INDIAN TEMPLE

ARCHITECTURE
The distinct architectural styles of temple construction of the north India and the south
India was the result of the broad geographical, climatic, ethnic, racial, historical
and linguistic differences resulted, from early on, in.
The Vastu Shastras, the ancient canonical texts on architecture, classify temples into
three different orders:
the Nagara or the Indo-Aryan or Northern style,
the Dravida or the Southern style and
the Vesara or Mixed style of temple architecture.
There are also definite regional styles in peripheral areas like Bengal, Kerala and the
Himalayan areas.
 Examples
• The best examples of the north Indian style of
temple architecture are the Khajuraho Group
of temples, Sun temple, Konark, Surya temple,
Modhera, Gujarat and Ossian temple, Ossian,
Gujarat.
• The finest examples of Dravidian style are
temples of Tanjore, Madurai, Mahabalipuram,
Badami, Pattadakal and Kanchipuram.

Main temple spire (tower)
Mandapa spire (tower)
Curvature of the spire
Vimana that may be multistorey (talas), the top of
Sikhara above sanctum
which is called the sikhara
Yes No
Curvilinear centred over the sanctum, also straight- Straight-edged pyramidal, sometimes curvilinear
edged pyramidal centred over the sanctum[note 2]

Sanctum Single or multi-storey Typically single (Vimana may be multi-storey)

Mandapa, sanctum and tower plans are

predominantly Chaturasra (square); uncommon:
Plan Ashtasra, Vritta, Ayatasra, Ayata Ashtasra, Ayata
same, plus Prana Vikara
Vritta, Hasti Prishta, Dwayasra Vrita

Characteristic, but not essential; after 10th century

often higher than the vimana. May be several, on all
Gopuram Not a prominent feature
sides of the compound, serving as landmarks for
pilgrims

sacred pools, fewer pillared mandapas in temple sacred pools, many pillared mandapas in temple
grounds (separate dharmashala), prakara walls rare grounds (used for rites of passage ceremonies, choultry,
Other features (e.g. Odisha after 14th century), single or multiple temple rituals), prakara walls became common after
entrances into temple 14th century, single or multiple entrances into temple

Major sub-styles Latina, Phamsana, Sekhari, Valabhi Tamil (upper and lower Dravidadesa), Karnata, Andhra

northern, western, central and eastern parts of the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent, southeast
Geography Indian subcontinent Asia

Chronology of surviving stone- Late Kushana era, early Gupta: rudimentary

Late Gupta era: rudimentary; 6th-10th century: zenith
masonry monuments archaic; 6th-10th century: zenith
The 8x8 (64) grid Manduka Hindu Temple Floor
Plan, according to Vastupurusamandala. The
64 grid is the most sacred and common Hindu
temple template. The bright saffron center,
where diagonals intersect above, represents
the Purusha of Hindu philosophy.[6
Vastu-purusa mandala
Elements of Hindu Temples

Garbhagriha •literally means ‘womb-house’ and is a cave like sanctum

•Garbhagriha is made to house the main icon (main deity)

•It is the entrance to the temple

•May be a portico or colonnaded (series of columns placed at regular intervals) hall that
Mandapa incorporate space for a large number of worshipers
•Some temples have multiple mandapas in different sizes named as Ardhamandapa,
Mandapa and Mahamandapa

Shikhara or •They are mountain like spire of a free standing temple

Vimana •Shikhara is found in North Indian temples and Vimana is found in South Indian temples
•Shikhara has a curving shape while vimana has a pyramidal like structure

Amalaka •a stone disc like structure at the top of the temple shikara
Kalasha •topmost point of the temple above Amalaka

Antarala
(vestibule) •a transition area between the Garbhagriha and the temple’s main hall (mandapa)

Jagati •a raised platform for sitting and praying

Vahana •vehicle of the temple’s main deity along with a standard pillar or Dhvaj
Nagara School of Architecture
1. Style of temple architecture that became popular in northern India
2. a square temple with a number of graduated projections (rathakas)
3. A tower (sikhara) gradually curving inwards and capped by a spheroid slab with ribs
round the edge (Amalaka) give the elevation
4. Prominent features → Shikaras (Spiral roofs), Garbhagriha (sanctum) & Mandap (pillared
hall)
5. Thus the two major characteristics of this style are the cruciform ground plan and the
curvilinear tower
The village of
Khajuraho is
like a million
other villages
in India;
what sets it
apart is its
medieval
legacy of
temples that
represent the
perfect fusion
of architecture
and
sculpture.
 Twenty-Five
temples at
Khajuraho today
are divided into
THREE groups:

•WESTERN
GROUP, near
shivasagar tank

•EASTERN
GROUP, near
the Khajursagar
tank (Ninora
Tal) and the
Khajuraho
village

•SOUTHERN
GROUP, near
the Khudar SOUTHERN TEMPLES

rivulet
•The construction of the three thousand year old temples of
Khajuraho took over a little two centuries; in terms of architecture,
they form the high point of the north Indian ‘NAGARA’ style.

•Of the 85 temples believed to have been built between the 9th and
12th centuries only around 25 have survived, many in splendid condition,
others having given way to the ravages of time and nature.

• Now, the question arises why so many temples were built?

One theory about the Khajuraho temples surmises that the original
85 temples were built to commemorate the marriage of Shiva and
Parvati . Shiva is the GOD OF DESTRUCTION and part of the Hindu
trinity, the source of regeneration which led to the worship of the
phallus; his union with Parvati is regarded as the base of cosmic energy.
The theory postulates that the sculptures were images of people
captured in motion at the point when Shiva’s marriage party arrived
at
the celestial town where the couple were to wed.
There is generally held belief that ‘free love’ is abounded here. For
many, the name Khajuraho is synonymous with erotic sculpture. But,
erotic figures consist of not even one-tenth of the total number of
sculptures that adorn the walls of the temples at Khajuraho.
There are hundreds of images of divinities, many holding
manuscripts and several in yogic postures.

Of the twenty-five temples extant today:

• TEN enshrine VISHNU in his various forms, such as VAMANA
(the
Dwarf), VARAHA (the boar), VAIKUNTHA…
• EIGHT are dedicated to LORD SHIVA
• ONE to SURYA
• ONE to CHAUSATH YOGINIs (sixty-four goddesses), and
• FIVE to JAIN DIGAMABARAS

The jain temples were dedicated to Tirthankars Adinatha

(Rishabhanatha), Parshvanatha and Shantinatha.
THE OPEN
SPACIOUS HIGH
PLATFORM ON
WHICH EACH
TEMPLE STANDS
IS A
DISTINGUISHING
FEATURE OF
KHAJURAHO
TEMPLES
 M a i n Features of Temple Architecture
•built in NAGARA style of architecture
•in it, the SPIRE (shikhara) is CURVILINEAR in form unlike dravidian
style
• they are unified structures consisting of four or five units:
a sanctum (garbha-griha)
a vestibule (antarala)
a large hall (mahamandapa)
another hall (mandapa)
a porch (ardhmandapa/
mukhamandapa)
a torana at the entrance
• initially, the temples consisted
of just the sanctum and an
attached porch, various
mandapas were added later as
per required by the rituals
performed in there.
• most of the khajuraho
temples are erected on the
EAST-WEST
Three subtypes of Nagara temple depending upon the shape of Shikhara 
Rekha Prasad / Latina
Simple Shikhara → Square at the base and the walls curve inward to a point on the top.
Latina types are mainly used for housing the garbhagriha
The top is called ‘latina’ or the rekha-Prasad type of Shikhara.
Phamsana
Phamsana buildings tend to be broader and shorter than latina buildings.
Their roofs are composed of several slabs that gently rise to a single point over the center of
building, unlike the latina ones which look like sharply rising tall towers.
They do not curve inwards, instead they slope upwards on a straight incline.
In many North Indian temples Phamsana was used for mandapa and latina for Garbhgriha.
Valabhi 
1. These are rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber.
2. The edge of the vaulted chamber is round, like the bamboo or wooden wagons that would
have been drawn by bullocks in ancient times.
3. The form of this temple is influenced by ancient building forms that were already in
existence.
 North-Central Indian temples of
Khajuraho
1. The temples at
Khajuraho, built by the
Chandella rulers circa
1000 AD are at the
pinnacle of the Nagari
architectural style.
2. 900 AD to 1100 AD
3. The Nagari style has
several distinct features,
all of which are clearly
manifested in the
temples at Khajuraho.
 Panchayantana Temple
The temple style is called
'Panchayatan'. A Panchayatan
temple has four subordinate
shrines on four corners and the
main shrine in the center of the
podium, which comprises their
base. Here, the main shrine at the
center is of Shri Vyadeshwar (Shri
Shiva) and the other deities at the
surrounding are: The Sun, Shri
Ganesh, Shri Parvati and Shri
Vishnu along with goddess
Lakshmi at South-East, South-
West, North-West and North-East
respectively. Statue of Nandi(So
called 'VEHICLE' of Shri Shiva) is
installed in front of the main
shrine.The plan of the temple is
shown in the adjacent photograph.
 Architectural Features -Khajuraho
• 1000 AD
• High terraces
• Flight of steps – 10
to 12 ft
• Unity of composition
• Cella, mandapa and
the entrance
vestibule are the
parts of a
harmonious whole
• Shikharas –
Architectural
materpieces
• Vertical axis
• Top piece – Amalaka
or capstone in perfect
rhythm with the
curvilinear outline of
the shikhara
• Kalasa on top
 • Largest and loftiest in the
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho
Khajuraho group
• 109t X 60ft
• Height of it shikhara is 116ft 6
inches
• Mandapa size – 25 ft X 25 ft
• No enclosure walls
• Erected on platform (Jagatis)
which are large enough to
perform pradhakshina
• Garbhagriha, antharala,
mahamandapa, mandapa and
arthamandapa present
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho
 The Kendariya Mahadeo temple is the finest example in Indo-Aryan temple style
because of its attainment of unity in design of its components such as mandapas.
• It becomes a composite design in plan and exterior profile.
• It results into overall jagged profile of mostly revered Kailash.
• The raised platform on which the temples stands in itself becomes dominant feature of
the composition.
• The great flight of steps gives one a sense of arrival in higher ritualistic sense also.
• The sculptures are exquisite.
• They show the daily lives of the kings (hunting etc), the deities in their various forms, the
beautiful apsarases in their elegant and enticing postures and other royal motifs like lions and
elephants.
 Khajuraho group of temples
• The temples have
been built from
granite or sandstone,
the two chief rocks
found in this area
upon raised platforms.
• The platforms
themselves stand on
solid rock masses that
are one of the oldest
rocks on this earth.
VISHWANATH TEMPLE JAGDAMBI TEMPLE

JAVERI TEMPLE VAMNA TEMPLE

 Eastern Indian temples of Orissa
• Under the ancient name of Kalinga, Orissa was the seat
of great empires as far back as 300 B.C.
• as the most remarkable examples of architectural
achievement in all of Asia.
• Although Orissa presents a fairly large variety of styles
in temple building, it has nevertheless a characteristic
architectural genius.
• Its temples have been described as one of the most
compact and homogeneous architectural groups in India.
• In these the Indo-Aryan style of architecture may be
seen at its best and purest.
 Eastern Indian temples of Orissa
• The design which flourished in eastern Indian state of Orissa and
Northern Andhra Pradesh are called Kalinga style of architecture.
• The style consists of three distinct type of temples namely Rekha
Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula.
• Deula means "Temple" in the local language. The former two are
associated with Vishnu, Surya and Shiva temple while the third is
mainly with Chamunda and Durga temples.
• The Rekha deula and Khakhara deula houses the sanctum
sanctorum while the Pidha Deula constitutes outer dancing and
offering halls.
• The prominent examples of Rekha Deula are Lingaraj
Temple of Bhubaneswar and Jagannath Temple of Puri.
• The Konark Sun Temple is a living example of Pidha Deula.
The main architectural features of Odisha temples are classified in three orders:

Rekha Deula Pidha Deula Khakhara Deula

Rekha means line and It is a square building with a
it is a tall straight pyramid shaped roof and is
building with a shape mainly found for housing the
of sugar loaf. It covers outer dancing and
the garbhagriha. offering halls.
It is a rectangular building with
truncated pyramid shaped roof.
Temples of the female deities are
usually in this form (garbhagriha
usually) and will have a
resemblance with Dravidian
temples of south.
• The temple-building movement in Orissa, which reached its peak of
excellence in the 10th and 11th centuries, stretches from roughly 650
A.D. to 1200 A.D. and illustrates more coherently than any other
similar movement the growth and development of the Nagara style of
architecture.
• In general, all Orissan temples follow a common structural plan.
• A typical temple consists of two apartments.
• The deul, corresponding to the southern vimana, is the cubical inner
apartment which enshrines the image, and is surmounted by a tower.
• In front of this is the antarala or porch called the jaganmohan which is
usually square-shaped and has a pyramidal roof.
• Occasionally, one or two more mandapas, such as   the natmandir and
the bhogmandir, can be found in front of the jaganmohan, but these,
where they exist, are almost without exception were superimposed on
top of   the original plan.
 Lingaraja temple
• The great Lingaraja temple, believed to have been built around 1000 A.D.
• It stands in a cluster of sixty-five smaller shrines in a spacious compound meausring
520 feet by 465 feet and its mighty tower (the vimana) dominates the landscape for
miles around.
• Constructed without mortar, this tower is 127 feet high and is divided into vertical
sections.
• The angles of the recesses are filled in with miniature vimanas and on the top, are
figures representing a lion crushing an elephant.
 Lingaraja temple
• Initially it consisted of a cella and a mandapa
• Cella – 56ft square and rises about 140 ft
• Mandapa is rectangular
 Mukteshwar Temple
• Little Architectural
Gem
• Deul and Jagmohan
• Length – 45ft, width
– 25ft, shikhara
height – 35ft
• Heavy
ornamentation and
interesting carving
• Shikhara – well
proportioned
• Entrance – Torana –
ssemicircular arch
carried by two pillars
Jagannath temple, Puri 1. It is also located on the eastern
coast, at Puri, Odisha.
2. The temple is a part of Char
Dham (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri,
Rameswaram) pilgrimages that a
Hindu is expected to make in
one’s lifetime.
3. When most of the deities in the
temples of India are made of
stone or metal, the idol of
Jagannatha is made of
wood which is ceremoniously
replaced in every twelve or
nineteen years by using sacred
trees.
4. The temple is believed to be
constructed in the 12th century by
King Anatavarman Chodaganga
Deva of the Eastern Ganga
Dynasty.
5. The temple is famous for
its annual Ratha Yatra or Chariot
festival.
Sun Temple, Konark
 Sun Temple, Konark
• Sun God – in ruins today
• Greatest achievement in Orissan
architecture
• Temple conceived as the eternal
sun god travelling in a ratha
(chariot) – the chariot of time.
• High plinth
• 12 no; of 10ft diameter wheels (6
on either side)
• Drawn by a team of 7 horses
• Upper part of the ratha – Deul and
Jagmohan
• Path on the plinth for parikarma
• 3 subsidiary shrines on S, W and
N
 Sun Temple, Konark
• Main entry – wide flight of steps
in East
• Height of the tall Deul – shikhara
– about 225ft
• Cella – 25ft X25 ft
• Jagmohan – 100ft X 100ft, ht –
100ft – cubical mass
• Temple is full of sculptures of
erotic nature
• Temple stands in the centre of a
large enclosure – 860 ft X 540 ft
• Dwajasthamba nd Nat mandir in
front
• Stone – good variety of laterite
• Mortarless work
 Sun Temple, Konark
• The natmandir and the bhogmandir were detached structures, all
enclosed within a courtyard measuring 865 ft. by 540 ft.
• The sculptures executed in hard stone to ensure their preservation,
display an exuberance of mood and appearance rarely encountered
elsewhere.
• The technique also varies from designs carved with minute precision
to vigorous groups modeled on a massive scale.
• Much of the relief work on the outer walls of the temple at Konark
--as of certain other temples in Orissa --has an obviously erotic
import.
• This is indicative of the emergence of a phase in Hinduism known
as Tantrism, the mithuna ritual of which is depicted in the carvings
of this temple as well as of the temples in Mathura and Khajuraho.
• According to Tantric thought, all human experience – which by
implication also includes experience connected with carnal desire –
has a value, for it is only through experience that man can attain the
stage of self-immolation.
 DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURE
• Stone used as medium for funerary monuments
• Religion developments, particularly bhakti cult, played an
important role
• Early phases of architecture consisted of rock-cut monuments
• Later phase is dominated by structural buildings; Gopuras
became larger than the main building
• The emphasis is on horizontality lines; one or more stories,
topped with stepped-pyramidal shikhara and a mushroom
cap
 Mamallapuram
• Large remains of Pallava period, 7th century
• Most of the monuments are rock-cut, carved
out of the boulders and cliffs in the area.
• Descent of Ganges River or Arjuna Penance
• Rathas
• Kailasanatha temple (Ellora 16)
The Descent of Ganges

• Mid-7th century, Mamalla I at

Mamallapuram
• 30 meters in length; 50 meters
in height
• Contains animals and other
objects
• Approximately life-size scale
• Sculptures were done in realistic
manner
3.20 The Descent of the Ganges (or the Penence of Arjuna)
Mamallapuram. Pallava period, 7th century
3.20 The Descent of the Ganges (or the
Penence of Arjuna)
 Chalukyan style

1. It is the distinctive style of ornamented architecture that evolved during the rule of
the Western Chalukya Empire in the Tungabhadra region of central Karnataka, India,
during the 11th and 12th centuries.

2. The centre of cultural and temple-building activity lay in the Tungabhadra region,
where large medieval workshops built numerous monuments.  

3. These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida (South Indian) temples,

defined the Karnata dravida tradition.

4. Temples of all sizes built by the Chalukyan architects during this era remain today as
examples of the architectural style.
5. The Chalukyan style originated in Aihole around A.D. 450 and was perfected in the
neighbouring villages of Badami and Pattadakal (all in Bagalkot district of Karnataka).

6. Chalukyan artists experimented with different styles, blended the Indo-Aryan Nagara
and Dravidian styles, and evolved their own distinctive style.
• One can see magnificent examples of their earliest works in Aihole,
Badami and Pattadakal.

• These certainly are not the earliest temples.

• Temples were constructed centuries before the 4th and 5th century
A.D., but with the surviving Western Chalukya monuments are
temples built in the Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Jain religious traditions.

• None of the military, civil, or courtly architecture has survived; being

built of mud, brick and wood, such structures may not have
withstood repeated invasions.
• the wood and bricks and have not survived.
Chalukyan temples fall into two categories —
• the first being temples with a common mandapa (a
colonnaded hall) and two shrines (known as dvikuta), and
• the second being temples with one mandapa and a single
shrine (ekakuta).
• Both kinds of temples have two or more entrances giving
access to the main hall. This format differs from both the
designs of the northern Indian temples, which have a
small closed mandapa leading to the shrine and the
southern Indian temples which generally have a large,
open, columned mandapa.
• The Chalukyan architects retained features from both northern
and southern styles.
• However, in the overall arrangement of the main temple and of
the subsidiary shrines, they inclined towards the northern style
and tended to build one main shrine with four minor shrines,
making the structure a panchayatna or five-shrined complex.
•  Chalukyan temples were, almost always, built facing the east.
• The Sanctum (cella) is connected by a vestibule (ardha
mandapa or ante-chamber) to the closed mandapa (also called
the navaranga), which is connected to the open mandapa.
• Occasionally there can be two or more open mandapas. In
Shaiva temples, directly opposite the sanctum and opposite the
closed mandapa is the nandi mandapa, which enshrines a large
image of Nandi, the bull attendant of Shiva. The shrine usually
has no pradakshina.
• The pillars that support the roof of the mandapa are monolithic shafts
from the base up to the neck of the capital. Therefore, the height of
the mandapa and the overall size of the temple were limited by the length
of the stone shafts that the architects were able to obtain from the
quarries.
• The height of the temple was also constrained by the weight of the
superstructure on the walls and, since Chalukyan architects did not use
mortar, by the use of dry masonry and bonding stones without clamps or
cementing material.
• The absence of mortar allows some ventilation in the innermost parts of
the temple through the porous masonry used in the walls and ceilings.
• The modest amount of light entering the temples comes into the open
halls from all directions, while the very subdued illumination in the inner
closed mandapa comes only through its open doorway.
• The vestibule receives even less light, making it necessary to have some
form of artificial lighting (usually, oil lamps) even during the day. This
artificial source of light perhaps adds "mystery" to the image of the deity
worshipped in the sanctum.
A typical Western Chalukya temple may be
examined from three aspects —
• the basic floor plan,
• the architectural articulation, and
• the figure sculptures.

• The basic floor plan is defined by the size of the

shrine, the size of the sanctum, the distribution of
the building mass, and by the pradakshina (path
for circumambulation), if there is one.
Architectural articulation 
• It refers to the ornamental components
that give shape to the outer wall of the
shrine.
• These include projections, recesses,
and representations that can produce a
variety of patterns and outlines, either
stepped, stellate (star-shaped), or
square.
• If stepped (also called "stepped
diamond of projecting corners"), these
components form five or seven
projections on each side of the shrine,
where all but the central one are
projecting corners (projections with
two full faces created by two recesses,
left and right, that are at right angles
with each other).
• If square (also called
"square with simple
projections"), these
components form three
or five projections on a
side, only two of which
are projecting corners.
Stellate patterns form
star points which are
normally 8-, 16-, or 32-
pointed and are sub-
divided into interrupted
and uninterrupted
stellate components.
• Figure sculptures are miniature
representations that stand by themselves,
including architectural components on pilasters,
buildings, sculptures, and complete towers.
• They are generally categorised as "figure
sculpture" or "other decorative features".
• On occasion, rich figure sculpture can obscure
the articulation of a shrine, when
representations of gods, goddesses, and
mythical figures are in abundance.
To look at some of these evolutionary features, it
may be noted that the  
the temples had flat or slightly sloping roofs and they
were surmounted by small ‘shikhara’s.
A pillared hall (mandapa) was a later addition.
Features such as ‘sukanaasi’, ‘garbhagriha’, ‘mukha
mandapa’ and ‘pradakshina patha’
(Circumambulatory path) which became default
features at a later date are conspicuous by their
absence in some of these early Chalukyan temples.
Durga temple at Ihole is an exception.
Papanath temple, Pattadakkal
• 7th century
temple
• Last example of
a Southern
shrine adorned
with a shikhara
Papanath temple, Pattadakkal
The Virupaksha temple in Pattadakal, built around
A.D. 740.
The Lad Khan temple in Aihole, which was built around the 7th century A.D.
The Lad Khan temple in Aihole, which was built around the 7th century A.D.
The Durga temple in Aihole.
 Hoysala style
• The merging of the Dravidian and North Indian styles
created a temple that is unique, so much so that it is
often classified as the Hoysala style.
 The Star in Plan 
• To add to its distinctiveness, the Hoysala
temple in plan composed of numerous cellas or
garbha-grihas served by a common mandapa.
• The plan of each of these cellas was a star.
• The departure from the accepted square form of
the temple is understandable when we analyze
the plan and see that it is made up of a grid of
rotating squares.
• The resulting outline thus emerges as a star.
• The mandapa remained a square, though it was
now distinguished by circular columns, the
shafts of which had been lathed and thus
acquired a number of parallel knife-edges.  
 Somnathpur Temple

• The Somnathpur Temple is said to be the finest example of Hoysala Architecture and was built in 1268
under the Hoysala king Narasimha III.
• It is built using chloritic chist (Soapstone).
• The architect/sculptor was Ruvari Malithamma who has kindly left his signatures for easy identification.
• It is also symmetrical in its design, it has 3 shrines, each of which are equally important, having intricate
carvings.
 Somnathpur Temple
• There is a high outer compound that surrounds the temple and a Lamp
Pillar on the grounds outside, it could also be a Garuda Stumbha
(Column) since it is the mount of Vishnu and this is a Vishnu temple.
• Once inside there is a lengthy inscription carved in kannada on an
enormous tablet that describes the origins of the temple. 
• There is a covered walk way all around the temple, which is closed
and currently held up by steel supports and apparently under
restoration. There are huge lathe carved pillars that hold up the
structures inside the temple itself. 

• There are 3 deities inside all are forms of Vishnu. There are no
Shivaite statutes here.
 Somnathpur Temple
• Though built around a single
shrine, the temple has all the
distinguishing features of the
Hoysala style - a pillared
mandapa, bell-shaped towers
and above all the star-shaped
plan.
• The gaps between the outer
pillars were covered with
a jaali meant to provide
privacy for the Brahmins, and
especially the 'highly
seductive dancing of
the devdasis'.
 Dravidian style - Rock cut productions under Pallavas

• The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition

from rock-cut architecture to stone temples.
• The earliest examples of Pallava constructions are
rock-cut temples dating from 610–690 CE and
structural temples between 690–900 CE.
• The greatest accomplishments of the Pallava
architecture are the rock-cut temples
at Mahabalipuram.
 Dravidian Temple Architecture
• There are excavated pillared
halls and monolithic shrines
known as rathas in
Mahabalipuram.
• Early temples were mostly
dedicated to Shiva.
• The Kailasanatha temple
inKanchipuram and the Shore
Temple built
by Narasimhavarman II, rock
cut temple in Mahendravadi by
Mahendravarman are fine
examples of the Pallava style
temples.  
 Dravidian culture
• The five ratha temples commonly known as the
Pancha Rathas or five chariots stand
majestically on the southernmost extreme of
Mahabalipuram. 
• Built by the Pallava ruler Narsimha Varman 1
(AD 630- 68) alias Mamalla in the 7th and 8th
centuries, each temple is a monolith, carved out
of a single rock.
• The temples which are different icautiously cut
out from a huge rock, sloping from south to
northn forms, plans and elevations were.
• These individual 'rathas' are named after the
Pandava brothers Yudhistara (Dharmaraja),
Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula & Sahadeva of the Epic
Mahabharata and their wife Draupadi.
 Dravidian culture
• Besides these rathas, the sculpture of an
elephant (the vehicle of Indra), lion (the vehicle
of Durga) and Nandi bull (the vehicle of Shiva)
are structurally displayed.
• Though these temples are named after the
Pandava brothers, they are not in any way
related to Mahabharata.
• While the Dharmaraja, Arjuna and Draupadi
rathas are square on plan, the Bhima ratha is
rectangular and Nakula Sahadeva ratha apsidal.
 Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

The Shore Temple is a five-storeyed

structural Hindu temple rather
than rock-cut as are the other
monuments at the site.
It is the earliest important structural
temple in Southern India.
Its pyramidal structure is 60 ft high
and sits on a 50 ft square
platform.
There is a small temple in front
which was the original porch
 It is made out of finely cut local
granite.
Recent excavations have revealed
new structures here under the
sand
• The temple is a combination of three shrines.
• The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva as is the smaller second
shrine.
• A small third shrine, between the two, is dedicated to a
reclining Vishnu and may have had water channeled into the
temple, entering the Vishnu shrine.
• The two Shiva shrines are orthogonal in configuration.
• The entrance is through a transverse barrel vault gopuram.
• The two shikharas have a pyramidal outline, each individual tier is
distinct with overhanging eaves that cast dark shadows.
• The outer wall of the shrine to Vishnu and the inner side of the
boundary wall are extensively sculptured and topped by large
sculptures of Nandi
• The temple's outer walls are divided by plasters into bays, the lower
part being carved into a series of rearing lions.
 Dravidian culture
Dravidian Order - Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore
• Brihadeshwara temple - through the gate to the courtyard
where the 60 meter tower, a feast of Dravidian
architecture towers into the sky dwarfing the landscape
offers a glimpse into the mind of the once invincible
imperial Cholas.
• Built in 11th century by Rajaraja I, it established the
power of the Cholas.
• Granite blocks were brought for the temple from a
distance of 50 km.
• The tower or vimana soars to height of 60.96 metres and
the stone cupola at the top weighs 81.284 tonnes.
• Long plinths were used to put the stones in place.
Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore
Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.
• The temple complex is divided into a number of concentric quadrangular
enclosures contained by high masonary walls.
• It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing
four directions.
• Vishwantha Nayaka allegedly redesigned the city of Madurai in
accordance with the principles laid down by Shilpa Shastras relevant to
urban planning.
• The city was laid out in the shape of square with a series of concentric
streets originating from the temple.
• These squares continue to retain their traditional names, Aadi, Chittirai,
Avani-moola and Masi streets, corresponding to Tamil month names. [
• Ancient Tamil classics mention that the temple was the center of the city
and the streets happened to be radiating out like lotus and its petals.
• The temple prakarams (outer precincts of a temple) and streets
accommodate an elobrate festival calendar in which dramatic processions
circumabulate the shrines at varying distances from the centre.
• The complex is in a compound of 45 acres (180,000 m2)
• Designed as a series of concentric courtyards or
PRAKARMAS
• Outermost circle – edifices of a practical nature than
spiritual such as account ofices, dormitories for
pilgrims, kitchens, shops, maintenance workshops etc.
and parking for wooden festive chariots
• Inner prakarmas – pavilions or devotional songs and
story telling, bathing tanks for ritual ablutions and
guest houses
• Innermost courts – kitchen for brahmins, pavilions or
dancing girls and treasury
• Actual cella – open only to priests
• Hall of thousand pillars – 985 pillars, 240ft X250ft
• Soaring gopurams – 150ft (48m) high gopuram
THANK
YOU