Early Temples: Temple Architecture and Sculpture

Early Temples: Temple Architecture and Sculpture

The art, architectural and sculpture remains that have survived, majority of them (Ancient and Medieval India) are associated with a religion. Most of these are associated with a temple. Various religious structures that have been erected are often dedicated to a local cult or forest deities.

• Erection of the stupas continued. Along with the stupas, Brahmanical temples and images of Gods too were built
• Temples were carved with the images of gods for their beautification. Myths of the Puranas were represented on the wall of various temples depicting Brahmanical Religion.
• The temples had three types of shrines:
• Sandhara Type (without pradikshinapatha) 
• Nirandhara Type (with pradakshina patha) 
• Sarvatobhadra(accessible from all sides)
• Important Temple sites:, Eran, Nachna-Kuthara and Udaygiri. These are structures that comprise a veranda, a hall, and a shrine at the end.

The Basic form of The Hindu Temple:

Two prominent Temple Architecture styles that are found across India are – Nagara (North India) and Dravida (South India).

Difference between Nagar and Dravida temples

The Vesara style of temples is a mixture of the two major styles though it is an independent architectural style. A Hindu temple architecture consists of the following:

Sanctum (garbhagriha literally ‘womb-house’):

• It was a small cubicle with a single entrance that grew into a larger chamber
• It is the place of the Chief Deity of the temple on whom most rituals are centered upon

 Mandapa:

• It is the entrance to the temple
• It may be a portico or colonnaded hall that is also the space for worship for many devotees in the temple

Shikhar/Vimana:

• Free and standalone temples often have a spire like a mountain
• It can be a curving ‘shikhar’ (North India) or a pyramidal tower, called ‘vimana’, (South India)

 Vahan:

• It is the mount or vehicle of the temple’s main deity
• It is placed axially before the sanctum in the form of a standard pillar or Dhvaj

Sculpture, Iconography and Ornamentation:

• ‘Iconography’ is the study of images of deities. It consists of identification of images based on certain symbols and mythologies associated with them
• Every region and period produced its own distinct sort of images with its regional variations in iconography
• The temple is roofed with extensive sculpture and ornament which creates the fundamental part of its conception
• The position of a deity or other images in a temple is astutely planned such as:
  • River goddesses (Ganga and Yamuna): Nagara temple has these images carved on their entrances
  • Dwarapala (doorkeepers): Dravidian temples have their images carved on their Gateways or Gopurams.
  • Mithunas(erotic images), Navagrahas(nine auspicious planets) and Yakshas: They guard the temple and are hence carved at the entrance of the temple
  • Various forms or aspects of the main divinity:  They are carved on the exterior walls of the Garbhagriha
  • Ashtadikpalakas (deities of directions): They are carved on the exterior walls of the garbhagriha or on the exterior walls of the temple and face in the 8 directions important to devotees in the rituals
  • Subsidiary shrines: They are located around the main temple and house the deity’s family members or its incarnations
  • Ornamentation: During the construction of a temple, Ornamentation and its various features like gavaksha, vyala/yali, kalpa-lata, amalaka, kalasha, etc. are used to decorate the temple

Conclusion:

Most of the art and architectural remains that survive from ancient and medieval India are religious in nature. But, it does not mean that during that time people did not have art in their homes. Generally,  domestic dwellings and the things were made from materials like wood and clay which may have perished, or were made of metal (like iron, bronze, silver and even gold) which was melted down and reused from time to time. Also, religious shrines at that time were made for many local cults in villages and forest areas and may have vanished.