Nayaka Temples

The Nayaka Dynasty

The Nayaka dynasties rose during the rule of the Kakatiyas and the Vijayanagara Empire in South India. Originally, Nayakas were key military officials in the Vijayanagara Empire. Following the Battle of Talikota, many of them declared their independence, thus ushering in a new era in Indian history. 

Many new cultural and social changes took place during this era, and we can see those changes being reflected in the art, literature, temples and monuments left from this time. Besides their architectural achievements, they have also made major contributions in other fields like literature and painting, 

Nayaka Temple Strutures

The temples built during the Nayaka dynasty had a unique structure and style. Every temple of this era featured long corridors, carved hundred-pillared and thousand-pillared mandapas (outdoor temple halls or porches) and high, multi-storied gopurams (towers adorning the entrance of a temple). The interior and exterior decorations included brightly-painted stone and stucco statues of animals, gods, and demons.

One of the most famous Nayaka temples is the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai. It was renovated between 1623 and 1655 CE and features a hall with 985 pillars and 10 ornate gopurams. Each of the hall pillars is a sculpture made in the Dravidian style. Temple complexes usually included a sacred temple tank. At the Meenakshi Amman Temple, this tank is known as the Porthamarai Kulam, which translates to Pond with the Golden Lotus. Most temple walls had murals and frescoes featuring religious subjects or images of royal power.

Other famous temples made or modified by the Nayakas include the Vriddhagiriswarar Temple at Vriddhachalam, the Ulagalantha Perumal Temple at Tirukoyilur, the Sri Kokilambigai Vudanurai Sri Thirukameswarar Temple at Villianur, the Varadaraja Perumal at Panruti and the Vaidyanatha Swamy Temple at Tittakuti among others. 

Nayaka Paintings

The Nayaka dynasty is famous for developing and popularizing the traditional Thanjavur painting or Tanjore painting. This style of painting originated around 1600 CE and its influence is evident in many Vijayanagar, Deccani, Maratha, and even European or Company styles of painting.

Thanjavur painting is known for its surface richness and vivid colors, the compact composition, glittering gold foils overlaid on delicate but extensive gesso work, and inlay of glass beads or semi-precious gems. In most cases, the subject of these paintings were Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints and they often served as devotional icons. 

Thanjavur panel paintings were mostly done on solid planks of wood and they depicted episodes from the Puranas and other religious texts. The main figure was usually placed in the central section of the picture and secondary figures, themes and subjects surrounded them. Many Thanjavur paintings with an emphasis on Sikh, Jain, Muslim, other religious and even secular subjects have also been found, showing a harmonious and tolerable mindset.

Other Works of the Nayaka Empire

The Nayakas mainly focused on building and beautifying existing and new temples throughout their kingdom. However, they constructed and built other buildings too, like the Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal during the rule of Thirumala Nayaka of the Madurai Nayakas. Besides, the Nayakas also worked on many projects for the general public, like developing irrigation canals and building fortresses. 

The Nayaka architecture style combines the Dravidian and Islamic styles. This is evident from how the Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal had an octagonal throne room covered with a 7- feet high dome, held up by massive circular columns linked by Islamic pointed arches. 

Conclusion

India’s varied and rich heritage is something every fellow Indian should be proud of. There are very few countries that can compete with India on an equal footing when it comes to our culture. Almost every state in India can be considered a hot pot of cultural remains that are unparalleled in the whole world. Visiting these places and learning more about them is really interesting and many people aim to travel the whole of India, just to appreciate its natural, cultural, and scenic beauty.