Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Suyash Pradhan
Suyash Pradhan
Suyash Pradhan
The Muslims started moving south which led to the shifting of the capital south at Madurai
The architecture flourished principally under the rule of Tirumalai Nayak 1623 – 1659
The Madura Style as it is also known as was a revival of the Pandya style of architecture
The expansion of the temples corresponded to the expansion of the temple ritual :
• The forms and ceremonies became more elaborate leading to the arrangement of buildings for the activities
• The increase in the structural form was due to the wider powers given to the deity
INNER AREAS :
O UTER AREAS:
2. O uter Areas:
• The entire composition was enclosed within a rectangle by means of a high wall
• The remaining space was left to provide a wide open courtyard or Prakaram
• The enclosure was entered by Gopurams, one on the E and W
• The Gopuram on the E was the principal doorway and largest
• Various structures were erected inside - pillared halls or Mandapas and subsidiary shrines
• Semi religious buildings such as granaries, store rooms for ceremonial supplies
• Later concentric rectangles were added contained within higher enclosing walls leaving another open space between the inner a nd the
outer perimeters
• 4 entrances adorned the four walls in the center at the cardinal points
• Each consisted of a Gopuram larger than the previous one within the outermost enclosure 2 large important structures were bui lt-
Thousand Pillared Hypostyle hall and a Square Tank of water for ablutions, lined with steps and surrounded by an arcade
• This formed the basis for temple layouts but layer temples were sometimes disproportionately enlarged – Srirangam which has 7
concentric rectangular enclosures the whole resembling a town.
Co ncept of Temples:
S piritual nor Architectural
The Gopurams induce a feeling of awe and majesty, leading to progressive halls, smaller and dimmer than the previous, till the mystery of
the Cella or darkened shrine to feel the presence of God
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual
Elements of Temple:
External treatment
• Ht. of Gopuram emphasized by vertical lines
• Each storey has a perpendicular projection
• In-between each storey diminishing tiers, forming horizontal lines
• Horizontal portion sometimes had figures- which were life size.
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual
4 kinds of pillars –
1. Square molded patterned simplest one enlarged to a square pier normally with radiating brackets
2. Rampant dragon -Most common type 1000 pillared hall
Superstructures are cleverly composed above the dragon pillars
Gryphon bracket, capital or beam
3. Deity
4. Portrait of the donor or family
The third and fourth are similar, bigger than life size and attached to the shafts
No structural significance, held by attachments to the shaft
Some cases provide additive support as seen at Meenakshi Temple Madurai.
All of theses support massive structures which are complicated .
Crouching dragons and foliated brackets predominate
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE – MADURAI
Planning:
▪ The main Gopuram leads one to the pillared avenue 200’ x 100’
▪ This leads to the smaller Gopuram forming the eastern entrance to the 2nd
Prakaram
▪ The 2nd Prakaram is a rectangular enclosure 420’ x 310’ having 4 gopurams
in the center of each wall
▪ All the Gopurams are smaller than the previous one as is the case with all
temples
▪ Most of the 2nd enclosure is covered with a flat roof, partly open in the N
▪ Within this is another court 250’ x 156’ with one entrance on the E
▪ The most elaborate part of the temple and the most intricate grouping of
pillars is found outside this entrance
▪ The sacred shrine is located inside the last entrance
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE – MADURAI
Sanctuary of Meenakshi:
• The other sanctuary of the temple is dedicated to Meenakshi – fish eyed
• Enclosure on the S side of the temple at the rear
• Half size reproduction having one compartment within the other
• 225’ x 150’ entered by 2 Gopurams the one on the W being larger then the E
• Rising above the flat roof is the cupola
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE –
• Outside the main enclosure in axial alignment with the E Gopuram is the Vasantha or Pudu
Mandapam – Tirumalai Nayak’s Choultry
• Parallelogram 330’ x 105’ built for 7 years
• Reception hall or temporary place for the deity during festivals
• Central nave and 2 aisles with 4 rows of pillars elaborately carved giving a wonderful
perspective of the interiors
• In the center is a separate group of columns with sculptured shafts with 10 life size statues of
the Nayak house and Tirumalai the builder of the mandapam