History of Architecture - Evolution of temples - Indo aryan (North Indian style Architecture)

EVOLUTION OF TEMPLES
INDO ARYAN ARCHITECTURE
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

INDO ARYAN
NORTH INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
• The Northern Style of Temple Architecture was also called the Indo Aryan Style.
• f the three styles into which Hindu architecture naturally divides itself, the northern
is found spread over a far larger portion of the country than either of the other two.
• It wants, however, the compactness and strongly-marked individuality of the
Dravidian, and never was developed with that exuberance which characterised the
southern style from the 15th to the 18th century.
• In many respects it resembles more the Chalukyan style, the examples being small
and elegant, and found dispersed over the face of the country, where wanted,
without any apparent massing together in particular spots.
• It covered three fourths part of northern India, with the earliest movement starting
in the State of Orissa, whose ancient name was Kalinga.
• The Northern Style can again be
further sub divided into the following categories :-
Temples of the Orissan Group.
Temples of the Kashmir Group
Temples of the Khajuraho Region
Temples of Gujarat, Gwalior,

INDO ARYAN
• The temples at Orissa (ancient Kalinga)
provide some of the finest examples of the
Indo-Aryan style of temple architecture,
which is distinct from the South Indian
style.
• The temples are mostly built of sandstone,
the Khandagiri and Udayagiri hills providing
the nearest quarry.
• The use of laterite is generally limited to
the compound-walls and the core of the
plinth.
• The masonry is ashlar, the facing stones are
to finely dressed and fitted together that
the joints are scarcely perceptible.
• No mortar was used, the huge blocks of
stone were laid dry evenly and horizontally
one upon the other and kept in position by
their weight and balance, aided by iron
cramps and dowels.
Lingaraja Temple Bhubaneshwar

INDO ARYAN
The Orissan temples are divided into three groups:
• Early Period (c.750-900 A.D.) e.g. Parashurameshwar and Lakshmanesvara temples at
Bhubaneshwar,
• Middle Period (c.900-1100 A.D.) e.g. Mukteshwara and Lingaraja temple at Bhubaneshwar
and Jagannath temple at Puri and
• Later Period (c.1100-1250 A.D.) e.g. Raja Rani Temple at Bhubaneshwar and The Sun Temple
at Konark.
• The main group of temples is concentrated in Bhubaneshwar, which is known as the "Temple
City of India".
Orrisan Temple Architecture

INDO ARYAN
Parashurameshwar Temple At Bhubaneshwar:-
• Parashurameswar Temple, built in 650 AD, is one
of the oldest temples existing in Bhubaneswar. A
typical example of the Orissan style of temple
architecture, the temple features pine spire curving
up to a point over the sanctum and the pyramid-
covered Jagamohana, where people sit and pray.
• This is a clear distinction in the base moulding, the
clear-cut division of the wall into three segments,
and the very precise decorative treatment of the
shrine tower. There is considerable disparity in the
quality of carving of the walls of the main hall and
that of the shrine. The carvings of the shrine are
vastly superior to those of the hall. In the
northwest corner of the temple compound is the
exotically unique ‘one thousand Lingas’.
• The architrave of the doorway is clearly
demarcated and brought forward as a distinctive
design element.

INDO ARYAN
Laxmaneshwar Temple At Bhubaneshwar:-
The temple from
where the genesis of
Orissan Temple
Architecture started.
It clearly shows the
characteristic
elements in a very
crude form.

INDO ARYAN
Mukteshwara Temple At Bhubaneshwar:-
Mukteshwara temple in
Bhubhaneshwar is an exquisitely
carved and picturesque small Oriya
temple. It’s compactness almost
makes it look like a perfect toy
temple.
The temple has a striking 8 feet
statue of Ram Bhakt Hanuman (the
monkey God). With its small
dimension (10.5m height) and red
stone masonry it is a glorious
synthesis of the old and new styles
of the Kalinga School.
With a fully developed pancharatha for the main sanctuary and a square planned jagmohana
(porch or entrance) and an embryonic pidha superstructure in the shape of a stepped pyramid,
every inch of the exterior has dainty and distinct carvings, such as the clear cut lacings of the
Chaitya windows.

INDO ARYAN
Mukteshwara Temple At Bhubaneshwar:-
Mukteswar's most distinctive feature is the arched gateway also called "Torana" dated about 900
A.D. The Torana shows the influence of Buddhist architecture. This thick pillared, arched gateway
is beautifully carved.
Mukteswar's beauty lies in the fact that is shows all the different parts of a typical Orissan Temple
in a perfectly scaled format.

INDO ARYAN
Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneshwar :-
The Lingaraj temple, built in 617-657 A.D., is the quintessence of Orissan architecture. In the
elegance of its proportions and the richness of its surface-treatment, it is one of the most finished
and refined manifestation of temple architecture in India. The temple complex is a combination of
four structures on an east-west axial alignment, e.g. the bhoga-mandapa (the refectory hall), the
nata-mandapa (the dancing hall), the jagamohana (the audience hall) and the deula or the
sanctuary par excellence.

INDO ARYAN
Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneshwar :-
Originally, however the temple appears to have
consisted of the deula and the jagamohana, the
anciliary halls of the nata-mandapa and the
bhoja-mandapa being added, in all probability,
at a later date.
The compound wall is provided with three gates
on the north, south and east, that on the east
being the Lion-gate by reason of its being
flanked by two rampart Lions.
Access to the courtyard is maintained through
the eastern entrance by a descending flight of
steps, for its level is lower than that of the road,
on traversing the compound for some length,
the terrace or the raised platform on which the
temple with its appurtenances stands is reached
by an ascending flight of steps. The spacious
courtyard is full of shrines big and small of
different dates, their number exceeding a
hundred.

INDO ARYAN
Jagannath Temple at Puri :-
The Jagannath temple in Puri is a larger replica of the Lingaraja temple. It was built in the 12th
century AD and has a tower 65 metres high.

INDO ARYAN
The temple is famous for its annual Rath
Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three
main temple deities are hauled on huge
and elaborately decorated chariots. Since
medieval times, it is also associated with
intense religious fervour.
The huge temple complex covers an area of
over 400,000 square feet, and is
surrounded by a high fortified wall. It
contains at least 120 temples and shrines.
The temple tower was built on a raised
platform of stone and, rising to 214 feet
(65 m) above the inner sanctum where the
deities reside, dominates the surrounding
landscape. The pyramidal roofs of the
surrounding temples and adjoining halls, or
mandapas, rise in steps toward the tower
like a ridge of mountain peaks.

INDO ARYAN
•The Singahdwara, which in Sanskrit means The
Lion Gate, is one of the four gates to the temple
and forms the Main entrance. The Singhadwara
is so named because two huge statues of
crouching lions exist on either side of the
entrance. The gate faces east opening on to the
Grand Road.

INDO ARYAN
Raja Rani Temple at Bhubaneshwar :-
Rajarani temple was constructed between the
10th and the 11th century. The Rajarani temple is
one of the architectural splendors in Orissa and is
made up of reddish gold sandstone, known as
'rajarani'. Legends believe that the temple had
been the shrine of Lord Shiva, although now there
is no idol present in the main sanctuary.
The Rajarani Temple is constructed on a raised
platform. The architecture of the temple features
clusters of turrets, a square sanctum and beautiful
sculptures.
The Rajarani bears some distinct affinities,
architectural as well as sculptural, with the
Muktesvara it has an undeveloped pidha temple
as its porch, and like the same monument it
stands on a slightly raised platform.

INDO ARYAN
Sun Temple at Konark :-
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is
the culmination of Orissan temple
architecture, and one of the most
stunning monuments of religious
architecture in the world. Built by the
King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth
century, the entire temple was designed
in the shape of a colossal chariot with
seven horses and twenty four wheels ,
carrying the sun god, Surya, across
the heavens.
Majestic in conception, this Temple is
indeed one of the most sublime
monuments of India, famous as much for
its imposing dimensions and faultless
proportions as for the harmonious
integration of architectural grandeur with
plastic allegiance.

INDO ARYAN
It was a specialty of the
Konark artisans that they
constructed the main
temple, Mukhasala,
Naatamandir and the
temple on the eastern gate
in such a way that it
facilitated the first ray of
the Sun to fall on the head
of the Sun god placed on
the throne of the main
temple passing through the
doors of all these temples.

INDO ARYAN

INDO ARYAN
A lithography plate
from James
Fergusson's
"Ancient
Architecture in
Hindoostan" (1847)
showing part of the
main tower still
standing
It was a specialty of the Konark artisans
that they constructed the main temple,
Mukhasala, Naatamandir and the temple
on the eastern gate in such a way that it
facilitated the first ray of
the Sun to fall on
the head of the Sun
god placed on the
throne of the main
temple passing
through the doors
of all these temples.

INDO ARYAN
A stone wheel
engraved in the
walls of the
temple. The
temple is designed
as a chariot
consisting of 24
such wheels. Each
wheel has a
diameter of 9 feet,
9 inches, with
8 spokes.

INDO ARYAN
The chief quality is its design and architectural details. The Sun temple belongs to the Kalinga
School of Indian Temples with characteristic curvilinear towers mounted by Kalasas. In shape, the
Temple did not make any major departure from other shikhara temples of Orissa. The main
sanctum which (229 ft. high) was constructed along with the audience hall (128 ft. high) having
elaborate external projections.
The main sanctum which enshrined the presiding deity has fallen off. The Audience Hall
survives in its entirely but of the other two viz the Dancing Hall(nata Mandir) and the Dining Hall
(Bhoga-Mandap), only small portions have survived the vagaries of time. The Temple compound
measures 857 ft. by 540 ft.

INDO ARYAN
Kashmir Temple Architecture
• The ancient sites of Ushkar in Modern Kashmir, built by the King Huvishka approximately in the
3rd century A.D., and Harwan, a typical Buddhist settlement of the type that flourished in
Gandhara kingdom, provide the earliest glimpse of the building-art in Kashmir.
• During the reign of the great king Lalitaditya, who ascended to the throne in 724 A.D., temples
constructed using stone masonry sprang up in large numbers all over Kashmir.
• This building activity continued with the wave of religious emotion which swept over India
about the same time, and resulted in a fever of temple building – Lalitaditya's triumphs in the
realm of territorial expansion created a cultural climate, of which grandeur was an important
ideal.
• The monumental Buddhist shrine at Parihasapura, now a mass of sculptured stones, and the
temple of the Sun at Martand show this quality, not only in their stupendous size but also by
the bold confidence with which they were built.

INDO ARYAN
Sun Temple at Martand:-
The ancient sites of Ushkar in
Modern Kashmir, built by the King
Huvishka approximately in the 3rd
century A.D., and Harwan, a typical
Buddhist settlement of the type
that flourished in Gandhara
kingdom, provide the earliest
glimpse of the building-art in
Kashmir.
The Martand temple has been
often called "the materialized-
spirit of a transcendent vision".

INDO ARYAN
Sun Temple at Martand:-
Built on a plateau encircled by a range of eternal stones this temple represents an architectural
expressiveness of the highest order, and forms the supreme model of a style to which a great
number of later temples are subscribed.

INDO ARYAN
Sun Temple at Maritand:-
Instead of the Buddhist assembly hall, where
congregational worship was held, the central
structure here is a sanctuary for the divine
symbol. This perhaps signifies a departure from
the Buddhist influence and the acceptance of
the Brahmanical creed by the people.

INDO ARYAN
Sun Temple at Maritand :-
The shrine stands
within a big
courtyard
surrounded by a
pillared arcade and a
series of cells.
Central shrine Sun Temple,
Martand, Jammu and Kashmir,
India

INDO ARYAN
Kashmir Temple Architecture Sun Temple at Maritand

INDO ARYAN
Avantipur Temple :-
Next in importance to Marttand, among Kashmiri temples, are those of Avantipur, all erected
certainly within the limits of the reign of Avantiverma, the first king of the Utpala dynasty, and who
reigned from a.d. 875 to a.d. 904.
The stone with which they are
erected is so friable, and the
temples themselves are so
ruined, that there might be a
difficulty in ascertaining to what
religion they were dedicated if
the Raja Tarangini were not so
distinct in describing this
monarch as a devoted follower
of Siva, and naming these
temples as dedicated to various
forms of that god

INDO ARYAN
Avantipur Temple :-
The two principal
ruins stand in
courtyards of nearly
the same size, about
200 ft. by 160 ft. or
170 ft. internally.
One, called
Avantiswami, has
pillars all round, like
Marttand, and almost
identical in design
and dimensions. The
other is astylar, but
the temple itself was
much more
important than in the
first example.

INDO ARYAN
Bhaniyar:
At a place near the remote village of
Bhaniyar, on the road between Uri and
Naoshera, there stands one of the best-
preserved temples in the valley. Like all
the older temples, it was supplied with
the means of keeping its courtyard full
of water, and during the long ages of
neglect these brought down silt and
mud sufficient to half bury the place.
It was recently, however, excavated by
order of the Raja of Kashmir, and hence
its nearly perfect state. Its dimensions
are less than those of the temples last
described, being only 145 ft. by 120 ft.,
but, except from natural decay of the
stone, it is nearly perfect, and gives a
very fair idea of the style of these
buildings. PHOTOGRAPHER: BURKE, JOHN

INDO ARYAN
Bhaniyar:

INDO ARYAN
Temple at Pandrethan, Srinagar :-
Built in the 12th century A.D., the small , well
preserved temple at Pandrethan, near Srinagar,
gives a clear idea of the general plan of the
temples in Kashmir at this time.
The pyramidal structure of the roof, which is still
intact, is a prominent characteristic of this style.
The ceiling consists of beams laid on the angles,
a technique obviously derived from wooden
constructions.

INDO ARYAN
Temple at Pandrethan, Srinagar :-

INDO ARYAN
Payech:
The temple at Payech, though one of the
smallest, is among the most elegant, and also
one of the most modern examples of the style
(Woodcut No. 168).
Its dimensions are only 8 ft. square for the
superstructure, and 21 ft. high, including the
basement, but with even these dimensions it
acquires a certain dignity from being erected
with only six stones — four for the walls and
two for the roof.
It stands by itself on a knoll, without any
court, or any of the surroundings of the older
temples, and, being dedicated wholly to the
gods of the Hindu Pantheon, it certainly
belongs to an age when their worship had
superseded the older faiths of the valley.

INDO ARYAN
Khajuraho Temple Architecture
The finest and most extensive group of temples
belonging to the northern or Indo- Aryan style
of architecture is that gathered round the great
temple at Bhubaneswar. They are also the most
interesting historically, inasmuch as their dates
extend through five or six centuries, and they
alone consequently enable us to bridge over
the dark ages of Indian art.
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments are a
group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya
Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometers southeast
of Jhansi. They are a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The temples are famous for their nagara-
style architectural symbolism and their erotic
sculptures.
Parshvanatha Temple at
Khajuraho

INDO ARYAN
The Khajuraho group of temples belong to
Vaishnavism school of Hinduism, Saivism
school of Hinduism and Jainism – nearly a third
each. Archaeological studies suggest all three
types of temples were under construction at
about the same time in the late 10th century,
and in use simultaneously.
The largest surviving Shiva temple is Khandarya
Mahadeva, while the largest surviving
Vaishnava group includes Chaturbhuja and
Ramachandra.
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple plan is 109 ft in
length by 60 ft, and rises 116 ft above ground
and 88 ft above its own floor. The central
padas are surrounded by three rows of
sculptured figures, with over 870 statues, most
being half life size (2.5 to 3 feet). The spire is a
self-repeating fractal structure.
There are around 22 temples
Lakshmana temple at Khajuraho

INDO ARYAN

INDO ARYAN
As a rule there are three main compartments,
namely, the garbhagriha, the mandapa and
the ardhamandapa or entrance portico,
arranged in the fashion of a cross. The
antarala, the mahamandapa or the transepts
and the perambulatory passage supplement
the other compartments in the more
developed examples.
The entire mass of granite or sandstone, of
which most of these are constructed, appears
to have an upward movement, the effect of
loftiness being further enhanced by a number
of pronounced vertical projections. The range
of open porches with overhanging eaves
running horizontally around the temple serves
to let in light, thus throwing a band of vivid
shadow over the entire composition.

INDO ARYAN
Khajuraho temples end up being more breath
taking than mere erotica. It is a complete eye
opener that the erotic images that arouse the
delight of the non-initiated, are actually
yantras or hidden geometrical patterns that
protect the temples.

INDO ARYAN
The halls at Khajuraho are richly carved. In
addition to the oversailing courses of masonry
the richly sculptured ceiling is supported by
four pillars one at each corner of the hall
which bear heavily ornamented bracket
capitals.
Unlike wall sculptures of the Orissan temples,
eroticism is a recurrent theme in the shrines
at Khajuraho. Various theories have been
advanced to account for this, but the
commonly accepted explanation is that the
many erotic groups depicted here with such
abandon represent, the mithuna ritual of the
Tantric cult, according to which personal
salvation can be attained only through
experience both sensual and spiritual.
Vishvanatha
Temple at Khajuraho

INDO ARYAN
Eklingji Temple - Udaipur
According to the 15th century text Ekalinga
Mahatmya, the original temple at Eklingji was
constructed by the 8th century ruler Bappa
Rawal. The original temple and Vigraha (idol)
were destroyed during invasions by the Delhi
Sultanate rulers.
The porch is covered with a low pyramidal
roof, placed diagonally on the substructure,
and rising in steps, each of which is
ornamented with vases or urns of varying
shapes.
The tower is ornamented by four flat bands,
of great beauty and elegance of design,
between each of which are thirty-five little
repetitions of itself, placed one above the
other in five tier, the whole surmounted by an
amalaka, and an urn of very elegant design. As
every part of this is carved with great
precision and delicacy

INDO ARYAN
Eklingji Temple - Udaipur

INDO ARYAN
Kalika Mata Temple, Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan.
The roof of the portico, in the form of a pyramid, is placed diagonally as at Udaipur, while the
tower itself is of so solid and unbroken an outline, that it might at first sight be ascribed to a much
earlier date than the 16th century. When, however, it is closely looked at, we miss the frequent
amalaka bands and other ornamental features of earlier times, and the crowing members are
more unlike those of ancient temples.

INDO ARYAN
(Kalika Mata Temple, Chittorgarh Fort,Rajasthan)
These Indo- Aryan temples. It is one of the
most modern of the style, having been
erected by Meera Baie, the wife of Khumbo
Rana of Chittore (a.d. 1418-1468). Khumbo
was, as is well known, devoted to the Jaina
faith, having erected the temple at Sadri
(Woodcut No. 133), and the Pillar of Victory
(Woodcut No. 143) ; yet here we find him and
his wife erecting in their capital two temples
dedicated to Vishnu. The king's temple, which
is close by, is very much smaller than this one,
the only peculiarity is that the pradakshina, or
procession-path round the cell, is here an
open colonnade, with four little pavilions at
the four comers, and this is repeated in the
portico in the manner shown in the annexed
diagram
Meera Bhai Temple

INDO ARYAN
Temple of Vishveshwar - Banaras
According to the 15th century text Ekalinga
Mahatmya, the original temple at Eklingji was
constructed by the 8th century ruler Bappa
Rawal. The original temple and Vigraha (idol)
were destroyed during invasions by the Delhi
Sultanate rulers.
The porch is covered with a low pyramidal
roof, placed diagonally on the substructure,
and rising in steps, each of which is
ornamented with vases or urns of varying
shapes.
The tower is ornamented by four flat bands,
of great beauty and elegance of design,
between each of which are thirty-five little
repetitions of itself, placed one above the
other in five tier, the whole surmounted by an
amalaka, and an urn of very elegant design. As
every part of this is carved with great
precision and delicacy

INDO ARYAN
Temple of Vishveshwar - Banaras

INDO ARYAN
Temple At Bindraban
Govind Ji Temple Mathura
The temple, as it now
stands, consists of a
cruciform porch,
internally nearly quite
perfect, though
externally it is not clear
how it was intended to
be finished (Nos. 260,
261). The cell, too, is
perfect internally used
for worship but the
shikra is gone. Its
dimensions are
respectable, north
and south, and is
covered by a true vault

INDO ARYAN
Temple At Bindraban
Govind Ji Temple Mathura

INDO ARYAN
Golden Temple at Amritsar
This time, however, it is no longer an idol-
shrine, but a monotheistic place of prayer,
and differs, consequently, most essentially
from those we have been describing. The
religion of the Sikhs appears to have been
a protest alike against the gross idolatry of
the Hindus and the inflexible monotheism
of the Moslems.
It does not, however, seem that temples or
gorgeous ceremonial formed any part of
the religious system propounded by its
founders.
Reading the ' Granth ' and prayer are what
were insisted upon, but even then not
necessarily in public.

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