The first Hindu temples were built in rock-cut caves. Then, with the arrival of Gupta temple architecture, the first free-standing Hindu temples were constructed.
The temples’ architectural principles in India are described in the Shilpa Shastra. Shilpa Shastra mentions three main types of temple architecture – Nagara, or the Northern style, the Dravida, or the Southern style & the Vesara, or Mixed style.
BASIC FEATURES OF HINDU TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Shikhara is a vital element of Hindu temples in both north and south India. They are miniature temple towers placed one on top of the other.
Major elements of Hindu temple architecture are:
- Grabhagriha: where the idol is placed
- Mandapa: pillared hall which lies in front of Garbhagriha
- Ardhmandapa: lies next to mandapa
- Antarala: joins Garbhagriha and Mandapa
- Pradakshinapatha: it is a gallery that surrounds Garbhagriha meant for Parikrama.
The earliest temple structure includes Lad Khan Temple, Aihole, which has a towering shikhara.
Anomaly: The Teli Ka Mandir, situated in north India, is made in Dravidian style with a Dravidian shikhara.
Many Hindu temples are made in the Panchayatana style, i.e., a temple that has a central shrine surrounded by four other shrines. Examples include Brahmeshvara Temple in Orissa, Deogarh, Jhansi, and Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. In Mahabalipuram, sculptures of Arjuna’s penance and the descent of Ganga are depicted. A panel shows the Varaha avatar surrounded by Surya, Brahma, Rishis, and Prithvi. A great masterpiece is the carving showing goddess Durga engaged in a fierce battle with the buffalo-headed demon.
| NAGARA STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE | DRAVIDA STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE |
|---|---|
| It developed from the 5th century and is characterized by a beehive-shaped tower called shikhara. | From the 7th century, the Dravida or southern style developed. The shape of the main temple tower, known as Vimana, is like a stepped Pyramid. |
| In North India, it is common for an entire temple to be built on a stone platform with steps leading upto it. | Generally, it is not built on a stone platform. |
| Further, unlike in South India, it does not usually have elaborate boundary walls or gateways. | Unlike the Nagara temple, the Dravida temple is enclosed within a compound wall. The front wall has an entrance gateway in its center, which is known as a gopuram. |
| The garbhagriha is always located directly under the tallest tower. | Unlike Nagara style, at some of the most sacred temples in South India, the main temple in which the garbhagriha is situated has, in fact, one of the smallest towers. |
| Temple tanks or large water reservoir are generally not enclosed with in the temple complex. | It is common to find a large water reservoir, or a temple tank, enclosed within the complex. |
| Images of Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna are placed outside the Garbhagriha. | Sculptures of fierce dvarapalas or guarding the temple is generally a common feature. |
VESARA STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
The Vesara style emerged during the reign of Chalunkyan Rulers. It is a hybrid temple architecture. It has features of both the Nagara and Dravidian style of temple architecture. It is mainly found in Deccan and Central India regions.
Though the trend of the Vesara Style of temples started by the Chalukyan Rulers, it flourished during the Rashtrakutas Period.
The main important feature of the Vesara Style is that they have Northern Indian Style (Nagara Style) of Shikhara , and the Mandap was designed in Southern Indian Style (Dravidian Style). In the Vesara Style of temples Shikhara (top of the temple) and Mandap (main shrine) are joint by the Antarala. So, the temples do not have ambulatory passageways around Sanctum Sanctorum.
Examples- Ladkhan Temple at Aihole, Temples at Badami.
KALINGA STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
In Kalinga Architecture, basically a temple is made in two parts, a tower and a hall. The tower is called deula and the hall is called Jagmohan.
The walls of both the deula and the Jagmohan are lavishly sculpted with architectural motifs and a profusion of figures. The most repeated form is the horseshoe shape, which has come from the earliest times, starting with the large windows of the chaityagrihas. It is the deul or deula which makes three distinct types of temples in Kalinga architecture.
The style consists of three distinct types of temples:
Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula, and Khakhara Deula
The former two are associated with Vishnu, Surya, and Shiva temples, while the third is mainly associated with Chamunda and Durga temples.
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