Hindu Temple Architecture

an evolution
 Hinduism
Hindu , Hinduism they refer to a way of life than a
religion.

In the beginning it was pagan.

Its philosophy was based on eternal enlightenment in

order to escape the vicious cycle of life.

Open discrimination in who achieved enlightenment led

to the fall in popularity and later reforms revived it.
 Social structure
The society that existed between the vedic and the
Mauryan empire was divided into four class of people.

The four calsses were : Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vyshya,

Sudhra.

Brahmana - the learned ones.

Kshatriya - the warriors and rulers.
Vyshya - Traders and merchants.
Shudra - the craftsmen and labourers.
 The drift
Initially the classification was based on occupation and
all people had privileges based on their sect.
One was free to change from one sect to another.

Initially all were given basic education and further

acquired other necessary skills for their livelihood.
When it gradually transformed into a caste system that
was inherited by birth, there was discrimination.
This was the main reason for the fall in popularity of
hinduism when a new religion, Buddhism arose.
 Hindus and temples
Temples were not constructed in the early
days of Hindu culture.
The worship was pagan no idols were
sculpted.
After the revival of Hinduism during the Gupta
empire, idol worship and temple architecture
developed.
 A timeline
Indus Valley civilization (c. 33001300 BCE)
Vedic Period. (c. 2000500 BCE)
Magadha empire (700300 BCE)
Nanda Empire (424321 BCE)
Maurya Empire (321184 BCE)
Sunga Empire (18573 BCE)
Gupta Empire (320550 CE).
 Hinduism in history
Empire Religion
Indus valley civilization Pagan or non religious.
Vedic period Hindu that had no idol
worship.
Magadha empire. Pagan hindu (cast system
drifted)
Nanda Empire Hindu
Mauryan empire Initially hindu but later on
patronised Buddhism.
Sunga dynasty Initially hindu but later on
buddhist.
Gupta dynasty Hindu renaissance.
 Types
The Gupta period marks the beginning of
Indian temple architecture. Out of the initial
experimentation two major styles evolved.

The Gupta temples were of three main types

1. Square with flat roof
2. Square with circumambulatory
3. Square with shikara
 1. Square with flat roof

This type of temple answers the simplest needs of worship, a

chamber to house the deity and a roof to shelter the devotee.

An example of this type of temple exists at Tigawa, Madhya

Pradesh.
Tigawa (or Tigowa) is a village in Madhya Pradesh with a complex of
temple remains, near Bahuriband, Jabalpur district.

The Kankali Devi Temple, often referred to as the Tigawa temple is

well preserved.
It is one of the few Gupta period temples that have survived.
 Tigawa temple description
Square building with flat roof and shallow pillared
porch.
Both porch and sanctum are post-and-lintel style and
without any superstructure.
The nucleus of a templethe sanctum or cella
(garbagriha)with a single entrance and a porch
(mandapa) appears for the first time here.
The portico was covered with walls containing panels
during a later period. It is covered with a flat roof.
Pillars are provided with the overflowing vase
(kumbha-panjara) or the vase-and-foliage (ghata-
pallava) capital.
Tigawa Temple
 2. Square with circumambulatory

An elaboration of the first type with the

addition of an ambulatory (pradakshina)
around the sanctum and sometimes a second
storey.

Examples:
the Shiva temple at Bhumara (Madhya Pradesh)
Shiva temple at bhumara
 3. Square with shikara
Square temple with a low and squat tower (shikara) above;
Notable examples are
the Dasavatara temple (built in stone at Deogarh, Jhansi district)
the brick temple at Bhitargaon (Kanpur district).

The section of the central offset that extends across the wall has a
niche, in which is placed an image.
The frame around the sanctum entrance is very elaborate, carved
with several bands carrying floral and figural motifs.

A high platform at the base and the tower add to the elevation of
the composition.
This arrangement, known as the panchayatana, also became
popular throughout the subcontincent, even upto the 18th century.
Deogarh temple
 The brick temple at Bhitargaon
description
The Bhitargaon Temple is a terraced brick building
fronted with a terracotta panel.
Built in the 6th century during the Gupta Empire, it is
the oldest remaining terracotta Hindu shrine with a
roof and a high Shikara.
The temple is built on a square plan with double-
recessed corners
Faces east.
There is a tall pyramidal spire over the garbagriha.
The walls are decorated with terracotta panels
depicting aquatic monsters, Shiva and Vishnu etc.
The brick temple at Bhitargaon
 The second and third types storied and
shikara underwent further developments to
crystallize into two distinctive styles in the
south and the north respectively.