuram.co.in
-mptourism.com
-Tirtha Bakshi @tirtha_bakshi
-Indian Art & Culture by Gaurav Agarwal
-Indian Art & Culture by Nitin Singhania

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