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Dravidian Temple and Indo-Aryan Temple
Dravidian Temple and Indo-Aryan Temple
• The plan is square with a number of gradual projections in the middle of each side
which Imparts it a cruciform shape. When there is one projection on each side, it is
called ‘triratha’, two projections – ‘Pancharatha’, three projections –
‘Saptharatha’ and four projections –‘Navaratha’. These projections can occur
throughout the height of the structure.
• The projections in the plan are also carried upwards to the top of the shikhara.
DRAVIDA:
• towers (known separately as vimana) are more dome-like
with cornices, and they are topped by another smaller dome.
• exterior walls have regular entablatures which often contain
sculpture.
• temples can also have:
ritual bathing tank or pool (nandi mandapa)
barrel-vaulted (shala) roof
enclosed within a walled courtyard with a gate (gopura)
RAJAGOPURA DWAJASTHAM MAHAMANDAP SANCTUM
Artha Mandapa.
1. Garbhagriha
2. Mandapa.
3. Antarala.
4. Mahamandapa.
5. Enclosing wall
6. Pradhikshana path.
Vesara Style
•It is a hybrid style that borrowed from the northern and southern styles. So, it is a mixture of
both Nagara and Dravida styles of temple architecture.
•Temples built in the Deccan under the later Chalukyas of Kalyani and Hoysalas are
considered examples of this style.
•Vesara style reduces the height of the temple towers even though the numbers of tiers are
retained. This is accomplished by reducing the height of individual tiers.
•The semi circular structures of the Buddhist chaityas are also borrowed in this style, as in
the Durga temple of Aihole.
•Many temples in Central India and Deccan have used the Vesara style with regional
modifications. The Papanatha temple (680 AD) in particular and some other temples to a
lesser extent located at Pattadakal demonstrate panache for this stylistic overlap.
•The trend of merging two styles was started by the Chalukyas of Badami (500-735 AD)
who built temples in a style that was essentially a mixture of the Nagara and Dravida styles,
further refined by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (750-983 AD) in Ellora, Chalukyas of Kalyani
(983-1195 AD) in Lakkundi, Dambal, Gadag etc. and epitomized by the Hoysalas (1000-1330
AD).
•Most of the temples built in Halebid, Belur andSomanathapura are classified under this
style.
Pallavas Rathas at Mamalapuram
Five Rathas namely: Draupadi Ratha, Arjuna
Ratha, Nakula Sahadeva Ratha, Bhima Ratha,
Dharmaraja Ratha.
All five Rathas have
very diverse planning,
architecture and
ornamentation and
each Ratha has got
interior room - simple
and narrow sanctuary
(garbha-griha )
Among the Rathas are
three large sculptures:
Lion, Elephant and
Nandi bull. 1) Draupadi Ratha
This small structure is shaped like a small wooden shrine, once characteristic for
Southern India. It is facing towards the east and has two storeys, a small portico and
carved pillars.
Inside the shrine there are no adornments, but the exterior is very rich with
interesting details.
5) Dharmaraja ratha
The shrine is devoted to Shiva. Columns
and pilasters of this ratha are adorned with
lions.