Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AAYUSHI
2. PRAKRITI
3. SHREYA
2
Continuous conflicts b/w various dynasties prevented
any great cultural advance
Not many, not large, local development rather than
imperial development
Examples: temples around the state of Pudukkottai
Small temples built entirely of granite stone accurately
coursed and bonded
Pallava features also observed.
3
The architectural elements of Pallavas are adopted
with slight changes
Changes-
1. Neck moulding, abacus and kalasa
2. Lion heads completely disappeared
3. Rakshasa heads , which continued in the Dravidian
style to follow
4
6
THE Great Brihadeshwar Temple , Tanjore
BRIHADESHWAR TEMPLE
MATERIAL - granite.
Nearest sources of granite - close to TIRUCHIRAPALLI,
bout 60 km to the west of Thanjavur.
1)Garbhgriha
2)Pradakshina
path
3)Mandapa
340 feet
4)Nandi
1)`
150 feet
With its long axis from east to west the entire plan of the
temple building forms a rectangle 340 feet long and 110
feet wide , having its main entrance from east.
33
Consists of a pillared hall (or mandapa), with its
attached sanctuary or vimana
Total length 50 feet
Mandapa occupying a rectangle 25 ft X 20 ft
Vimana occupying a square of 25 ft side
Height of tower (or Shikhara)- 50 ft
Height of cornice- 16 ft
Simplification in all its parts
Proof that builders had acquired an appreciation of
the values of plane spaces, together with due sense of
the character and correct location of the architectural
features required for the purpose of embellishment
Lion motif- dominating feature of the Pallava
architecture disappeared; pillars and pilasters which
this leogriff invariably adorned, being converted into
purely abstract conventions of mouldings and other
similar forms.
36
Two changes when compared to Pallavas :
1. Capital- a neck (padmabhandam) has been introduced
where it joins onto the shaft, thus appropriating to
itself the segment of the upper part of the shaft
2. Adding another member to the lower part of the
capital in the form of a vessel or pot (kalasa)
The plank (Palagai), is much expanded, so that
combined with the flower shaped (idaie)
underneath, becomes the most striking element in
the column.
38
Sculpture on the wall surfaces
Full length figures installed within recesses, each
about half life size and in bold relief (recalling the
images of saints occupying niches in the gothic
cathedrals)
40
On the center of southern wall:
Well rendered scene representing Goddess Kali as
Dakshina, Saraswati on her left, Lakshmi on her right,
below Asura, around are various gana- devatas
42
Devices of heraldic lions and some supernatural beasts
eliminated
Gryphon heads (rakshasa heads), the use of which as a
decorative element was continued throughout the
Dravadian period, emerged
These heads squirming under the weight of the
superimposed masonry, as if their bodies are immured
within the joints of the structures are rakshashas or
earth- spirits, so imprisoned so they may guard the
temple, but at the same time are helpless to cause it
harm
44
Although decidedly unpretentious, appears as an
unaffected illustration of a transition stage in the
evolution of the Dravadian style.
Process of formation in their architectural culture,
treasuring their traditions and also restricting their
aspirations to accord with the undeveloped ideas
handed over to them
46
In course of time, however maturity was attained as
seen in the temples of Tanjore and
Gangaikondacholapuram
Comparision of size- as a church is to a cathedral