Hindu Temple Architecture | History of Architecture

Hindu Temple Architecture
Gupta and Early Chalukyan Phase
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
Ar. Pranay Kumar Tode
www.archiloopindia.in

Time-line of Guptas
https://youtu.be/8KrFLUkauxE
Image Source:

A Brief Introduction
The Great Indian poet
and author- Kalidasa
The Gupta dynasty was founded by Srigupta.
Timeline of Gupta empire is about (319-550 AD).
The main rulers of this dynasty were Samudragupta and Chandragupta- II (Vikramaditya).
The Gupta era is also known as golden era in Indian history. ( Art, Architecture, Litrature,
Culture)
• Abhijnanashakuntala
• Vikramorvashi
• Malavikagnimitra
• Raghuvamsha
• Kumarasambhava
• Meghaduta
• Poetry on Ramayana,
the Mahabharata and
the Puranas The Great Indian
Mathematician- Aryabhatta
• Approximation of pi value
• Concepts of Trigonometry functions
• Summation of squares and cubes
• Rotation of Earth
• Early concept of Gravity
c. 380 476–550 CE

Architecture of the Golden Era
- Monuments
- Stupas
- Chaitya, Viharas
- Cave art and Architecture
- Temple Architecture
• Gupta architecture was diverse in style, design
and features.
• It can be classified into caves , stupa and
temples.
• A wide variety of towers and elaborate
carvings adorned the temples that were built
from stone.

Architecture of the Golden Era- Caves (Ajanta)
Ajanta caves are located in the Aurangabad
district of Maharashtra.
Only cave no.16 and 17 belongs to Gupta period.
These caves are carved on a perpendicular cliff.
There are 25 Viharas and 4 Chaityas.
As they are on perpendicular side,
There are no courtyards.
All the three forms of art are combined in these
caves: Architecture ,Sculpture ,Paintings.
Ajanta cave 16 is a popular and renowned for
the work of sculptor and frescoes.

Architecture of the Golden Era- Caves (Ellora)
This cave site is located in Aurangabad
district and contains Buddhist, Brahmanical
and Jain caves.
Contribution of Rashtrakutas is visible on this
cave.
Cave 10 is a chaitya hall for Lord Buddha ,
cave 13 & 14 belongs to Ravan ki Khai, cave
15 to Dashavatara temple and cave 16
belongs to Kailash temple.
Three storey caves are also present in Ellora.
Most of the temples have courtyards.
Cave no 10 is a
chaitya hall for
lord Buddha.
Cave no 14 is related
with Ravan ki khai.
Cave no 15 belongs
to Dashavatara
temple.

Architecture of the Golden Era- Caves (Ellora)
Cave 16 is related with
The Kailash temple.

Architecture of the Golden Era- Caves (Junagarh)
These caves are found in the Junagarh
district of Gujarat , hence the name.
It has many interesting Buddhist caves
and was evidently the site of Buddhist
monastery of ancient times.
It was an ancient fortress whose
entrance in the form of an archway is
a fine specimen of Hindu Torana.
The most distinguishing feature of this
cave is uparkots means, citadel
which is around 30-40 feet high.

Architecture of the Golden Era- Hindu Temples
Gupta period marks the beginning of Indian temple architecture.
Manuals were written regarding how to form temples.
The Gupta temples were of five main types.
Type 1-
Square building with flat roof and shallow pillared porch.
The nucleus of a temple, the sanctum or cella
(garbhagriha) with a single entrance and a porch
(mandapa) appears for the first time here.
Notable examples are: kankali devi temple (tigawa) and
vishnu varah temple (eran).

Type 2-
An elaboration of type 1 with the addition
of an ambulatory (pradakshina) around the
sanctum.
Some temples had a second storey.
Notable examples are: Shiva temple at
Bhumara (M.P.) and Ladkhan temple at
Aihole.

Type 3-
Square temple with a pillared approach and
a high platform at a base.
Appearance of curvilinear tower known as
“shikhara”. The panchayatan style was
introduced along with the concept of
subsidiary shrines.
Notable examples are:
Dashavtara temple at Deogarh, Jhansi and
the brick temple at Bhitargaon , Kanpur.

Type 5-
This stage introduced circular temples with
shallow rectangular projections at the four
cardinal faces.
The only monument exemplifying the style
is the Maniyar math shrine at Rajgir, Bihar.

Temple Architecture
It was a gradual evolution starting from the rock cut- cave temples to
monolithic rathas which finally culminated in structural temples.
Temples are widely classified into following:-
- Nagara (in North India)
- Dravida (in South India)
- At times, the Vesara style of temples as an independent style created
through the mixing of Nagara and Dravida orders.

Temple Architecture
Garbhagriha:
It literally means ‘womb-house’ and
is a cave like a sanctum.
In the earliest temples, it was a
small cubical structure with a single
entrance.
Later it grew into a larger complex.
The Garbhagriha is made to house
the main icon (main deity) which is
itself the focus of much ritual
attention.

Temple Architecture
Mandapa:
It is the entrance to the temple.
It may be a portico or colonnaded
(series of columns placed at regular
intervals) hall that incorporates space
for a large number of worshippers.
Dances and such other entertainments
are practiced here.
Some temples have multiple mandapas
in different sizes named as
Ardhamandapa, Mandapa, and
Mahamandapa.

Temple Architecture
Shikhara or Vimana:
They are mountain like the
spire of a free-standing temple.
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.

Temple Architecture
Amalaka:
It is a stone disc like structure
at the top of the temple and
they are common in North
Indian temples.
Kalasha:
It is the topmost point of the
temple and commonly seen in
North Indian temples.

Temple Architecture
Antarala (vestibule):
Antarala is a transition area
between the Garbhagriha and
the temple’s main hall
(mandapa).
Jagati:
It is a raised platform for sitting
and praying and is common in
North Indian temples.

Temple Architecture
8. Vahana:
It is the mount or vehicle of
the temple’s main deity along
with a standard pillar or Dhvaj
which is placed axially before
the sanctum.

Early Chalukyan Phase
The kingdom was founded by raja
Jaisimha after defeating Kadamba (The
Royal family of Northern Karnataka
region). The Chalukyan kings shifted their
early Capital from Aihole to Vatapi now
known as Badami.
The Chalukyans were Vaishnavites but
were tolerant towards other religion.
Hence they encouraged construction of
Shiva and Jain temple.

The rule of the Chalukyas marks an
important milestone in the history of
South India. It is also called as a golden
age in the history of Karnataka.
The Chalukyan Dynasty was a dominant
power in northern Karnataka during the
6th century.
Pulakeshin I in 543–566 founded the
dynasty. Built major Hindu temples in the
Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal region.
He is referred to as Satyashraya, Vallabha
and Dharmamaharaja in inscriptions.

-Pulakeshin II (609–642 AD) was the first
ruler in South India to issue gold coinage.
-Vikramaditya I (655–680 AD) restored
order in the fractured kingdom and made
Vatapi as capital.
Someshvara IV (1184–1200 AD) was the
last king of the Western Chalukya empire.
He managed to capture Basavakalyana but
failed to prevent feudatories from
completely overwhelming the Chalukya
empire by 1200.

Chalukyan Temple Architecture
This dynasty is attributed with having
introduced its own style of temple
architecture called Chalukyan Architecture.
This architecture blends the finer aspects
of the Dravidian and Nagara temple
architecture. Hence it is also referred as
Vesara.
Badami, Aihole and Pattadkal are eloquent
evidences of the evolution of the temple
architecture from the cave temples to
structural temples.

They built a number of rock-cut cave-
temples and structural temples of stone
dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
Badami Architecture style is called as the
Vesara style and Chalukya style.
The Chalukya style mainly originated in
Aihole and Badami and was perfected in
Pattadakal and Mahakuta.

Features:
The architecture gets distinguished into Rock cut and
Structural temples.
• Chalukyan built several structural temples majorly along
the edge of the lake and hill tops .
• About 15 km from Badami, at Mahakuta, stands a group
of temples Enclosed by a fort-like heavily built wall.
• At Aihole and Pattadkal that experimentation in temple
building Conducted from from 450 - 650 A.D. gave birth to
the hindu temple and evolved its various architectural
components and features. Aihole is a small vilage on the
banks of River Malaprabha, located near Badami in the
state of Karnataka. The village of Aihole contains over 125
temples from the Early Western Chalukya and later periods
(6th - 12th century).
Aihole, often termed as the ‘cradle of Indian architecture’

Features:
The early chalukyans combined some
features of contemprory north and South
Indian style of construction i.e. Nagara and
Dravidian to create. Their own style of
construction which is characterized by:
1. High platform
2. Pithas ornate door frame
3. Plinth moulding
4. Vestibule-projected roof
5. Octagonal Shikara over Garbhghira

Ladkhan Temple:
Few modifications they set are the task of adapting its timber
Structural form to the permanency of stone masonry, and its
village council plan to one fit for the worship of gods.
•The result of their innocent Endeavour is a temple, which for
some curious reason is popularly known as Lad Khan
•It is a square hall 50ft side, Roofed with huge sloping stone
slabs.
•Instead of timber post to hold up the roof ,there is an inner
double row of massive stone columns.
•The load of the roof is taken up by walls of cyclopean stone
blocks piled one over without the use of binding material.
•In the middle of rear wall a small portion was partitioned to
Garbhagriha.
•In the attached portico the worshippers sit and chat after their
rituals are over, even the bench has been reproduced in stone,
there by serving two function of sitting and a baluster.

Ladkhan Temple:
The chalukyans builders copied the timber prototype
of their choice as faithfully as their Buddhist
predecessors.
•The projecting edges of the slabs of the roof are
rounded off to inmate the original thatch covering.
•It is called lad khan because Lad Khan make it as its
residence.

The Durga Temple at Aihole:
•The Chalukyans builders in the search of an appropriate
monumental shrine tried to adapt the plan of Buddhist chaitya
hall to Hindu worship.
•The temple stands on a high moulded plinth 3m high and
consist of pillared hall or Mukha Madapa and an additional
verandah all around with an apsidal sanctuary, like Buddhist
Chaitya.
•Two flight of steps one from north and other from south are
provided in front of the porch
•Two row of columns separate the hall into central nave and
two side aisles.
•The temple derives its name because of fort like enclosure
called Durga. No wonder that it failed to win hindu approval as
an appropriate sacrosanct edifice.
•They intercepted the Hindu concept of temple as a house of
god.

Hucchimalli Gudi temple:
•Hucchimalli is a 7th-century Hindu temple
(gudi). The building faces west, and consists of a
mandapa plus sanctuary.
•It was the first south indian temple with a porch.
• A distinctively slanted roof covers the
circumambulatory passage around the temple
shrine.
NORTH SHRINE
• The tower of this small detached shrine appears
to be fashioned in pyramidal style, unlike the
curving tower of the main temple.
• The pierced stone screen between porch and
shrine is a later addition.

Gaudara Gudi temple:
•Gaudura Temple appears to be the oldest of all
Aihole temples. The temple has16 pillars, a sanctum
and parikrama path.

Rock Cut Structures:
Ravana Phadi
•It is the earliest rock cut temple in chalukyan dynasty.
• The 6th century cave temple is dedicated to Shiva. A broken column lines up with the cave entrance,
which opens to the southwest. The cave is dramatically recessed on a deep ledge, with free-standing
shrines on either side.
It is carved out of the sandstone
outcrop. It has retained its
originality quite well with the
lapse of time. It is Dedicated to
Shiva.
There is a Sivalinga in the
sanctum sanctorum. The walls
and sides of the temple are
covered with large
Figures.

Rock Cut Structures:
Ravana Phadi
•Shiva, in his ten-armed form (compare Ellora
Cave 29), dances beside Ganesh and Parvati
(left, hidden behind pillar).
• The panel is located in a shallow chamber on
the left side as you face the linga shrine.
• Shiva's elongated torso, high hat, and
pleated garments are markers of the Early
Western Chalukya style in sculpture.

Rock Cut Structures
(Badami):
•The Chalukyan capital Badami was
surrounded by moat.
• The most interesting thing in Badami is
the series of four caves temple hewn from
top to bottom in the scrap of southern hill
called Ranmandal.
• These are Brahminical in nature ,one
Shaivite, two Vishnavites and the fourth
belongs to Jain.
A. Cave 1 (Shaiva cave): this cave can be
reached by climbing 35 steps.
B. This is L-shaped cave ,and measures
14m long and 7.5m deep and faces toward
northern side.

Temples at Pattadakkal, Karnataka:
• There are ten temples at Pattadakkal including a Jain temple and is a UNESCO
world Heritage Site.
• Out of ten temples, four are in Dravida style, four are in Nagara style and one is a
Jain temple, The Papanatha Temple is built in a fusion of both Nagara and Dravida
styles.
• The Jain temple (Jain Narayana temple) was built by Rashtrakutas in the 9th Cen.
• The Virupaksha temple at Pattadakkal is also known as Sri-Lokeswar-Maha-Sila-
Prasad, was built by Loka Mahadevi, the Queen of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya
II (733-44).
• It was probably built around 740 CE to commemorate her husband’s victory over
the Pallavas of Kanchipuram.
• It closely resembles the Kailasnath temple at Kanchipuram on plan and elevation.
• It represents a fully developed and perfect stage of the Dravida architecture.

References
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-chalukya-rulers-and-their-contributions-1509096631-1

Hindu Temple Architecture | History of Architecture

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