Gupta Temple 17 (Sanchi 17)
This shrine, dating back to early Gupta period (4th century AD), is one of the important monuments for understanding the evolution of architectural styles which followed it in later day temples.
(A brief thread)
This shrine, dating back to early Gupta period (4th century AD), is one of the important monuments for understanding the evolution of architectural styles which followed it in later day temples.
(A brief thread)
This temple consists a small sanctum and a mandapa in front. It is built on a low basement and the sanctum is almost a square measuring 3.85 m x 3.72 m and 3.9 m high.(1)
The sanctum has a flat roof which is characteristic of early Hindu shrines. The mandapa, 3 m X 1.8 m, is supported on four pillars. These pillars have a square shaft in lower part, changing into eight and sixteen sides in middle.(2)
The shaft has a bell shaped capital on top, crowned with a lion abacus. The lions are placed on each corner, two lions sharing single head. Decoration is minimal and is only used where one structural form joins another. There is no deity in the sanctum.(3)
An inverted lotus is placed where the top of the shaft joins. The capital and little lions, seated back to back, act as support where the roof rests on top of the pillar. The entire structure is simple. In the course of time temple architecture became increasingly complicated.(4)
From a quadrangle, during later phases, it evolved into salient and re entering angles, protrusions were added, making the outline more and more evolved, till eventually it became like a star with more than a hundred little corners on the ground level.(5)
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