Temple Architecture & Dravid School of Temple Architecture for Competitive Exams

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Temple Architecture

• Began and reached a climax during Gupta period.
• The gupta period is described as classic degree of perfection.
• Perfect balance and harmony of all elements in style and iconography.
• Earlier developments
• A circular brick and timber shrine of the Mauryan period of 3^rd century B. C. was excavated at Bairat District of Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• Temple ′ at Sanchi, has a similar plan, it was a stone temple on an apsidal plan enclosed by an ambulatory, and raised on a high, rectangular scale, approached by two flights of steps from diagonally opposite sides.
• The super structure was possibly built of wood, and has disappeared.

• This is a little structure built of huge almost boulder like blocks of stones.
• The temple consists of a simple square cell the garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum, in front of which there is a coveredverandah, a portico, which consists of four heavy pillars supporting a stone roof.
• The pillars as well as the entire structure is as simple.
• He didn՚t consider the climate and did not provide gargoyles to allow the rainwater to run off the roof.
• The entire structure is heavy, bulky, and clumsy. Probably, this was constructed near about to A. D.
• The earliest structural temple still standing in its original condition is the one constructed at Aihole in Karnataka.
• There are five stages of temple architectural development

1^st Stage

• Square temple
• Flat roof temple
• Shallow pillared approach
• Temple constructed on low platform
• Ex. temple no at Sanchi
• Kankalidevi temple, Tigwa, MP.

2^nd Stage

• Square temple
• Flat roof temple
• Higher platform
• Covered embulatory passage around The garbhgriha (santum santorum)
• 2 storeyed temples are found
• Ex. Parbati temple at Nachna kuthara, MP

3^rd Stage

• Square temple
• Concept of shikhar introduced
• Low and square shikhar
• Pillar approach
• Higher platform continued
• Introduction of panchayatan style main shrine 4 subsidiary shrines
• Main shrine rectangular shape
• Crucified ground plan
• Precursor to nagara style
• Ex. Dashavatar temple deogarh, UP
• Durga temple Ahihole, Karnataka

4^th Stage

• Rectangular temple
• Shikhar
• Higher platform
• Panchayatan style
• Ex. Ter temple Sholapur, maharashtra

5^th Stage

• Circular temple with shallow rectangular projections at four cardinal faces
• Ex. Maniar matha Rajgir, Bihar

Dravid School of Temple Architecture

• Functions
• Religious matter
• Administrative centres
• Control of vast areas of land

Architecture