Hindu Architecture
Hindu architecture developed rapidly after the Maurya period. Hindu architecture is found in two forms - (1) buildings for private use, (2) buildings for public use.
The buildings for private use were mostly residential. These included from the small houses of the common people to the grand palaces of the kings and the havelis of the feudal lords, while the public architecture included temples, forts, gardens and reservoirs etc. There seem to be four reasons in the development of public architecture - (1) religious motivation, (2) strategic necessity, (3) aspiration for opulence, luxury and prestige (4.) sense of public welfare.
The tradition of public architecture in India is going on from very ancient times. In ancient religious texts, the construction of reservoirs, temples and religious places was considered to be a purt-dharma. In the commentary Mitakshara of Yajnavalakya Smriti, women and widows have also been allowed to spend money for charitable religion. In ancient times, there were rules related to charitable works and things for public benefit and use.
According to the Smritis, people should build wells, dams, water systems, etc. Some writers have written that only heaven is attained by yagyas, but salvation is achieved by the construction of temples and ponds. It is known from the texts like Smriti Chandrika, Katyayan etc. that the kings used to keep an eye on the properties of temples, tadagas, wells etc. and used to protect them in case of calamity.
Temple Architecture
The temple is mainly a religious architecture, in which the excellent development of Indian architecture is seen. The beautiful buildings that were built for the installation of idols for the worship of the embodied forms of the gods and goddesses are called temples. Temples are conceived as the abode of God, so the favorite places of God are symbolically engraved in the temple.
This is the reason that the marking of rivers and gardens etc. has a prominent place in temple-architecture. By marking symbols on the outer walls of the temple, the mind and mind of the worshipers and devotees are prepared for meditation and darshan of God. In Indian literature, the Hindu temple has been conceptualized as a mountain, where the gods reside and play.
The basis of this concept is the Vishnudharmottara Purana. According to Brihatsamhita and Bhavishya Purana, the presence of deities can be felt in pilgrimages and religious areas. The names of the first three mountains - Maru, Mandar and Kailash mentioned in the list of mountains in Brihatsamhita and Matsya Purana also come under temples. The concept of temples in the form of mountains is found not only in the architectural texts but also in the literature and inscriptions.
Gupta Temple Architecture
The architecture before the Gupta period (AD 320-495) moves at a slow pace. In the pre-Gupta period, the construction of temples was usually made of wood. Therefore the temple-architecture of the pre-Gupta period was destroyed long ago. The information of those temples is not available even from the texts of the time. From the fifth century AD i.e. the Gupta period, the use of baked bricks started in abundance in the construction of buildings.
At that time, the Buddhist influence in the society had waned and the Brahmin influence had reached its peak. The importance of worship of Vishnu, Shiva, Surya, Buddha, Bodhisattvas and Tirthankaras increased during this period, due to which a large number of temples were built for their worship. Worship and worship of deities were done in these temples.
In the Gupta period, new inspiration, new methods and new plans were developed in the field of architecture. Due to this, the sculptures and architecture of temples made their permanent place in Indian culture during the Gupta period. It is believed that the first stone temples were built in the Gupta period itself.
Remains of many temples of the Gupta period have been found, which give information about the temple architecture of that period. The development of temple building art during the Gupta period took place in three phases. The earliest temples were single-chambered and the statue was revered in that chamber. In the second phase, the roofs of temples were constructed of stone vertically, which were visible like pyramids with either straight or curved parts. The Gupta temple style attained its zenith in the third phase.
The Gupta temple style was mainly prevalent in North India, this style was called 'Nagar style' is called. In Nagara style temples, the construction of the sanctum, shikhar, mandapa, circumambulatory-path, jagati, amalaka, kirtimukh thigh, charioteer, pillar, entrance, door frame and gates are compulsorily done.
Symbolists have fixed the purpose and legislation of the construction of the body parts of the temple. Philosophical mysteries lie in the background of temple construction. The deva-temple is a symbol of the Supreme Person. Shape-type, form, height, flag, urn, external ornamentation, altar, rampart, circumambulation, etc., all have theological and astrological importance. The structure of the temple is divided into two parts-
(1.) Verse: Height from the foundation to the top of the summit and
(2.) verse: The length of the building built from one end to the other.
The craftsmen have followed certain craft rituals to display mythological stories and stories engraved through sculptures on different parts of the temples. In the marking of the deities and Digpalas, their vehicles and weapons have been engraved in a certain proportion. The sculptors have maintained the beauty-values inherent in the idol.
The sanctum sanctorum of the temples is small and dark. In this only the main deity is installed and the walls are very flat. The outer wall of the sanctum sanctorum, mandovar, entrance gate and pillars are filled with sculptures. The gods, Gandharvas, Apsaras and Gandharvas etc., inscribed on the outer wall of the sanctum, represent the different forms of the main deity's nature.
Every idol of the temple, whether outside or inside, has a definite purpose. Dev-Idols are embodiments of various forms of the main deity and create an atmosphere of devotion for the worshiper and make him feel the presence of God.
The series of temples of Bhitagaon (Kanpur district), Budhramau (Fatehpur district), Sirpur and Kharod (Raipur district) and Ter (near Sholapur) are noteworthy among the Gupta Brahmin temples. The temple at Bhitagaon, which is probably the oldest temple ever found, stands 70 feet high like a minaret on a 36 square feet high platform.
The temple of Budhramau is also similar. Unlike other Hindu temples, they do not have a mandapa etc., only sanctum sanctorum. Although the inner walls are simple, they have been made of pattas, kingris, dilhe, aale etc. The proportions of its various parts are beautiful and the architectural effect is skillful. In the niches, the influence of the sticks of Buddhist Chaityas is definitely visible. Their styles have also been imitated in the temples built after centuries.
Post Gupta Temple Architecture
The temple architecture of the post-Gupta period is classified in two ways- (1) on the basis of regionality and (2) on the basis of sect.
Temple Architectural Styles Based on Region
The classification based on region includes the Aryan temple style of North India and the Anarya or Dravidian temple style of South India. The Teli Ka Mandir (11th century) of Gwalior and the Baital Deval Mandir (9th century) of Bhubaneshwar represent the northern style, while the Chola temples of Somangalam and Manimangalam etc. (11th century) represent the southern style.
The northern and southern styles of temples do not completely fit into the geographical boundaries. Four of the ten temples of Pattadakal, the capital of the Chalukyas—(1) Pappanath Temple AD 680, (2.) Jambuling Temple, (3.) Karasiddheshwar Temple and (4.) Kashi Vishwanath belong to the northern style while six temples- ( 1.) Sangameshwar AD 750, (2.) Virupaksha AD 740, (3.) Mallikarjuna AD 740, (4.) Galaganatha AD 740, (5.) Sunameshwar and (6.) Jain temples, Southern style belong to.
In the 10th and 11th centuries the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas patronized the southern style. Both styles are influenced by Buddhist architecture, especially in the summits.
Temple Architecture Styles Based on Communities
In the classification done on the basis of sects, the temples are called Nagara, Dravida and Besar. The sacred mountains of Vishnu are depicted in the Nagara style and the sacred mountains of Shiva in the Dravidian style. In Nagara and Dravidian temple-architecture, the pillars, sanctums and shikharas were highly artistic, while the Besar style is a mixture of both Nagara and Dravidian styles.
The shape and type of roofs in the Besar style had a variety of features. In the temples of Central India and Karnataka, a combination of both Aryan and Dravidian styles is often found. The Chalukyas and Hoysalas encouraged a mixed Besara style. Vimana Shikhar is small, spread Kalash, abundance of idols, abundance of ornamentation tradition is their specialty.
Ferguson is of the opinion that the Nagara style extended from the Himalayas to the Vindhyas and the Dravidian style extended from the Krishna river to Kanyakumari. Havell disagreed with this view and said that both the sects were propagated simultaneously in both the regions. In many places, the temples of Vishnu and Shiva exist side by side.
Buddhist Architecture
The followers of Buddhism used to build stupas, chaityagrihas and viharas instead of making temples. The pagoda style is an evolved form of the stupas. The literal meaning of Stupa is- 'earth mound'. Sanchi, Bharhut and Amravati are among the oldest stupas in India. The stupa is the form of Lord Buddha. That is, the stupa itself is a gigantic statue of Buddha, who is seated in meditation posture with a crown on the Vyagrajin (throne). The summit of the stupa is the head of Lord Buddha, the center of the stupa is the torso of Lord Buddha, the steps of the stupa are the feet of the Lord and the base of the stupa is the throne of Lord Buddha.
Harsh Kalyan Temple Architecture
During the reign of Harsha, along with administrative skills, art and literature also flourished. Harsha himself was a lover of art and literature. A large number of temples, Chaityas and Sangharamas of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions were built in India during this period. The temple at Ellora, the cave temple at Elephanta, the rock temple at Mamallapuram in Kanchi were built during this period. Idols were also made in large numbers during this period.
Indian Architecture of Greater India
Greater India included countries from present day Afghanistan to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Lanka and Indonesia etc. All these countries have buildings made of Indian architecture. Excellent specimens of Indian art are also found in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Siam, Java, Sumatra, Bali, Indochina and Cambodia.
The pagoda-style pagoda-style temple of Bhaktapur, Nepal, represents the Indian architecture itself. Shambhunath, Bodhnath, Mamnath Temples in Nepal, Anuradhapura Stupa and Lankatilak Temple in Lanka, Buddhist Monasteries and Pagodas of Burma, Angkor Temples in Cambodia, Bangkok Temples in Siam, Shiva Temple at Parambnam in Java, Kalasan Temple and Borobudur Stupa etc. There is evidence of Hindu and Buddhist architecture.
Some evidence of the entry of Indian culture into Java is found in the 4th century AD in the Gupta period. Many monuments there indicate that there was a golden age of architecture in Central Java from AD 625 to AD 928 and in East Java from AD 928 to AD 1478.