What are different parts of a South Indian temple?
The basic form of a Hindu structural temple consists of the following.
- Garbhagriha: It literally means ‘womb-house’ and is a cave like a sanctum.
- Mandapa: It is the entrance to the temple.
- Shikhara or Vimana:
- Amalaka:
- Kalasha:
- Antarala (vestibule):
- Jagati:
- Vahana:
What are the styles of temple construction?
Three main style of temple architecture are the Nagara or the Northern style, the Dravida or the Southern style and the Vesara or Mixed style. But at the same time, there are also some regional styles of Bengal, Kerala and the Himalayan areas.
What are the main features of Dravidian style of temple architecture?
The main features of this style of temple architecture are: The front wall has an entrance gateway in its centre, which is known as a Gopuram. The shape of the main temple tower known as vimana in Tamil Nadu is like a stepped pyramid that rises up geometrically rather than the curving shikhara of North India.
What is Kalinga style of architecture?
The Kaḷinga architectural style is a style of Hindu architecture which flourished in the ancient Kalinga previously known as Utkal and in present eastern Indian state of Odisha. The style consists of three distinct types of temples: Rekha Deula, Pidha Deula and Khakhara Deula.
What are the features of temple architecture?
Dravida and Nagara architecture
| Feature | Nagara architecture |
|---|---|
| Main temple spire (tower) | Sikhara above sanctum |
| Mandapa spire (tower) | Yes |
| Curvature of the spire | Curvilinear centred over the sanctum, also straight-edged pyramidal |
| Sanctum | Single or multi-storey |
What is gopura shape?
The gopura is generally constructed with a stone base and a superstructure of brick and pilaster. It is rectangular in plan and topped by a barrel-vault roof. The exterior walls are covered with sculpture.
How are Indian temples designed?
Hindu temples dominantly use concentric circles and turning squares as a basis for planning the layout and designing the Shikhar (as called in North India) or Vimanas (called in South India) that are actually spires. Mostly the temple is designed and constructed in concentric steps called “Padas”.
What are 3 basic components of the Hindu temple?
While the architecture of Hindu temples varies from region to region, the major components of a temple remain constant:
- Garbhagriha or the sanctum where the main idol of the deity is housed.
- Mandapa or the portico which leads to the garbhagriha, where the worshipers assemble.
- Shikhara that is the spire above the sanctum.
What is the difference between north and South Indian temples?
While Northern Indian temples lead from a gate of lower height to a much taller tower above the garba griha, in the southern variety, the biggest towers, the gopurums, enormous gate-pyramids, adorn the entrance, dominate the temple site, and lead to the smaller tower of the temple itself.
Which is oldest structural temple in South India?
It is one of the oldest structural (versus rock-cut) stone temples of South India….
| Shore temple | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram, Chengalpattu District |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
| Location in Tamil Nadu Show map of Tamil Nadu Show map of India Show all |
What is temple Jagmohan?
Jaga mohan or Jagamohan or Jagamohana (Odia: ଜଗମୋହନ) is an assembly hall in the Hindu temple architecture, especially in Orissa.
What is Rekha temple?
Rekha in Odia means a straight line. It is a tall building with a shape of sugar loaf, looking like a Shikhara. It covers and protects the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha). Examples : The Shikhara of the Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar.
Which of the following are important elements of South Indian temple architecture?
Shikhara.
What is Mandap in temple?
Mandapa (also known as mandap or mandapam) in Indian architecture, especially Hindu temple architecture, is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals.
Why do temples have gopurams?
With the increasing threat from invading armies, the temple cities found it expedient to erect a series of protective walls to safeguard and defend their temples, palaces and cities. The Gopuras constructed on the gateways leading from one enclosure to the next, initially, served as watch towers for defense.
What is the plinth of temple called in Dravidian architecture?
The Dravida temple is enclosed within a compound wall. The front wall has an entrance gateway in its centre, which is known as a Gopuram. The shape of the main temple tower known as vimana in Tamil Nadu is like a stepped pyramid that rises up geometrically rather than the curving shikhara of North India.