Classification of Hindu Temples
South Indian Temple Structure - Dravida Style
This is the style that developed in the Dravida Desam. The Vimana and the Gopurams are the distictive characteristics of the Southern style. The Vimana is a tall pyramidal tower consisting of several progressively smaller storeys. This stands on a square base. The Gopuram has two storeys seperated by a horizontal moulding. The Prakara or the outer wall, envelops the main shrine as well as the other smaller shrines, the tank.
The Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar rulers, the Nayaks all contributed to the Southern style of temples.
Pallava temples
The Pallava shrines normally have a Somaskanda relief panel.
Some of the Pallava temples:
Rajasimha temple
Olakkanesvara temple Mukundanayanar temple Shore temple at Mamallapuram Talagiriswara temple at Panamalai in South Arcot Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram (Rajasimha & his son Mahendravarman) Vaikuntha Perumal temple by Nandivarman
Chola temples
The Cholas erected several temples and also renovated earlier brick structures in stone.
Early Chola temples:
Sundaresvara temple at Tirukattalai (Aditya I) Vijayalaya Choleswaram at Narthamalai Komganatha temple at Srinivasanallur (Parantaka I) Brihadiswara temple at Tanjavur (Raja Raja Chola) Brihadiswara temple at Gangaikonda cholapuram (Rajendra Chola) Airavateswara temple at Darasuram (Raja Raja II) Kamaparharesvara temple at Tirubuvanam (Kulotunga III)
Pandya temples
The Pandyas mostly concentrated on the Gopurams, the main entrance. The basic structure and style was maintained, but the decorations on the Gopurams and the size characterises the Pandya Gopurams.
The typical Pandya style can be seen in the
Sundara Pandya Gopuram added to the Jambukesvara temple
Eastern Gopuram, Great Temple, Chidambaram.
Vijayanagar temples
The main contributions of the Vijayanagar period were the tall massive gopurams and the multiple mandapas. Unlike the Chola style, where the entire temple structure was usually a unified whole, there were numerous mandapas, pillared halls, shrines to minor deities, tanks, etc. Another major feature is the carved pillars - with the rearing simhas (lions), yalis (lions with elephant trunks).
The important temples from the Vijayanager period:
Vitthala Swami temple, Vijayanager
The pillars and gopurams of the Ekambaranatha temple
Nayak temples
The Madurai and Tanjavur Nayaks made great contributions - the main characterictics of this period being the elaborate mandapas of the hundred and thousand pillared type, the high gopurams with stucco statues on the surface, the long corridors.
The main temples representing this style in various portions are
The Ranganatha temple at Srirangam - for the increase in the no. of enclosures
The temple at Rameswaram - for the long corridors
The Subramanya temple at the Brihadisvara temple court at Tanjavur - for the fine
North Indian Temple Structure - Nagara Style
In the North Indian style, the shrine is a square at the centre, but there are projections on the outside leading to cruciform shape. When there is one projection on each side, it is called triratha, 2 projections - pancharatha, 3 projections - saptharatha, 4 projections - navaratha. These projections occur throughout the height of the structure. This style is found mostly in Orissa, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The temples of Orissa are the ones which can be described as the typical Nagara style. These temples escaped the destruction due to invasion. The temples as well as the literature laying down the rules and mode of construction have been well preserved in Orissa.
In this style, the structure consists of two buildings, the main shrine taller and an adjoining shorter mandapa. The main difference between the two is the shape of the Sikhara. In the main shrine, a bell shaped structure adds to the height. As is usual in all Hindu temples, there is the kalasa at the top and the ayudha or emblem of the presiding deity.
Some of the temples of this style are :
The Parasurameswara temple at Bhuvaneshwar
Brahmesvara temple in Bhuvaneshwar
Lingaraja temple
Anantha Vasudeva temple
Rajarani temple
Sun temple at Konarak
Jagannath temple at Puri
Temple Structure of Western India and the Deccan - Vesara Style
The Western Indian and the Deccan temples, basically evolved from the North Indian style.
Early temples of this style are:
Lakshmana temple at Sirpur
Vaidyanatha Mahadeva temple at Baijnath
Sikara temple at Baroli
Kesavanarayana temple at Amarkantak
Viratesvara temple at sohagpur
The temples at Kajuraho represent the typical Vesara style. The Chandellas used the coloured sandstone (pink, buff colour or pale yellow) to construct these temples. Granite stone temples also exist. These temples dedicated to Saiva, Vaishnava and Jaina sects do not show great variation in style between one another.
The prime temples of this tyle are:
Lakshmana temple
Parsvanatha temple
Visvanatha temple
Kandariya Mahadeva temple
Charsath yogini temple (rough granite)
Lalguan Mahadeva temple (Partly granite & sandstone)
Brahma temple
Matangesvara temple
Vamana temple
Jawari temple
Devi Jagadambi temple
Adinatha temple
The Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar rulers, the Nayaks all contributed to the Southern style of temples.
Pallava temples
The Pallava shrines normally have a Somaskanda relief panel.
Some of the Pallava temples:
Rajasimha temple
Olakkanesvara temple Mukundanayanar temple Shore temple at Mamallapuram Talagiriswara temple at Panamalai in South Arcot Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram (Rajasimha & his son Mahendravarman) Vaikuntha Perumal temple by Nandivarman
Chola temples
The Cholas erected several temples and also renovated earlier brick structures in stone.
Early Chola temples:
Sundaresvara temple at Tirukattalai (Aditya I) Vijayalaya Choleswaram at Narthamalai Komganatha temple at Srinivasanallur (Parantaka I) Brihadiswara temple at Tanjavur (Raja Raja Chola) Brihadiswara temple at Gangaikonda cholapuram (Rajendra Chola) Airavateswara temple at Darasuram (Raja Raja II) Kamaparharesvara temple at Tirubuvanam (Kulotunga III)
Pandya temples
The Pandyas mostly concentrated on the Gopurams, the main entrance. The basic structure and style was maintained, but the decorations on the Gopurams and the size characterises the Pandya Gopurams.
The typical Pandya style can be seen in the
Sundara Pandya Gopuram added to the Jambukesvara temple
Eastern Gopuram, Great Temple, Chidambaram.
Vijayanagar temples
The main contributions of the Vijayanagar period were the tall massive gopurams and the multiple mandapas. Unlike the Chola style, where the entire temple structure was usually a unified whole, there were numerous mandapas, pillared halls, shrines to minor deities, tanks, etc. Another major feature is the carved pillars - with the rearing simhas (lions), yalis (lions with elephant trunks).
The important temples from the Vijayanager period:
Vitthala Swami temple, Vijayanager
The pillars and gopurams of the Ekambaranatha temple
Nayak temples
The Madurai and Tanjavur Nayaks made great contributions - the main characterictics of this period being the elaborate mandapas of the hundred and thousand pillared type, the high gopurams with stucco statues on the surface, the long corridors.
The main temples representing this style in various portions are
The Ranganatha temple at Srirangam - for the increase in the no. of enclosures
The temple at Rameswaram - for the long corridors
The Subramanya temple at the Brihadisvara temple court at Tanjavur - for the fine
North Indian Temple Structure - Nagara Style
In the North Indian style, the shrine is a square at the centre, but there are projections on the outside leading to cruciform shape. When there is one projection on each side, it is called triratha, 2 projections - pancharatha, 3 projections - saptharatha, 4 projections - navaratha. These projections occur throughout the height of the structure. This style is found mostly in Orissa, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The temples of Orissa are the ones which can be described as the typical Nagara style. These temples escaped the destruction due to invasion. The temples as well as the literature laying down the rules and mode of construction have been well preserved in Orissa.
In this style, the structure consists of two buildings, the main shrine taller and an adjoining shorter mandapa. The main difference between the two is the shape of the Sikhara. In the main shrine, a bell shaped structure adds to the height. As is usual in all Hindu temples, there is the kalasa at the top and the ayudha or emblem of the presiding deity.
Some of the temples of this style are :
The Parasurameswara temple at Bhuvaneshwar
Brahmesvara temple in Bhuvaneshwar
Lingaraja temple
Anantha Vasudeva temple
Rajarani temple
Sun temple at Konarak
Jagannath temple at Puri
Temple Structure of Western India and the Deccan - Vesara Style
The Western Indian and the Deccan temples, basically evolved from the North Indian style.
Early temples of this style are:
Lakshmana temple at Sirpur
Vaidyanatha Mahadeva temple at Baijnath
Sikara temple at Baroli
Kesavanarayana temple at Amarkantak
Viratesvara temple at sohagpur
The temples at Kajuraho represent the typical Vesara style. The Chandellas used the coloured sandstone (pink, buff colour or pale yellow) to construct these temples. Granite stone temples also exist. These temples dedicated to Saiva, Vaishnava and Jaina sects do not show great variation in style between one another.
The prime temples of this tyle are:
Lakshmana temple
Parsvanatha temple
Visvanatha temple
Kandariya Mahadeva temple
Charsath yogini temple (rough granite)
Lalguan Mahadeva temple (Partly granite & sandstone)
Brahma temple
Matangesvara temple
Vamana temple
Jawari temple
Devi Jagadambi temple
Adinatha temple
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