Indian Temples Rich Architecture and History By Prasad Kommaraju On the remarkable event of Sri Venkateswara Temple’s opening ceremony happening this month in Cary, NC, here is a brief recollection of the significance of Hindu Temples in India. In general, many Indian temples blend their architectural elegance and divine sanctity. It is believed that the structures of the Hindu temples were initiated in India more than two thousand years ago. The architectural advancement took place gradually over a period of time, under the influence of several dynasties and emperors who ruled sacred India for generations. It is also interesting to note that even after the passage of those generations in the rulers’ families - religious contemplations were put as underlying thoughts in constructing temples for several decades. Therefore, the families of temple constructors (sthapathis), sculptors and architects, were also strict in adapting the ancient Hindu designs. They followed some rigid forms and rules that were preserved over several centuries in temple construction. The kings granted the sthapathis enormous amount of wealth to achieve the expected outcome, the beautiful and unparalleled temples. It is also believed that some sculptors were killed by the rulers so those structures could not be replicated elsewhere. As a result, today we have gargantuan and lavish sculptures developed in the form of temples across several parts of India with a variety of structural values that are difficult to find anywhere in the entire world. We can see the wealth of architectural rudiments, sculptural designs, decorative liveliness and minuscule details that are so unique in Indian temples. We can proudly say that these countless temples are very artistic in their expressions and are true representations of Indian heritage and culture to the world. If we look at some of the ancient temples, we observe that the architectural elements and decorative details are from thatch, timber, wood and stone constructions that persisted for centuries. Some of the simple building techniques like posting, beaming and vaulting were also included in some parts - to be compliant with the traditions prevailing in those days. If we observe some of the stone constructions and carvings on hills, it is needless to mention, how deeply and meaningfully the sculpture techniques were embedded in designing the tiny details on the huge statues, walls, roofs and pillars. It’s amazing when we imagine some of the huge monolithic structures that were lifted to such heights in times when human and animal energy was the only source and machines were not even invented! For example, Ajantha and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, huge Bahubali statue in Karnataka, and Shiva’s temple by Man Singh Maharaja in Jaipur are good illustrations of artistic and sculptural standards. May 2009
We can see a variety of distinctive architectural styles in temple construction that have evolved in Northern and Southern India due to factors such as historical rulings, linguistic backgrounds and geographical lifestyles that were existing and transitioning during those times. When we go through the history of Indian temple architecture formations, we understand the broad classification done by Sastras and ancient texts mainly followed in three styles: 1) The Northern temple constructions, known as Naagara, 2) The Southern style called as Draavida, and 3) The Deccan forms and orders classification called as Veysara (these forms are typically seen in Himalayan mountain regions and also in some parts of the West Bengal and Kerala states). While comparing the styles of Northern and Southern temple designs, there are a few strikingly noticeable differences found in the shapes, super-structures, and gateways (gopurams). The barrel shaped roofs are very different and visually distinctive between the North and South Indian styles. In Northern India, the temple roofs (shikharas) are the most prominent part of the temple and the gopurams are usually the modest. In South India, compound walls (praahaarams) are commonly found around temple complex together with a large pillar known as Dhwaja Sthambha. As per Vaasthu Shasthra, the praahaarams for the temples were set along in East and West (or) in North and South directions. In some temples of South India, particularly those in Madurai and Sri Rangam, the tall, elaborate and magnificent gateways were constructed as main entrances (simha dwaram) to lead the devotees into the temple’s sacred super structure and to the premises inside where we see a big pond (Aalaya Koneru) for the sacred bathing of devotees. In some temples, the roofs are very tall and dominate the whole structure, narrowing the inner part of the temple into which devotees proceed for the Holy visit (Darshan) of the Sanctum Sanctorum. If we look back in history, right from the period of Vijayanagara Emperors from 14th century onwards, we find highly embroidered and brightly painted structures on temple roofs, walls and in the entire premises as well. The width of the pavilions and other architectural details were carefully adjusted to create a bowl-shaped outline, which is a distinctive characteristic of the Dravidian architecture. These temples are found largely in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. For example, the Sriranga temple near Madurai has the tallest temple tower in India. It is an ancient center of worship, vibrant with several traditional festivals celebrated throughout the year. The Srirangam temple is the largest Vishnu temple in India, and is considered a treasure house of art and the greatest center for Sri Vaishnavas. Let us look at the second richest temple in the world, the Tirumala Tirupathi temple located in Andhra
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