HINDU ARCHITECTURE

Philomina joicy1st Msc RM&IDSt.Teresas CollegeErnakulam

Hindu architecture sub-divided into 3 styles

Northern Hindu Style Central Hindu Style South Hindu Style

Northern Hindu Style

This style had spread over at least 3 to 4th part of northern India.

The earliest movement started in the state of Orissa, its ancient name is Kalinga.

It is offered strong resistance to mauryas but finally sudued to ashoka in 260 B.C

After ashokas death kalinga regained its independence and later become more powerful under kharavela.

Beginning of this Orissa group is seen at Bhuvaneshwar where there are thirty temples.

The most important are the temple of jaganath at puri , Mahashivagupta Yayati , Sun temple at konark

The other groups are confined to some area such as at khajuraho , the largest of entire series is shiva temple of kandariya mahadeva at khajuraho.

Temples of Orissa group (kalinga)

1. Sun temple of konark The magnificent temple was

therefore built to glorify ‘surya’ the sun god at konark

The temple of sun god , surya, the source of life, origin of light, the dispeller of darkness, and sin, the source and instrument of purity and health is unique in its construction.

The plan of this temple was that of genious and its scale was too great for its execution.

The temple is formed like a ‘ratha’ or wheeled chariot being carried by seven.

Horses symbolizing the seven rays of the sun who blazes his way through the heaven and proceded by the charioteer arun.

The temple resting on a large platform with twelve gaint wheels

It is curved with erotic sculptures and decorated with medallion on the spokes an hub.

On its 3 sides , in the middle segments there are 3 subsidary shrines with stairways leading to niches each containing the life-size image of sun god minutely curved

The wall fully sculptured with beautiful dancers playing on musical instruments

Two gracefully carved elephant guard its entrance.

The width of the cubical portion or‘bada’ of jaga mohan is twice its own height

Upper tapering part ‘pida’ and which is crowned with a melon shaped ‘kalasha’ or ‘amlaka’ is fluted

Outer surface of bada sculptured with as many as fifteen hundred elephants in different patterns , along with soldiers riding on horses in the bottom row.

Many mythical animals in second row In the third row depicts the ‘maithuna

rituals’ . It represent symbolism of prakriti ana purusha

The top ‘pida’ the pyramidal tower consist of three tiers

In order to sustain the weight of the huge kalasa over the pida the entire ceiling is strengthened with iron grid

2. Lingaraja temple at bhuvaneshwar

The temple had originally only 2 appartments

Deul and jaga-mohan, and the nat-mandir(dance hall) , bhog mandir(offering hall) are added a century or more later

The entrance is flanked by two large stone statues of lions

Most attractive feature of this temple is the sri mandir richly built entirely of stones

Bada is vertical one third of its height and above

It has parabolic curve rising to a height of 38 m from the ground

Over it is a necking or beki above which rest the melon shaped fluted disc or amal-sila and crowned with ‘kalasa’

Outer surface is carved with gods , godesses , nymphs.

A shiva linga 3m height and 2.5m diameter is installed in grabhgriha

3. Temple of jagannath at puri The temple is merely a replica of

the temple at bhuvaneshwar This temple is not so much

impressive in its treatment The presiding deities are

jagannatha , balabhadra and subhadra

Every year in the month of june/july devotees in large number of gather at puri in order to participate in the ‘car-festival’ when the image of the 3 deities are taken in the large procession in 3 highly decorated ‘rathas’ pulled by ardent devotees.

Temples in kashmir1. The sun temple at

martand The temple is built by king

lalitadity is located about 35 km from sringar , kashmir , martand .

The temple is situated on a stupendous hil top enclosed in 61m X 43m quadrangle containing a cluster of 84 sculptured colums of gracco roman style

The number of 84 is also significant as it is product of 7 and 12. i.e 7 days of the week and 12 months of the year.

The temple consist of portico for sun worship and is connected to cella over which there was once pyramidal roof rising to a height of 23m.

The temples of khajuraho group

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The temple is raised in tier over tier of sculptured excellence with stone carvings of griffins, nymphs , gods, demons and couples.

Temple of rajaputana group

1. Kirti stambha of chittor

The kirti –stambha or pillar of fame built in 1100 A.D is 23m high in six storeys containing many sculptures of jaina tirthankaras

The rana kumbha of chittor erected this famous and beautiful tower

The jaya stambha or tower of victory at chittor rises to a height of 24m in eight storeys

Each of its faces is about 10 m broad at base

Each storey is provided with highly decorated balcony

It is covered with a pyramidal roof at top

2.Jaya stambha at chittor

Temple of gujart The temple is laid on usual plan i.e. the

main cella , a mantapa, and a sabha mantap which 2 or 3 storeys

In exterior, the elagantly carved pillers are arranged forming an octagonal nave in the centre of a main hall

The interiors are profusely sculptured. ‘Sabha mantap’ leads to ‘gudha mantap’

and finally the mysterious deeply shadowed sanctum in the end with a shikhara at top.

Temples of gwalior

1.Larger sas-bahu temple The temple also known as mother

in law and daughter in law consist of two structures of which mantapa only remains the vimana with its shikara has been vanished.

The temple measures 30m long and 19m wide.

The main hall is in three storeys. The roof , partly demolished ,rises

into a low pyramidal form.

The interior consist of only one huge sized compartment though the external facede consists of 3 storeys with canopaied galleries.

In gwalior there are number of palaces which exhibit ingenuity and talent of the architects and masons.

A well known example is that of man mandir built for maharaja man singh

Other examples are guruji mahal, badal mahal, holkar;s palaces in indore etc.

2.Palaces of gwalior

It is one of the magnificient forts and described as “pearl in the necklace of the castles of india”

Great personalities like bahur, humayun, sher shah, tantiya top have once lived here

The freedom figjter rani laxmibai of jhanci moved into gwalior fort in 1857

Every stone in the fort speaks of legendary past.

Its history has been written in letters of love , fire and blood

3. Gwalior fort

In exquisit 11th century salabhanjika which is a marvellous piece of architecture is preserved in gwalior fort

Orginally salabhanjika means a charming female gathering sala flowers

But later used as a statute beautifully ornamented wearing scanty garments , necklaces of various designs and standing in alluring pastures

River ghats or public bathing places are for ablution purposes for hindu relegious rituals

These are constructed with board steps leading down to the river banks.

Ghats of banares are nearly 5km long along with ganges river and are more than thirty.

Sometimes palaces are also constructed near these ghats thus producing beautiful architectural composition

4. River ghats

Many of top storeys consist of projecting balconies or oriels,latticed windows, pillars , loggias and beautifully designed kiosks, which give the river ghats a picturesque and romantic view of worldwide fame

CENTRAL HINDU STYLEEarly chalukyan architecture

The architecture falls into two distinct types (i) rock-cut (ii) structural

Rock –cut cave temples at badami The chalukyan capital city badami was

protected by a fort wall surroune ed by a moat The superfluous water of agastyathirtha was

a sporting place for the royal families. Badami was also a religious centre Godesses banashankrari was the presiding

deity.

The most interesting thing from architectural point of view is is a series of 4 cave temples hewn from top to bottom in the scrap of a southern hill called ranmandal

These are brahminical in nature , one shaivite, two vishnavites, and the fourth belongs to jaina

(i) Cave 1( shaiva cave)

(ii) Cave 2( vaishnava cave)

(iii) Cave 3(vaishnav cave)

(iv) Cave 4 (jaina cave)

In addition to the rock cut cave temples at badami chalukyans also built several structural temples along the edge of the lake and hill tops.

The early chalukyans combined some some features of contemporary north and south indian style of construction

i.e nagar and dravidian respectively to create their own style of construction

Which is characterized by high platform , pithas ornate door frames, plinth moulding , vestibule

Structural temples

The temple stands on square plan of 15 m side with high platform.

It is consist of an open pillared porch leading to a large square mantapa with 2 square group of pillars

The nanthi fills the central bay

Whose ceiling contains sculpture of naga with its tail twisted around

1. Lad khan temple at aihole

The pillars have cushion capitals with floral abacus supporting the ponderous bracket

There are lattice window on north and south sides and perforated circles ofradiating fish design set in square frame in the eastern and western sides

The roof is sloping , rising in two tires , with a sma;ll cubical shikara containg images of surya , shiva , and vishnu on its three sides.

No mortar is used for the construction of this temple.

The temple stands on a high moulded plinth 3m high and consist of pillared hall

2 flights of steps one from north and another from south are provided in front of the porch

There is garuda over the shrine door which is elaborately carved

2. Durga temple at aihole

Light is admitted into the hall and passage through ‘stone grills’ of perforated pattern

2 raws of Columns separate the temple hall into a central nave and two side aisles

The inner columns are beautifully sculptured.

There are several inches in the wall s containg beautiful images of god and goddesses

The roof of mukha mantapa is flat Upper portion has follen down

The temple derives its name because of the fortlike encloseure called durga

These temples are situated on the eastern edge of the lake

These temples stand on high plinths, two to three metres high.

The big temple has a mukhamantapa or pillared hall, the door frame of which consist of sculptures of ganga and yamuna flanked by ‘dwarpalakas’.

3. Bhutanath group of temples at badami

A shiva-linga is enshrined in the temple, over which rises a ‘vimana’ of kadamb nagar style which is characterised by receding tiers resembling a stepped pyramid culminating in a final or kalasa

(696-733 A.D)This temple is dedicated to three gods, Bramha, vishnu and Mahesh. All the three shrines are places in the common mantapa, which exhibit good sculpturesque quality.

The tower is built of bricks and app[ears to be later addition.

4 . Jambulinga Temple at Badami

The temple stands on a spur of the rugged hills on the north side of badami.

It contains a porch assembly hall and shrine.

The square porch consist of large monolithic pillares with heavy bracket capitals.

5. Malegitti shivalaya at badami

The entrance is guareded by two dwarpalakas.

Sculptures of shiva and vishnu with makara torana at the back, are carved on the south and north walls of temple into which are built square perfolated stone windows that let in a subdued light faintly illumining the interior of the hall.

The high plinth contains a row of the lions and elephant symboling strength.

The outer wall contains a belt of dwarfs dancing , rollicking playing musical instrument .

The door frame of the srine is richly ornamented with garuda in the middle holding two serpents.

The temple is also called because of its assosiation with a lady garland

The temple is provided with a covered ambulatory passage, a vestibule or an antrala and open portico in front.

The pillare and beams are exquisitely carved and decorated with incidents from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The temple is characterised by Rekha- Nagar shikhara, i.e. a beehive- shaped curvilinear somewhat conical tower.

6. Papanath Temple at Pattadkal

The entrance to the temple is by the Malaprabha river in which the pilgrims usually take bath before entering the temple to worship the deity.

The temple has a large pillared hall approached through porches, in the front and either side with a “Nandi” mantapa on its axial plan.

It has a covered ambulatory round the cella on which rises a vimana of Dravidian style.

7. Virupaksha Temple at Pattadkal

The inscriptions show that the temple was built by Vikramaditya II in honour of his queen Lokamahadevi, to celebrate another victory over Pallava kings of Kanchipuram.

Its lavish disposition shows distinct advancement in temple development Further it served as a model for the world – famous Kailasa temple at Ellora.

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