These temples are simple structures consisting of a veranda, a hall and a shrine at the rear. The basic form of the Hindu temple comprises the following:
(i) Sanctum (garbhagriha literally ‘womb-house’), which was a small cubicle with a single entrance and grew into a larger chamber in time.
(ii) the entrance to the temple which may be a portico or colonnaded hall that incorporates space for a large number of worshippers and is known as a mandapa;
(iii) freestanding temples tend to have a mountain-like spire, which can take the shape of a curving shikhar in North India and a pyramidal tower, called a vimana, in South India;
(iv) the vahan, i.e., the mount or vehicle of the temple’s main deity along with a standard pillar or dhvaj is placed axially before the sanctum.
Two primary temple styles exist in India—Nagara in the north and Dravida in the south. Some scholars note the Vesar style, an amalgamation of Nagara and Dravida elements, as an independent style. Detailed studies delve into sub-styles within these orders. As temples evolved, they gained complexity, creating more sculptural surfaces by adding rhythmically projecting, symmetrical walls and niches while retaining the shrine’s fundamental plan.
Nagara Style Temples
A Nāgara temple generally rests on a high platform- jagati over which is constructed a small platform called pitha. Rising above this is a smaller platform- adhisthana, which forms the base for the construction of superstructure of the temple. Among the other components of a Nāgara temple are – bhadra, sirsa, amalaka, bijapuraka, rathika.
Intricate carvings and sculptures adorn Nagara temples. Lavish decorations embellish the temple entrances with depictions of gods, goddesses, floral motifs, and geometric designs. At the base of the door frames, one typically finds carvings of dvarapalas or representations of Ganga and Yamuna. The walls and pillars within these temples showcase sculptures portraying devakanyas, apsaras, yaksas, yaksis, amalakas, and floral garlands.
Dravida Style Temples
The Dravida temple’s design, from its base to the top, is hexagonal or octagonal. It features terraces and often spans multiple stories. Referred to as Vimana (meaning ship or boat), Dravida temples have six main components:
- Adhisthana: The temple’s base supporting the superstructure.
- Pada: Walls enclosing the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum), interspersed with pillars.
- Prastara: The beam or architrave that separates the garbhagriha walls and the spire.
- Griva: Rows of windows or a clerestory at the base of the spire, above the garbhagriha.
- Shikhara: The towering spire that rises above the griva.
- Stupi: The finial, often in the form of a stupa or kalasa, crowning the shikhara.
Vesara Style Temples
While the Nāgara and Drāvida temple styles possess unique characteristics, the Vesara style integrates elements from both. In this style, one may observe temples with a square body at different levels (talas), while the shikhara (spire) and griva (neck) could be circular, octagonal, or apsidal. Similarly, the body might have an oblong shape, while the shikhara and griva could also be elliptical. The defining aspect of this style lies in the plan used for constructing the temple’s superstructure, which could be circular, ellipsoidal, or apsidal from the base to the top.
Read Also: Early Temples In India
