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 shrine4 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