EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES IN INDIA

THE BEGINNING OF THE TEMPLE

ARCHITECTURE

THE GUPTA PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF INDIA WAS THE REVIVAL

PERIOD FOR HINDUISM WHICH HAD EXPERIENCED A SET BACK WITH
THE RISE OF BUDDHISM. IN THE SEVENTH AND THE EIGHTH CENTURY
THE HINDU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE BEGAN TO FLOURISH.

THERE WERE NUMBER OF TEMPLES BUILT DURING 7TH AND THE 8TH
CENTURY. THOUGH THE BASIC PATTERN OF THE TEMPLES; THE
GARBHAGRIHA (SANCTUM SANCTORUM) FOR THE IDOL; THE SHIKHARA NORTH INDIAN SOUTH INDIAN
NAGARA DRAVIDA STY;E
(PROMINENT ROOF); FLIGHT OF STEPS OFTEN BUILT ON A PLATFORM STYLE
LEADING TO THE TEMPLE; AND A PORCH COVERING THE ENTRANCE TO
THE TEMPLE, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY CARVED PILLARS REMAINED
THE SAME, ONE DID SEE VARIETIES IN STYLE AS TEMPLE
ARCHITECTURE IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH EVOLVED.

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH INDIAN STYLE

WAS BASED ON THE FORM AND SHAPE OF SHIKHARAS OR THE
PROMINENT ROOF AND THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF ITS DECORATION.
THE NORTH INDIAN STYLE IS TECHNICALLY CALLED THE NAGARA AND
IS MARKED BY THE CURVILINEAR TOWERS. THE SOUTH INDIAN STYLE,
KNOWN AS THE DRAVIDA, HAS TOWERS IN THE FORM OF TRUNCATED
PYRAMIDS. THE THIRD STYLE, THE VESARA, COMBINES IN ITSELF BOTH
THE NORTH INDIAN AND SOUTH INDIAN STYLES.
COMBINED VESARA
STYLE
 EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES IN INDIA

The inspiration for the form of shikara came from the profile of traditional
mythological
Gods, or the Himalayas or from the primitive megalithis or toda churches of central
India
Or from the shape of Indian wooden raths or from rural Aryan form , as all Indian art is
developed from Aryan villages .
The simplest way to explain this form is as a four sided pyramid with parabolic
edges. its curve shape also depicts its derivation from bamboo structures mostly of
four bamboos rising from the square base held together at an appropriate height
directly above the middle of square. It was decided to apply this form over the roof of
cube of garbha-griha.
The early tigawa type dolmen shirne was the first, it was placed on a wide square
platform which was inspired by the sacred altars of the Vedic Aryans . For symmetry,
a false portico was attached to the other tree sides of the walls of garbha – griha. The
flat roof of dolmen was surmounted by architectural forms of convex profiled pyramid .
At the apex of this spire was mounted a circular disc of stone into the amalka fruit
(mango fruit )

The total composition including including the metal pinnacle or ‘kalasa’ over the
amalaka , is what came to be classified as ‘shikara’.
After years evolved an acceptable and distinguished symbol for Hindu temple . The
shikaras were most frequently used in north India .
The famous shikara, in its earliest glory would be seen as to crown the Hindu temples
all over the country was evolved in 500 A D in Deograh in central India
 THE GUPTA AGE (350- 650 AD)

After the reign of Ashoka the Great, with the collapse of two powerful
dynasties, the Kushanas (236 AD) in the north, and the Andhras (225 AD)
in the south. As pointed out, Buddhism too suffered from a lack of political
patronage during this period, leading to its slow decline, despite the valiant
efforts of its monks. Also notable was a corresponding slowdown in the arts
and literature. Thus, in its effects, this period in Indian history may be said
to be analogous to the end of the Greek empire in Europe

However, the cyclic nature of history demands a renaissance after every

Dark Age. It was no different in India - the age that followed has been
described as the greatest intellectual awakening in the sub-continent. A
large part of the country came under the political control of the Gupta
dynasty, which reached its zenith around 400 AD. The culture of the Guptas
and their innate Brahmanism gave a fillip to the arts, and in the field of
architecture fundamental progress was made.
Architecturally, we may discern a new sensibility, a break from the mere
copying of forms carrying over from wood construction, to a new sensitivity in
the handling and use of stone. This is the first time that the use of dressed
stone masonry is made, a major step in the evolution of building construction.
With this, a radically different type of architecture began to evolve.
TIGAWA A MASSIVE ABACUS SURMOUNTED
BY DAVICE OF LIONS .
CAPITAL RESEMBLING A BROAD
CONVENTIONAL VASE
ERECTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 5TH CENT. SHORT SHAFT OF MANY SIDES
SOME OF THE EARLIEST TEMPLES IN NORTH AND PLAIN SQUARE PEDESTAL
CENTRAL INDIA BELONG TO THE GUPTA PERIOD.
THE TEMPLES ARE AT SANCHI, TIGAWA (NEAR
8 FT DIA CELLA ENCLOSED
JABALPUR IN MADHYA PRADESH), BHUMARA (IN WITH 12 ½ FT SQUARE
MADHYA PRADESH), NACHNA (RAJASTHAN) AND SANCTUM
DEOGARH (NEAR JHANSI, UTTAR PRADESH) ARE 7 FT PROJECTED PORCH
PILLARED PORTICO WITH
SOME OF THE EXAMPLES. INTERCOLUMNATION
THE TEMPLES BUILT DURING THIS TIME WERE
VERY SIMPLE AND UNIMPRESSIVE COMPARED TO
THOSE SEEN DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD OF
PLAN COLUMN DETAIL
INDIAN HISTORY.
THEY WERE JUST MEANT TO HOUSE THE
SHRINES, WHILE THE OTHER RITUALS WERE
PERFORMED IN THE OPEN AIR.
IT HAD ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY
HINDU TEMPLES - AN INNER GARBA-GRIHA
SURROUNDED BY AN AMBULATORY PATH OR
CELLA, AN OUTER PORTICO WITH COLUMNS IN
THE FRONT, AND ABOVE ALL, A FLAT ROOF OF
STONE."(2)
AMONG THE SPHECIFIC CHARACTERSTICS ARE:
A.SHAPE OF THE PILLARS & CAPITALS
B.THE TREATMENT OF THE INTERCOLUMNATION
C.THE SYSTEM OF CONTINUING ARCHITRAVE AS
D STRING COURSE ROUND THE ENTIRE SHRINE
E.THE DESIGN OF THE DOOR WAY

VIEW
TEMPLE 17 AT SANCHI BOTH THE TEMPLES AT TIGAWA & SACHI WERE BUILT IN THE
FIRST HALF OF THE 5TH CENT.
THEIR PRORTIONS ARE PRACTICALLY SAME & CONFIRM TO
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF THE GUPTA SYLE.
THEY DIFFER IN EXTERNALLY IN THE DESIGN OF THE PILLAR
WHICH IS IN THE BUDDHIST TRADITION DESCENDED FROM
ASHOKA’S BELL AND MONOLITHS

FRONT VIEW

COLUMN CAPITAL REAR VIEW

ROCK CUT SANCTURIES AT UDAYGIRI ,BHOPAL
(160 BC)
THESE ARE THE TWIN HILLS 7 KMS. FROM BHOPAL. THE 42m HIGH
UDAYGIRI AND 35m HIGH KHANDAGIRI HILLS HAVE ANCIENT CAVES.
KHANDAGIRI MEANS "BROKEN HILL" AND UDAYGIRI MEANS "HILL OF
THE SUNRISE." THE CAVES ON THE TWO LOW HILLS OF UDAYGIRI
AND KHANDAGIRI GIVE AMPLE PROOF OF JAIN AND BUDDHIST
OCCUPATION. THIS SERVED AS THE SITE OF AN ANCIENT JAIN
MONASTERY, WHICH WAS CARVED INTO CAVE LIKE CHAMBERS IN
THE FACE OF THE HILL.
THESE COLLECTION OF CHAMBERS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE JAIN
BELIEF.THIS
THIS GROUP OF CAVES IMPLIES AN INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT
THE PRINCIPAL OBJECT OF THESE EXCAVATION WAS TO PROVIDE A
MONASTIC RETREAT
A SANDSTONE HILL WAS SELECTED FOR CUTTING OUT THE CELLS
THERE ARE ALOMOST 35 CELLS LARGE & SMALL, OF WHICH 16 ARE
IN UDAYGIRI HILL.
THESE WERE NOT BASED ON A FORMAL PLAN, & WERE EVIDENTLY
CUT IN CONVINIENT PLACES,CONNECTED BY PATH.
THE LOCAL GENERIC NAME FOR THESE MONASTRIES WERE
“GUMPHA’.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
FACADES OF PILLARED VERENDAHS WITH THE CELL LEADING OUT
OF THEM.
PILLARS HAVE SIMPLE SQUARE SHAFTS WITH BRACKET FORMS
BEING OF A VERY PRIMITIVE ORDER
ROCK CUT SANCTURIES AT UDAYGIRI ,BHOPAL

FRONT VIEW
RANI
GUMPHA,VERANDAH
Nachna Shiva Temple
 In the Gupta period, the format of many Indian
temples followed a standardized plan that was to
remain the blueprint for later temples. The heart
of the building was the cubical cella where the
divine image was placed. Raised slightly on a low
platform, it was situated inside a square room
with an antechamber. A passage surrounded the
shrine for the ritual walk around the sacred
image. The architraves and jambs of the
entrance portal were often richly decorated with
plant motifs and the male and female figures of
the temple protectors. Images of the Hindu
deities also adorned the walls.

Temple of Vishnu,
Deogarh, Uttar
Pradesh, second half
of the fifth century.
This temple
represents
the standard design
of temples in the
formative Gupta
period.
DEOGARH
 Deogarh Vishnu
Temple
South Side Deogarh Vishnu Temple
Vishnu on Ananta South Side, Ganesha

Deogarh Vishnu Temple

East Side
Vishnu as Two Sages Plan with geometrical development
Deogarh Vishnu Temple
West Side, Doorway
A jain temple in Devagarh
SOUTH INDIAN TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

SOUTH INDIAN TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

THE STYLE THAT DEVELOPED IN THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN THE
SOUTERN INDIA IS CALLED THE "DRAVIDA".

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERSTICS

THE DISTICTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOUTHERN STYLE IS THE

VIMANA AND THE GOPURAMS.
THE VIMANA IS A TALL PYRAMIDAL TOWER CONSISTING OF SEVERAL
PROGRESSIVELY SMALLER STOREYS. THIS STANDS ON A SQUARE
BASE.
THE GOPURAM HAS TWO STOREYS SEPERATED BY A HORIZONTAL
MOULDING. LADKHAN TEMPLE
THE PRAKARA OR THE OUTER WALL, ENVELOPS THE MAIN SHRINE AS
WELL AS THE OTHER SMALLER SHRINES.

THE PALLAVAS, THE CHOLAS, THE PANDYAS, THE VIJAYANAGAR

RULERS, AND THE NAYAKS ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE SOUTHERN
STYLE OF TEMPLES.

DURGA TEMPLE
THE CHALUKYAS 540-757 AD

IN THE NORTH THE GUPTA RULERS ARE CREDITED FOR DEVELOPING

THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE. IN THE SOUTH, THE CHALUKYA
RULERS ARE AMONG THE EARLY RULERS WHO DEVELOPED THE
HINDU STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE. THE EARLY TEMPLES
SHOW A GREAT DEAL OF BUDDHIST INFLUENCE. THE TEMPLES OF
AIHOLE REFLECT THE EXPERIMENTAL PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT OF
THE HINDU STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE THAT EVOLVED
FROM SIMPLE ROCK CUT SHRINES TO LARGE AND COMPLICATED
STRUCTURES.

AIHOLE

SOME OF THE MODEST TEMPLES IN AIHOLE ARE THE RAVANA PHADI,

DURGA TEMPLE, MEGUTI TEMPLE AND THE LADKHAN TEMPLE.

THE LAD KHAN TEMPLE IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST TEMPLE BUILT BY

THE CHALUKYAS. IT MARKS A STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE
CLASSICAL TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN THE SOUTH. THIS SEVENTH
CENTURY TEMPLE WAS NAMED AFTER LAD KHAN, A MUSLIM
PRINCE, WHO USED THE TEMPLE AS HIS HOME. THE LAYOUT OF
LAD KHAN IS BASED ON THAT OF A NINE-SQUARE BUDDHIST
VIHARA. THE TEMPLE IS A LARGE SQUARE BUILDING WITH A
PROJECTING PORCH AND DECORATIVE PILLARS. A STONE LADDER
LEADS TO A SHRINE WITH SCULPTURES OF VISHNU, SIVA, AND
SURYA ON THE WALLS. THE STONE ROOF OF THIS TEMPLE HAS A
STUNTED STRUCTURE, CONSIDERED AS A NASCENT FORM OF A
SHIKHARA. OVERALL THE TEMPLE IS SIMPLE IN STYLE AND HAS
MINIMUMORNAMENTATION.
LADKHAN TEMPLE
AIHOLE

LADKHAN TEMPLE

AERIAL VIEW OF THE TOWN LADKHAN TEMPLE

VIEW OF MEGUTI TEMPLE

TARAPPAGUDI

HUCCHIMALLI GUDI
DURGA TEMPLE

THE SEVENTH CENTURY DURGA TEMPLE AT

AIHOLE IS DEDICATED TO LORD VISHNU. IT
TOOK ITS NAME FROM THE KANNADA WORD
"DURGADAGADI" OR "TEMPLE NEAR THE
FORT." THIS TEMPLE ALSO SHOWS BUDDHIST
INFLUENCE IN ITS ARCHITECTURE. THE
TEMPLE IS PLANNED LIKE THE BUDDHIST
CHAITYA HALLS SURROUNDED BY VERANDAH
WITH GIANT PILLARS.THE ROOF OF THIS
TEMPLE SHOWS LITTLE ADVANCEMENT THAN
THE LAD KHAN TEMPLE THOUGH THIS
TEMPLE WAS BUILT MUCH LATER. THE
TEMPLE HAS EXCELLENT SCULPTURES OF
NARASIMHA, VISHNU WITH GARUDA,
HARIHARA, AND VARAHA.
IT HAS RELIEF PANELS DEPICTING SCENES
FROM THE RAMAYANA AND
MAHABHARATA.
 BHITARGAON

SITUATED 59 KM FROM KANPUR, ON THE GHATAMPUR - SARH

ROAD, 14 KM FROM GHATAMPUR, BHITARGAON IS CHIEFLY NOTED
FOR ITS ANCIENT BRICK TEMPLE, A UNIQUE SPECIMEN OF THE
BRICK ARCHITECTURE OF THE EARLY GUPTA PERIOD. DATABLE TO
THE FIRST HALF OF THE FIRST CENTURY A.D., THE TEMPLE IS THE
OLDEST ROOFED HINDU SHRINE EXTANT WITH A HIGH SIKHARA.

BUILT OF LARGE BRICKS OF SIZE 0.47M X 0.22M X 0.07M, SET IN

MUD MORTAR, THE TOTAL HEIGHT OF THE TEMPLE IS 15.41M.
INSIDE THE TEMPLE ONLY THE SANCTUM OR GARBHAGRIHA AND
THE PORCH EXIST. ABOVE THE SANCTUM THERE WAS AN UPPER
CHAMBER WHICH WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE SPIRE WAS STRUCK
BY LIGHTINING SOME TIME IN THE 18TH CENTURY. THE MOST
MARKED FEATURE OF THE TEMPLE IS ITS RECESSED PLAN.

THE INTERIOR OF THE TEMPLE IS PLAIN BUT ON THE OUTSIDE IT IS

DECORATED WITH CARVED BRICKWORK AND NUMEROUS
TERRACOTTA PANELS OF SKILLFUL WORKMANSHIP. THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE BHITARGAON TEMPLE LIES IN THE FACT THAT
IT IS THE SOLE SURVIVING RECORD OF THIS EARLY PHASE OF
TEMPLE ARCHIECTURE IN INDIA.

VISHNU TEMPLE
MAHABALIPURAM
 MAHABALIPURAM

Varaha mantapa

Mahishasur mantapa
KANCHIPURAM