Module 3 Dravidian

8/10/2019 Module 3 Dravidian

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DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURE:Monuments in south India through the times of the Pallava, Chola and Pandya


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HINDU STRUCTURAL TEMPLE ARCHITECTUREIN ANCIENT INDIA(FORMALISED DURING

THE 5THAND 6THCENTURIES C.E)

NAGARA (NORTH INDIA)

DRAVIDA (SOUTH INDIAN)

VESARA(KARNATAKA DRAVIDA)

INTRODUCTION

NAGARA DRAVIDA


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DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURE- ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

Origins: Traced from Ajanta and Buddhist traditions in Andhra to rock cut architecture(6thcentury) in the south.

Development of structural temples: A Dravidian language:

- 7thand early 8thcentury C.E North Karnataka with capital at Badami-patronage: Chalukyas- Parallel Tamil version under Pallavas- Kerala, Tamilnadu under Cholas (9thcentury C.E) and further to Sri Lanka

Tamil Dravida tradition: attained high degree of scale, complexity in planning-however

conservative in architectural form and detail.

Karnataka Dravida/ Vesara style: spread to Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and died outunder the invasion of Muslim rulers.


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SIMPLEST DRAVIDIAN TEMPLE FORM


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Alpa VimanaMinor shrine ( roots from certain

Buddhist Gandhara shrine type ) Wood and thatch prototype transformed into -

moulded base-walls-with pilasters enclosing the square sanctum- overhanging canopy/roll cornice(kapota)- a crowning domed pavilion (kuta) usually a square

ELEMENTS OF A DRAVIDIAN TEMPLE: SHRINES

Alternative Alpa vimana forms:

a) Rectangular with barrel roofedpavilion(shala)

b) Apsidal(Gajaprishtha/elephant

backed) crowned by apsidal shala


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The vimanaof a Dravidian temple is

square on plan and pyramidal onelevation unlike that of a Nagaratemple which is square on plan andcurvilinear on elevation.

Most dominant feature in Dravidian

(Chola ) temples

The vimana is divided into varioustiers or storeys by the arrangementof miniature shrines of three types,namely, the sala (rectangular), kuta

(square) and panjara (apsidal). Thearrangement of the pillar elementsimprovise from their Pallavaexamples in terms of elaborationand additional elements.

ELEMENTS OF A DRAVIDIAN TEMPLE:VIMANA


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1) BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, THANJAVUR


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Architecturally, it is the most ambitious structural temple built of granite & grandestcreation of the Chola emperor Rajaraja - landmark in the evolution of building art insouth India

The temple with its massive proportions and simplicity of design provided inspirationfor future designs in constructions not only in south India but also in south-east Asia.


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- Situated within spacious innerprakara(240.9 X 122 m inside) & (270X 140 m) on the outside

- Gopuram (30 m high) at the east andthree other ordinary torana entrancesone at each lateral sides and the thirdat rear

- There is a big statue of Nandi(sacred bull), carved out of a singlerock, at the entrance measuring about16 X 13 high.

- Axial symmetrical in layout

- Measurement system: 1 3/8-inchcalled an angula (24 units equalling33 inches called a hasta, muzam)

N

A

B

C

D

E

F

A- Garbhagriha B- Ardhamandapa C-Mahamandapa

D- Nandi pavilion E- Gopuram F- Subsidiary shrine

BRIHADEESWARA: LAYOUT &PLANNING
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_(bull)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_(bull)


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Sanctum sanctorum/ Garbhagriha:The most importantpart of the temple- inner mandapa,surrounded bymassive walls that are divided into levels by sharply

cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays andrecesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bayemphasising the principle cult icons.

The circumambulationwinds around the massivelingamin thegarbhagrihaand is repeated in an upperstorey

The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangularmandapa and then to a twenty-columned porchwith three staircases leading down.

The majestic upapithaand adhishthanaarecommon to all the axially placed entities like theardha-mahamandapas and linked to the mainsanctum but approached through a north-south

transept across the ardha-mandapa which ismarked by lofty sopanas.

BRIHADEESWARA: MAIN TEMPLE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbhagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumambulation


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- The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone deities andrepresentatives of Shiva dance. presiding deity of lingam is 3.7m tall.

- The vimanam(or temple tower) is 216 ft (66 m) high- one among the tallest of its kind. ,with 16 elaborately articulatedstories, and dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers,and attached columnsare placed rhythmically covering every surface of theVimanam

- The Kumbam (Kalasha , the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is

carved out of a single rock and it weighs around 80 tons (raised to its present height bydragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km.)

BRIHADEESWARA: SCALE AND PROPORTIONS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulation_(architecture)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulation_(architecture)


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- The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81dance karanaspostures of Bharathanatyam, theclassical dance of Tamil Nadu

. - Life-size iconographic representations on the wall

niches and inner passages include Durga, Lakshmi,Sarasvati and Bhikshatana, Virabhadra, Kalantaka,Natesa, Ardhanarisvara and Alingana forms of Siva.

- The mural paintings on the walls of the lowerambulatory inside are finest examples of Chola and

later periods which depict the contemporaneousscenes with legendary ones.

BRIHADEESWARA: ICONIC & DECORATIVE ELEMENTS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharathanatyamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharathanatyam


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2) KAILASNATHA TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM (705 C.E)


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It is the first structural temple built in South Indiaby Narasimhavarman II, faadeand gopuram completed by his son.

Capital of the great Pallava kingdom as well as an important city during Chola, Vijaynagara& Nayaka rulers. Simple and tasteful, free of the gaudy decorations of later temples during the reign of Cholas

& Vijayanagaras
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimhavarman_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimhavarman_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimhavarman_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimhavarman_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_India


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The plan layout : a typical Pallavasanctuary.

The temple's foundations are madeof granite, which could withstand the

weight of the temple, while the superstructure including the carvings areall made of sandstone.

The vimana of the temple, above themain shrine (sanctum sanctorum), issquare in plan and rises up in a orpyramidal shape.

The pillar elements with mythicalanimal shapes (lions on the base) are

extra features in Pallava style.At theentrance, thegopuramwalls areplastered. Its entrance wall has eightsmall shrines and a gopura, precursorto the main gopura.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandstonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandstonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite


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Located and seated comfortably at the eastern end of the temple area placed on araised platform.

Lion pillars are found at the corners which originally supported the mandapa, thesuperstructure of which has fallen down.


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Courtyard of the temple complex

surrounded by smaller shrines framed bypillars rising from the heads of rampantlions, typical of the Pallava style.

The sanctuary enshrining the linga iscovered by a four-storeyed vimana. In frontof it stands a pillared pavilion (mandapa)decorated with sculptures of rearing yalisand Shaiva figures. This leads to anotherhall before the cell surrounded by acircumambulatory passageway.


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The walls of the vimana and theattached shrines are a house ofabsolute riches of aiviteiconographic forms. This can becalled as the richest of all Pallavashrines in terms of figuraldecoration..

Parts of the temple including thevimana were painted however onlypatches now remain. They were

composed in bright colors. Not onlyon the inner walls of the cell shrinesbut also the sculptures have thepaintings. The paintings on the plainwalls show various aspects of iva.

KAILASNATHA TEMPLE:

DECORATIVE FEATURES


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Documents

Module 3 Dravidian