Rock cut architecture

1. • Primarily designed to accommodate the statue or sacred emblem of the
divinity.
• Indian religious monuments do not contain large internal spaces. They are
‘tabernacles’ , preceeded by halls used for ritual, music and dance.
• Territory bounded by the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas and extended
from modern Afghanistan and Pakistan in the west to Bangladesh in the
east. Includes the entire peninsula : the Deccan- flanked by mountain
ranges- the Western and Eastern Ghats which constitute a natural barrier.
•The only passage- Khyber Pass in Hindu Kush

2.  Between the destruction of Mohen-jo-daro and Harappa
(about 1600 BC) and development of the first Indian cultures
under Chandragupta Maurya (320 BC) there is an
archaeological black hole of 1000 yrs.
 Historical consciousness arose in India during Ashoka (269-
232 BC)
 During medieval period (6th -13th cent.) temples became social
and educational centres and important economic institutions-
land owners, employers, moneylenders and dispensers of
charity.
 A canvas for the visual arts, a stage for the performing arts.
 Even 100 of employers from priests and administrators to
masons, dancers, cooks and potters.
 2 classical languages of Indian temple architecture-
 Northern- Nagara or Aryan
 Southern- Dravida
 Defining features are- aedicules-(little building- term is applied
to a miniature shrine)

3. ROCK CUT
ARCHITECTURE
 2 kinds of rock-cut architecture
 Hollowed like an artificial cave out of a steep cliff,
- Comprises vast chambers.
- Consists of internal spaces
- Eg- Caves of Elephanta and certain temples of Ellora

4.  Carved downwards into a rocky outcrop and
creates architectural volumes of a sculptural
character,
- Lacks the internal spaces
- ‘seven pagodas’ or rathas at Mamallapuram.

5. The gigantic Kailasa temple at Ellora combines both kinds of
rock- cut architecture

6. GROUND FLOOR PLAN
Entrance
Carved
elephant
obelisks
Steps
N

7. UPPER FLOOR PLAN

8. MONOLITHIC RATHAS at
MAMALLAPURAM Carved from Mamallapuram granite.
 Do not contain any internal spaces.
 7th cent and imitate in stone the earliest wooden temples.
 With the rise of Buddhism (due to support of the Emperor- Ashoka)- 3 kinds of
monuments came into existence
 These constitute the basic architectural language of India.
 Built by King Narasimhavarman-I
 Draupadi ratha
 Arjuna ratha
 Bhim ratha
 Dharamraj ratha
 Nakula Sahadeva ratha
 Ornamented with small scale models of huts arranged around the entire perimeter of
the roof.
 Each of the miniature huts- barrel vaulted roof,(palm and straw roof) carefully depicted
in stone.
 Tympanum like motif- significant feature – kudu or chaitya arch.
 In many cases kudu ornamented with little sculpted figures who appear to be looking
out of the arched window.
 Hindu arch. is a representation of symbolism.
 Row of miniaturized buildings – form image of a celestial city. Eg- Mount Kailasa,
Mount Meru.

10. DRAUPADI RATHA
 Dedicated to Goddess Durga.
 Square in plan
 Roof-projecting curvilinear
structure of four planes, (hut
roofed with palm leaves)
 Corner ridges- decorated with
delicate carvings, volutes stand
out above the niches, containing
high-relief carvings of the
Goddess Durga.
 On either sides- 2 great free
standing images- a lion and a
nandi bull.

11. ARJUNA RATHA
 Fine example of step- pyramid
structure decorated with
miniature buildings.
 Oblong along the sides- shalas
 Square along the corners-
stupis
 Square plan- 5 mt long sides.
 High relief sculptures on the
external walls are set between
pilasters.
 Sculptures- Shiva along with
Vishnu and tower guardians
 2 storeyed pyramidal roof.

12. BHIMA RATHA
 Reproduces chaitya model-
elongated meeting hall.
 Barrel- vault style roof.
 The entrance portico has 4
free standing columns and
series of kudus running along
the entablature.
 Above them- miniature
buildings-on all 4 sides of the
temple.
 A saddle back roof with
concave sides and dormer
windows- full length of the
building.
 Tympanum- miniature temple
 Columns- rise from the heads
of seated lions.

14. DHARMARAJA RATHA or
YUDDHISHTHIRA RATHA
 3 storeyed pyramidal
roof- 40 miniature
buildings.
 Dedicated to Shiva.
 Largest of 5 rathas
 Square in plan-10 mt
long sides
 3rd level- 13 mt high
 Larger scale version of
Arjuna Ratha
 12 square stupis at
corner & 24 shalas on
the sides with kudu
motifs

16. NAKULA SAHADEVA RATHA
 Basilican plan with apsidal end
& barrel vault – characteristic
of Buddhist Chaitya

18. SHORE TEMPLE at
MAMALLAPURAM 700 AD by King
Narsimhavarman-II
Rajasimha
 3 Shrines or Shikharas.
 Square one- Shiva
 Smaller rectangular- Vishnu
 Circumambulatory passage
 Finely dressed blocks of
granite
 Tower- 16mt above the
beach.
 Oriented east towards ocean.
 3rd smaller temple houses
Shiva Linga – towards west
 Monolithic stupi crown the
tower
 A dwarf gallery runs behind
the miniature buildings.

21.  Each vimana consists of a
square garbha-griha preceded
by a shallow porch but the
porch is largely enclosed- the
absence of an integrated hall.

22. KAILASHNATH TEMPLE at
KANCHIPURAM
 Kanchipuram- capital of Pallava
dynasty (7th & 8th cent) & one of
the holy cities of Hinduism.
 Temple- between 700 & 728 AD
 Dedicated to Shiva
 Pyramidal tower- flanked on all 4
sides by small shrines.
 Shikhara- 4 stepped storeyed
ornamented and miniature
buildings.
 Oriented eastwards
 A large courtyard preceeded by a
gateway or gopurams.
 Courtyard wall- lined inside with
little shrines.
 Ritual circumambulation-
between shrines and sanctuary

23. Shrine
s
Passag
e
Mandapa
Garbha griha

24. Vimana
Mandapa
The entrance to the temple has a unique appearance. Instead of a gateway ,
here stands a shrine complete in all structural features- garbha griha and ardha
mandapa.

25.  Other shrines- stand outside the entrance to the sanctuary
 Total 45 small shrines
 Each covered with an octagonal dome, on top of which stands a
stupi
 In front of the tower of Kailashnath temple- hypostyle pavillion
decorated with sculptures in which emblematic lions alternate with
sculpted divinities.
 Leads to a second and then to Garbha- griha.
 Contained within a narrow corridor and has 7 shrines on its external
walls. Total no of shrines 45+7=52
 The Kailasanatha Temple uses granite for the base and some
major structural members and the rest is in sandstone.
 Certain fundamental rules-
 Square cella- pyramidal tower or shikhara – Mount Meru
 In front- hypostyle hall- mandapa- open sides and ends- center of
the mandapa- dance takes place.
 Preceeded by a courtyard reached through a gopuram or
gateway – may be of monumental dimensions.
 Shikhara end- surrounded by a colonaded gallery- corridor for
ritual circumambulation.

26.  Develops the theme of the
enclosed complex, enclosing
the ambulatory within the
vimana and incorporating a
detached hall- later joined to
the vimana by another hall.

27. CHALUKYA DYNASTY- mid 5 cent
AD
Aihole, Badami,Pattadakal
 Aihole- Lad Khan Temple, Durga Temple-
examples of Dressed stone

28. Plan of Lad Khan Temple
Section of Lad Khan Temple

29.  Lad Khan Temple- 600-650 AD
 Square in plan
 Dedicated to Lord Shiva
 Heavy roof structure of stone slab, carried
by pillars & corbels in imitation of a wood
frame structure
 Vestibule of 12 pillar- rise from a low
perimeter wall-could have served as a
mandapa.
 Square hypostyle hall- 2 concentric rows of
pillars – lit by holes pierced in stone slab.
 In the center-Nandi the bull
 Cella- Shiva linga
 Access- staircase flanked by an elegant
banister.
 Roof-huge slabs laid almost flat, just
sufficiently inclined to permit run-off
 Stone battens- render the surface watertight
 Columns- 4 sturdy brackets- cross shape.
 Large windows- jali- geometrical motifs
 Kudu friezes- upper part of the temple base
and around the sides of the roof.
 Summit of the roof- square aedicule- reliefs-
Vishnu, Surya and Devi

30.  The Lad Khan’s main
shrine interrupts the outer
gallery.
 The inner gallery forms a
continuous ambulatory
about the central space.
 2 possible approaches to the
solution of the problem
posed by the lad khan
arrangement.
 Elimination of the outer
gallery leaving a square or
rectangular hall divided
longitudinally into a high
nave and lower side aisles,
preceded by a porch.
 The other approach
extended the aisles to form a
continous ambulatory
around the garbha- griha

31.  Durga Temple- 675-725 AD
 Dedicated to Lord Vishnu
 Influenced by Buddhist Chaitya halls
 External portico of pillars- surround
apsidal garbha-griha
 Open sided circumambulatory gallery
 2 rows of 4 columns form a nave and
side aisles
 Entrance protico- slightly narrower than
the temple- reached by 2 staircases at
right angles to the temple axis.
 In the portico- columns rise from low
perimetre wall.
•Measures 60’ x 36’,have a large
portico on its eastern front 24’ in
depth
• Entire length is 84’
•Topmost tier of its flat roof 30’ from
ground

33. PATTADAKAL- former Chalukyan Capital
 The city of the coronation rubies
 8th cent group of temples.
 Pallavas and Chalukyas- rivals & battled for control of Southern
India.
 In the wake of war, artistic influences were exchanged- result-
combined Dravidian & Nagara styles
 Galganatha temple- contain elements of North Indian monuments
 Sangameshvara temple- clear references to the Arjuna Ratha.
Galganatha
temple
Sangameshwara temple

34. Temple complex

36. Mallikarjuna, Virupaksha
Temple About 745 AD 2 temples were
built to commemorate victory of
Vikramaditya-II over the Pallavas.
 VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE
 Cella surrounded by a narrow
passage and gives onto a fine
hypostyle hall with 4 bays of 4
pillars, further 2 pillars precede the
cella forming a porch.
 Hypostyle hall- center of
composition, surrounded by 3
projecting portals, creating a
cruciform plan.
 In front of axial portal- mandapa
built in 744, accomodates the bull-
nandi. Stands in the center of the
courtyard, entered via a gateway
in form of a low gopuram.
 The building is enclosed by a low
wall that follows cruciform plan.

37.  The main square
structure has a tall
four storeyed vimana
 The mandap pillars
are richly sculptured.
 The front and rear
walls have large
gopura entrances.

38.  MALLIKARJUNA TEMPLE
 A typical Chalukya temple.
 Mandapa is supported by
elegantly carved pillars with
heavy lintels, weighty
capitals and impressive roof
structure is a fine example of
hypostyle hall of medieval
indian architecture.
 Hypostyle hall- 4 bays of
square pillars. Splendid
decoration scenes from
ramayana and mahabharata.

39.  Composite in plan-
of 2 distinct
volumes: a
rectangle contains
the garbha-griha,
ambulatory and
hall- to it is
attached a large
‘nine square’
entrance hall.
 Balconies protect
the screened
windows which
light the
ambulatory and a
porch projects from
the entrance hall.
Papanatha temple

40. Badami
 Formerly called
Vatapi.
 MALEGITTI
SHIVALAYA
TEMPLE- built in
7th cent.
 Dravidian in style
 Sturdy pillars of
the porch, massive
capitals, powerful
layered corbels of
the roof, the tower
with its octagonal
dome, recurrence
of the kudu motifs
on the profile of
the temple.