PUBLISHED BY
COORDINATED BY Meet Bhandari Komal Kshirsagar
COMPILED BY Meet Bhandari Shazneen Aga Saunak Mittra Srushti Sutaria
PHOTO EDITED BY Kimaya Kulkarni Pallavi Kulkarni Riddhi Kuppa Vishwa Vora Aditya Warrier
WRITE-UPS BY Arushka Shastry Aishwarya Warad Sakshi Kotalwar
SPONSORSHIP TEAM
Saurabh Singh Raj Yadav
FOREWORD
DOCUMENTATION
SITE
KALESHWAR TEMPLE
BRAMHANATH TEMPLE
BHUTNATH TEMPLE
SATERI TEMPLE
DEV NITKARI TEMPLE
JAIN BRAHMIN TEMPLE
VETOBA TEMPLE
SOUTH GATE
WORKSHOP
L.S.Raheja School of Architecture is one of the esteemed pioneer institution imparting education in the field of Architecture. The parent trust “Bombay Suburban Art and Craft Education Society” started this elite professional course in 1953 under the recognition of Director of Technical Education, Maharashtra State which was a 5 years full time course offering Government Diploma in Architecture, later under the recognition of Council of Architecture (Constituted under the Act of Parliament 1973).
In 2007, L.S Raheja School of Architecture got affiliated to University of Mumbai and started a non-aided 5 years full time B.Arch Degree course in architecture approved by the Government of Maharashtra and recognized by Council of Architecture for the purpose of registration under the Architect Act.
The institution has been progressing under the guidance, management and able leadership of Ar. Arvind M. Khanolkar and young, dynamic and dedicated full time faculty who has been the main force behind the students. The students of L.S. Raheja School of Architecture have proved not only their existence but also their top position among institutions at all India level.
It gives me immense joy and pride to introduce you to this book compiled by the First year students of Architecture – a book that began its journey in the form of their first ever Architectural study tour.
With no experience of documentation, the class set out on their journey to Nerur, a small village in the district of Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. What lay ahead was a humongous task of documenting the beautiful temple complex of Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan, a temple complex with four entrance gates, housing eight temples, a water kund, deepstambhs and tulsi vrindavans.
The Kaleshwar Temple Complex at Nerur is a humble example of vernacular Architecture rooted deeply in its Konkan traditions. This Temple Complex dates back to 15th and 16th century and its simplicity is iconic in itself. It is a true manifestation of architecture for the people, by the people.
Under the mentorship of the accompanying faculty, over a period of 7 days, the entire class went through a learning process of taking measurements and drafting measurement drawings on site, taking site levels, sketching construction and Architectural details, photo documenting the site and carrying out research about the site for further analysis. The aim was to introduce the students to load bearing vernacular structures with varvious types of timber roofs. The students were also made aware of the hierarchy of spaces in a temple and the various functions associated with it, climate responsive features of the structure, importance of locally available building materials, techniques and construction details.
The study tour that had commenced with baby steps towards understanding the site and progressed through the process of documentation, has finally been translated into this exquisite book of the myriad experiences that the students experienced on the way. This memoir will eternally be a part of lives of all those who were involved in this diligent journey and take the readers on an enriching tour as well.
Ar. Neeta Sarode Asst. ProfessorThe Sindhudurg district is situated on the western side of the high plateau of Konkan and is historically famous for its long coastline and safe harbours. Due to its proximity to the sea, the temperature doesn’t have much effect on the changing seasons, resulting in a warm and humid weather. The modern city of Sindhudurg Nagar is the district headquarters. Sindhudurg is bound by the Arabian sea from the west, the Belgaum district of Karnataka and the state of Goa from the south and the Ratnagiri district from the north. Sindhudurg was earlier a part of Ratnagiri district till its separation from it on 1st may 1981. This was accredited to development in administrative facilities and industrial and agricultural development. The district currently includes 8 tehsil centres- Sawantwadi, Kudal, Vengurla, Malvan, Devgad, Kankavali, Vaibhavwadi and Dodarmarg. The national highway NH-17 goes through the major cities of Kudal, Kankavali and Sawantwadi, and can be reached from the railway stations of Kankavali, Sindhudurg Nagar, Sawantwadi and Kudal. The important rivers flowing through the district are Kurali, Wagotan, Gad, Devgad and Terekhol. Nestled in this beautiful Konkan district is the Nerur village, located in the Kudal taluka. It is a beautiful, quaint village with a vernacular style of architecture, having most of its structures made up of laterite and wood. It is a revenue village having 8 divisions, which comprise of 32 wadis, having 3 gram panchayats- Nerur Devwada, Nerur Madhgaozvn and Goveri. Malvani dialect of Konkani is spoken here. The current population of the village is 8351 persons, with a sex ratio of 947 females per 1000 males, as per the 2001 census. The major castes and tribes residing here are Brahmins, Bamans, Vaishwanis, Bhandaris, Kolis, Gabits, Banjaras, Varadis and Buddhs amongst others. The common surnames are Nerurkar, Parab, Chavan, Desai, Naik, Prabhu and Raut. The pride of this village is the temple complex called Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan.
The picturesque journey from Mumbai to the Konkan district of Sindhudurg is refreshing, with views of rivers and lakes enroute. The climate of the region during the month of November is pleasant, making one feel tireless after the long journey. The journey was from an urban city like Mumbai to a village like Nerur, a place where one can feel connected to the nature. The temple and its surroundings are a present-day example of beauty in simplicity. Huge masses of land covered with lush green grass, coconut trees, kokum trees, rice plantations and variety in the species of birds like hornbills, egrets, kingfishers and many more beautiful birds add to the mesmerizing beauty of the drive from sawantwadi to the temple complex of Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan. Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan in Nerur is an excellent example of rustic architecture and Konkan temple architecture prevailing in Maharashtra..
Starting with studying the analytical reasoning to the mythologies and connecting them to architectural principles, great efforts were put in to build knowledge of drafting the temples in the form of sections, elevations, plans and schematic diagrams. The main motive was to study and learn the skills of iconography, and thus document the temple complex of Shri Dev Kaleshwar consisting of eight temples. The journey taught mainly the exploration of prevalent design language and helped in understanding the perceived importance of the given task, correlating the design of the structure to social, economic and cultural aspects, and climatic conditions, and justify and study the design with the given aspects. Along with learning drafting and documentation, the experience of the first-year study tour also imparted important life lessons and helped in understanding the importance of working together, as a team. Some of the most important lessons in life, of hard work and perseverance were learnt through this experience. This experience not only imparted technical skills, but also helped in learning how to communicate with a local populace to know about the history of a structure. The first-year study tour was a milestone and marked the beginning of a journey filled with acquiring many more such skills. Hereunder is the documentation of the structures that were studied.
Hindu temple architecture has many varieties of style, though the basic nature of following a system of hierarchy leading to a highest culminating platform in the Hindu temple remains the same. They are broadly classified into three major orders based on their typological features: Nagara, Dravida, Vesara. The other types include Badami Chalukya, Gadag, Kalinga and Maru Gujara architecture, amongst many others. Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan, a temple complex located in the Nerur village of Kudal taluka in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra in India, is an example of traditional Konkan temple architecture. The temple complex is visited by people from across the country. It is believed to be 700-800 years old and holds great prestige to the village. Shri Kaleshwar temple, the prime place of worship, is surrounded by other smaller temples of various deities, the ‘Dharmashala’ and the ‘Karyalay’. Beside Shri Kaleshwar temple, to its north, is the Jain Brahmin temple. Adjacent to it is the Bramhanath temple facing west. Nitkari temple is situated to the west of the Bramhanath temple. To the south of Shri Kaleshwar temple is a small temple of Gavdoba. Vetoba temple is located at the north-eastern part of the temple complex, to the west of which is a Dharmashala. Another Dharmashala is to the east with reference to the southern entrance gate, the ‘Nagarkhana’. The two structures at the southern side of the complex are the temples of Devi Sateri and Bhutnath. Karyalay is situated at the east, in the temple complex. Outside the east entrance is a Kund. The complex has also evolved as a place of socialising for senior citizens, who visit it on a daily basis.
The temple complex has small and big temples that are vernacular with laterite stone walls and timber pitch roofs having clay roof tiles - a design feature that holds the ensemble together. As seen from the site sections, different temples have different types of roofs covering them, like hipped roof and couple roof, amongst others. One can find a variety in roof structures within the same temple, taking the example of the temple of Shri Kaleshwar, which has double tiered, pyramidal and hipped roof over different zones. The roofs in Kaleshwar and Bram¬hanath temples are double tiered, which allow the escape of heat from inside the structure and help in ventilation. The temple complex is constructed on an even ground, with minimal undulations on its surface. With two temples outside the compound but still part of the complex, the total number of temples is eight, namely Shri Kaleshwar, the main temple, Bramhanath, Dev Nitkari, Devi Sateri, Vetoba, Gavdoba, Bhutnath and Jain Brahmin. There are 4 gates that provide entrance to the complex, with the east gate as the main entrance. The shikhara of the temples are crowned with a kalash on top of it. One can find different types of roof trusses in these roofs. The Bramhanath temple consists of a king post roof truss, while the Kaleshwar temple has a combination of a king post and queen post roof truss. The sloped roofs clad with clay roof tiles are a prominent feature in the architecture seen in this region receiving plenty of rainfall.
The Shri Kaleshwar temple is the main temple of the complex of Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan. It was constructed 700-800 years ago, dating back to 13th century, with renovations and extensions over time. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Kaleshwar locally. He is devoutly worshipped by the Nerurkars, believed to be their village deity or ‘Gram Devata’, and is fondly called as ‘Kaloba’. The temple of Shri Kaleshwar is the centre of total devotion and faith for all Nerurkars. The enormity of the area becomes evident when one visits the smaller temples in the complex. The main murti/idol of Lord Shiva resides in this temple, in its swayambhu form. There are numerous mythological references around how this temple came into existence. The one that most of the people residing in this village believe in is that the area around the present shrine was a thick jungle. A cow belonging to a brahmin residing in a nearby village used to deliver milk at a particular location. On having dug at that particular location, the Brahmin found a Shivling buried, and built a temple around it. During the festivals of Mahashivaratri and Dussehra, the temple observes a humongous increase in the footfall of devotees. The festival of Mahashivratri involves a huge fanfare, where people from all around the country and world come to this temple to be a part of the rituals and ceremonies held here. The mag¬nificent Rath, which is housed in the complex is taken out for a pro¬cession during this festival. Devotees belonging to all faiths from all parts of the country visit this temple to worship Kaleshwar.
The main temple of Dev Kaleshwar exhibits the most common form of Konkan temple architecture, with some elements from Hemadpanti style of architecture, like the woodwork, carvings and craftsmanship on timber and type of the pillars and columns, amongst other features. The entrance to this temple is located on the east, facing the Sitaram Nerurkar gate, which is the mahadwar of the complex. Shri Kaleshwar is believed to be the god of Nerurkars- their village deity. At the main entrance to the temple lies a samadhi of the parents of NP Modak Bhattji erected in 1981. The temple is divided into four parts- sabha man¬dapa, ardha mandapa, maha mandapa and the garbhagriha. Upon entry, the first zone is known as the sabha mandapa, a pillared pavilion where the devotees gather for rituals. Further, we come across the ardha mandapa, or a half open hall, which acts as a passage of transition to the inner sanctum. The mahamandapa is the area right before the garbhagriha, where the devotees pray in front of the idol of the deity. The garbhagriha is the innermost “sanctum sanctorum”, where the idol of the deity is established. Since the temple was originally a smaller structure, the swayambhu that was built the earliest in the garbhagriha, the expansions that took place later did not follow symmetry and hence, the structure today doesn’t look like it follows a single line of axis.
The mahadwar is the main entrance located in the east. This is at a higher level with steps leading to it from the Kund. This Kund serves as a sacred sanctum having religious significance, where people used to go to purify themselves before entering the temple. The gate opens to the main entrance of the Kaleshwar temple and overlooks the deep stambh and Vrindavan constructed in front of the entrance. Upon en¬tering the temple, a small series of steps leads the devotees into a semi open space called the sabha mandapa. This is a slightly elevated zone which serves as a platform where the people are seated for viewing the rituals. Series of col¬umns define and visually reinforce the edges of the space. It can be accessed by ascending a flight of stairs. It is capable of accommodating around 80100 people during aartis which are conducted daily. The temple is further divided into ardha mandapa, a smaller, colonnaded space, which transitions to the maha mandapa housing the garbhagriha. Devotees belonging to all faiths from all parts of the country visit this temple to worship Lord Shiva, or Kaleshwar, as he is known locally. Mahashivaratri is celebrated with fanfare here, with devotees coming not only from across the country, but also the world. According to ancient cultures, Hindu temples are constructed near water bodies. However, if this is not possible, artificial sources are used.
The complex can be approached by the south gate, or the Dakshin Dwar, which is located to the south of the kaleshwar temple. The Gavdoba temple is adjacent to it, located to the south. Upon entry, the first zone is known as the sabha mandapa, a pillared pavilion where the devotees gather for rituals. Further, we come across the ardha man¬dapa, or a half open hall, which acts as a passage of transition to the inner sanctum. The mahamandapa is the area right before the garbhagriha, where the devotees pray in front of the idol of the deity. The garbhagriha is the innermost “sanctum sanctorum”, where the idol of the deity is established. The Shivaling is placed on an elevated square platform called Shalunka. The idol of Nandi is placed in the maha mandapa in front of the garbhagriha, facing the idol of lord kaleshwar. The deep stambh located in front of Dev Kaleshwar temple is a linear, five-tiered column 6.2 m high, constructed on an elevated platform. The structure culminates with an onion shaped dome. Beside the deep stambh stands a tulsi Vrindavan that holds the “holy Basil”, a venerated plant worshipped by the Hindus in the mornings and evenings.
The roof of the Shri Kaleshwar temple is double tiered, with a gap between the two roofs. The difference in air pressure created in the space enables the rise of hot air, which is lighter than the cooler air. In this way, the system keeps the interiors cooler. The roof is made of timber, with the trusses being sup¬ported by principal rafters, cleats supporting the purlins and common rafters with battens holding the clay roof tiles in place. The structure helps in ventilation of air. The structure has different types of roofs over different zones. The roof above the sabha mandapa and maha mandapa is a double tiered roof, with a makeshift queen post roof truss, while the ardha-man¬dapa has a hip roof, with intricately designed timber columns as support. The timber roofs have their primary set of members, like rafters that extend from ridge or hip to wall plate, purlins that support the common rafters and trusses. In some places the trusses resemble a combination of a king post and a queen post truss.
In early days, the simplest temple planning comprised of only a sanctum and a porch, but when it gained popularity and the number of devotees visiting the temple increased in number, there arose a need for an additional hall of larger dimension to sanctum and antarala to accommodate large assemblies, and the porch became merely a vestibule, known today as antarala, which is structurally connected to the additional hall. This new, outer zone came to be called as the sabha mandapa, a larger, pillared hall. Its main function is to accommodate more devotees of the temple, but it is also used for religious dancing and music and is part of the basic temple compound. Often, the hall was pillared and the pillars adorned with intricate carvings. A large temple would have many mandapas. If a temple has more than one mandapa, each one is allocated for a different function and given a name to reflect its use. Upon entering the temple of Shri Kaleshwar, a small series of steps leads the devotees into this semi open sabha mandapa. This exterior zone is a pillared pavilion, with its main entrance located on the east. It transitions to the ardha mandapa, which functions as a second zone in this temple. The hall has two other points of entry, one located on the north and the other facing west. The sabha mandapa is a slightly elevated zone which serves as a platform where the people are seated for viewing the rituals and gather here for Mahaprasad during the festival of Mahashivaratri. The play of Dashavatar is enacted here during the festival of Dussehra. It is the outermost zone of the temple, having the lowest plinth level. Series of columns define and visually reinforce the edges of the space. The hall is capable of accommodating around 80-100 people during aartis which are conducted daily.
The ardha mandapa is a largely open entrance vestibule, entered by passing under an arched gateway, symbolic of the passage from the world of the profane to the sacred. Ardha mandapa literally means half pavilion. It is generally found in front of the antarala or in place of this vestibule. It is closed on its two sides and open on the front side. It connects the garbhagriha and maha mandapa with the sabha mandapa, the larger hall in front. The ardha mandapa acts as a transition space. It is sometimes provided with perforated windows on two sides. The floor level of the ardha mandapa is higher than that of the sabha mandapa in front. The ardha mandapa is actually a passage, its proportion being relative to that of the garbhagriha itself. Apart from being used as a passage it is also used to keep the articles of worship including food offerings on special occasions. The roof above the ardha mandapa is a timber pyramidal roof, clad with mangalore tiles. The most important part of a temple is the garbhagriha, the sanctum sanctorum, wherein is housed the idol of the deity. In front of it and contiguous to it is the maha mandapa. This is approached by the ardha mandapa. The garbhagriha is barricaded from the mahamandapa, by the antarala. It is a relatively cooler space with dark interiors and sparsely lit in such a way that the attention of the devotee is only on the soft glow emitted by the Shivaling. It has a single entrance facing east, which has a symbolic reference to the rising sun, and also because the orientation of the Shivaling is such that it always points towards the north. It is generally on the main horizontal axis of the temple, which is generally an east-west axis.
The word garbhagriha literally means “womb chamber”, from the Sanskrit words “garbha”, which stands for womb and “griha”, for house. Only priests are allowed to enter this chamber. Although the term is often associated with Hindu temples, it is also found in Jain and Buddhist temples. In temples with a shikhara, this chamber is placed directly underneath it, and the two of them form the main vertical axis of the temple. The garbhagriha is usually also on the main horizontal axis of the temple which generally is an east-west axis. In those temples where there is also a cross-axis, the garbhagriha is generally at their intersection. Entrance to the garbhagriha may be restricted to priests who perform the services there. The windows in the garbhagriha have a very low cill level with a platform to sit next to it, grilled on the outside, and act as the source of light and ventilation in the maha¬mandapa. Generally, the garbhagriha is a windowless and sparsely lit chamber, intentionally created thus to focus the devotee’s mind on the tangible form of the divine within it. The openings allow a controlled amount of light to enter the sanctum, creat¬ing a soft glow inside and instilling a sense of calmness in the mind of the devotee. It is barricaded from the mahamandapa, by the antarala. It is a sparsely lit, relatively cooler space, with darker interiors, so that the attention of the devotee is only on the soft glow emitted by the Shivaling. It has a single entrance fac¬ing east, which has a symbolic reference to the rising sun, and also because the orien¬tation of the Shivaling is such that it always points towards the north.
Like all other Shiva temples, the pradakshina path does not form a circumference around the garbhagriha containing the Shivaling, leading out to a verandah through a door behind the garbhagriha. The purpose of this exit is to let the people out, after the three-fourth pradakshina, which is usually not used on regular days, but is beneficial during festivals, when the footfall of the devotees increases. This exit leads out to a semi-open structure, with plinth level lower than that of the garbhagriha, and has a pyramidal roof on top which is clad in clay roof tiles. This roof, from within, is made up of a framework of timber battens and rafters. The top of this roof is termed as ‘shikhara’, on top of which is a gold ‘kalash’. This roof is supported on columns made of stone, with intricate details of birds, snakes and other elements from nature carved on it. This place also serves as a seating area for the devotees upon their exit from the temple. Two flights of stairs on either side at the end of this structure allow descent. Alongside the stairs are the rails. One can view the settlements beyond the temple complex to the west, which can be accessed by the western gate. The flooring of this verandah is of marble, and the seating platforms also have a marble top.
Shri Bramhanath temple is located to the north of the Jain Brahmin temple and faces east. This temple is the second most important temple in the complex, after the Kaleshwar temple. Inside this temple resides the four-headed Brahma and his consort, Gayatri. The idol of lord Vishnu and Laxmi are placed to the either side of the entrance of the garbhagriha. The temple is governed by the Sanyasi sect priesthood. On Kartik Poornima, a festival dedicated to Lord Bramha, a puja is conducted, where a large number of pilgrims visit the temple, after bathing in the sacred kund. The essence of its architecture lies in the spaces inside the temple. Spaces are designed to respond to the climate and strike a conversation with the surroundings as well as the people using them. The sabha mandapa is used for group activities like bhajans, kirtans or yajnas while the garbhagriha has the main idol of lord Bramha. Hence, according to the work assigned to the space, its spatial quality changes. The Bramhanath temple does not have separate zones of sabha mandapa, ardha mandapa and maha mandapa. Instead, it only houses one main hall called a mandapa, where the devotees gather to sit and pray to the idol. The idol of Lord Bramhanath is erected in the garbhagriha, which is separated from the mandapa by the antarala. There is a complete pradakshina path around the garbhagriha. A door is constructed to the northern edge of the temple beside the garbhagriha, for the devotees to exit after the pradakshina. The temple roof is supported by six columns painted black, with decorative brackets on top having different carvings on each of them.
The temple, which is set on a high plinth, is approached by ascending several steps leading to an entrance door. The entry from the door leads to a pillared outdoor hall (Mandapa) and then to the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha). The temple is built with limestone slabs, joined together with molten lead. The pitambari shikara (spire) of the temple and symbol of a hansa (swan) - the vaahan of lord Bramha carved on stone – are distinct features of the temple. Marble floor and walls inside the temple have been inlaid with concrete. The walls around the garbhagriha are inlaid with a few silver coins, as a mark of offering to Bramha. There is a basalt turtle in the mandapa that is displayed on the floor of the temple facing the garbhagriha. Bramha’s central idol (murti) made of basalt is erected in the garbhagriha. The icon depicts lord Bramha, seated in a crossed leg position in the aspect of creation of the universe - the Vishvakarma form. The central image is called the Chaumurti (“fourfaced idol”). The four symbols held by Bramha in his arms (the rosary, Kamandalu, book and the sacrificial implement kusha grass) represent time, the causal waters from which the universe emerged, knowledge and the system of sacrifices to be adopted for sustenance of various life-forms in the universe. Gayatri’s image sits along with Bramha’s in centre to his left. Saraswati sits to the right of Bramha, along with other Hindu deities.
Located to the east of Bramhanath temple, are the temple elements of ‘tulsi vrindavan’ and ‘deep stambh’. A plinth forms the base for them, with steps leading up. The tulsi vrindavan is square in plan, while the plan of the deep stambh changes at different levels. The deep stambh is five-tiered, in between which are the niches for the lamp.
The Bramhanath temple has a double tiered roof with the lower part being a double lean to roof and the upper part a simple hip roof. The simple hip roof has a series of king post trusses as the main structural element. The king post truss is used for simple roof trusses. The truss consists of two diagonal members that meet at the apex of the truss, one horizontal beam that serves to tie the bottom end of the diagonals together, and the king post which connects the apex to the horizontal beam below. This type of roof offers durability and strength to the structure. This roof is a combination of lean-to roof and king post, making it a triple roof structure. It also creates the innermost space of the temple higher as compared to the sabha mandapa, which receives more light and is more spacious compared to the garbhagriha. The pitched roof of the Shri Bramhanath temple is a timber framed roof structure, cladded with mangalore tiles. The hot air inside the structure moves upwards and passes out through the small opening between the two tiers of the roof. This helps to keep the temperature of sabha mandapa low. The exposed timber construction of the roof reflects the craftsmanship employed in the construction of the rustic roof in the Shri Bramhanath temple. After worshipping Lord Kaleshwar, devotees worship Lord Brahmanath and hence conclude the darshan of Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan.
A series of laterite steps leads to the sabha mandapa of Shri Bramhanath temple. It is a pillared hall for devotees to perform bhajans and kirtans on occasions like Kartik Poornima. The garbhagriha is darker as compared to the sabha mandapa. This quality of controlled light makes the garbhagriha more private which allows one on one connect of the devotee with the deity. Currently, only the ‘pujari’ or the priest is allowed access to this part of the temple. One must step down into the garbhagriha to pray to the idol of Shri Bramhanath. The level at which the lintel is constructed in the Shri Bramhanath temple is lower compared to that of lintel level in other temple structures. These are box type windows with a sitting arrangement made in front for the devotees. The temple has a marble flooring with inlay patterns. To the south of the Bramhanath temple lies a garden. In front of the garden is the Jain Brahmin temple. The Bramhanath temple faces the karyalay of the temple complex, which holds information about the history of the complex and future development plans.
The columns in the mandapa of Shri Bramhanath temple are circular in plan, standing 2 m tall. They have intricate floral carvings on them, with brackets having beautiful carvings of lotus and other flowers.
Bhutnath temple, built to the south of Devi Sateri temple, has its entrance facing the south. The approach to the idol residing in the temple raised above the ground level is taken care of by a series of steps. This deity faces to the south. Bhutnath, or the lord of ghosts, is known for protecting the villagers from evil spirits. The idols are in sitting position; one male and the other female. The form of deity is both ‘vyakta’, or described, and ‘avyakta’, which means amorphous. The core of the temple is dark where the idol is placed. Before noon, the southern facade receives sunlight, eastern facade is partly shaded due to the settlements in front of it, and the western and northern wall is completely shaded due to the shadow of sateri temple from the north and settlements on the west. At noon, only the southern wall with the entrance receives sunlight. Around 4 pm, all walls are shaded, except for the west wall as the setting sun directly faces it. This justifies the placement of the idol in the north and facing south, since this part of the temple receives no sunlight during the day and hence, remains cool and dark. Decreasing light and intensifying iconography in terms of interior volume towards the sanctum, allows the devotee to focus upon his personal world and senses. The temple has a deep stambh and tulsi vrindavan in front of its entrance, which is one of the four deep stambhs in this complex.
The columns, linearly arranged, have carvings forming prepossessing formations, some of which are the faces of Narasimha with great intricacy. The stone columns are finely dressed. These vertical forms play an important role in the construction of the temple’s forms and spaces. They serve as structural supports for roof planes. They, at times act as an aid in controlling the flow of sound into and through the space. The axial alignment of these columns plays a crucial role in directing a devotee to the sanctum. The surface colour, texture of the material and the geometrical pattern of plane with organic carvings on it affects a person’s perception of its visual weight and the way it defines a plane into the volume of the temple. Focusing upon the elevational features of this temple, the beauty of it has a bucolic quality to it. The symbolism and structure of this temple are rooted in Vedic traditions, deploying circles and squares. The temple incorporates elements of Hindu cultures - presenting the good, the evil and the human, as well as the Hindu sense of cyclic time and essence of life. This temple reflects a synthesis of arts, the ideals of dharma, beliefs, values cherished under Hinduism. It is a link between man, deities and the universal Purusa in a sacred space. Devotees visiting this temple bring symbolic offerings for the worship. This includes fruits, flowers, sweets and other symbols of the bounty of the natural world.
The importance of the worship of the Matruka –mother- has been in practice from the beginning of religionism and the concept of motherhood has received the status of godliness in India. The Sateri temple is dedicated to one such goddess- Devi Sateri. The worship of the goddess Sateri is conspicuous, being worshiped in the form of an ant-hill, symbolic to how they rise from the ground. The entrance to this temple is on the east, facing a deep stambh and Vrindavan built at a height on a platform. The plinth level of this structure is lower than the other temples of the complex because the placement of the idol in the garbhagriha is always at a higher platform, and since the idol is in the form of an ant hill rising from the ground, it could not be displaced. The roofing system for this temple is a combination of hip roof and pyramidal roof. It is covered with mangalore tiles arranged in an efficient manner to make the roof impervious to rain. The tiles are put up on battens, supported by the common rafters and the principal rafters forming a common truss supported by the king post. The rafters at the edges of the roof are covered with a facia board, which is a visual shield to the joineries and makes the exterior look aesthetic, hiding the constructional details. This roof creates extra space for ventilation as the ant-hill in the temple occupies one-third of the floor area, so this space should be well ventilated. Due to this type of roofing system the interior of the temple looks high and more spacious.
According to mythology, a few years ago, a pious man from the Parab family used to walk ten miles every day to visit and pray to Sateri Devi. As he grew older, it became increasingly difficult for him to practice this routine, but that didn’t stop him, which pleased Devi Sateri and she vowed to end his hardship by coming closer to his home. On the way back, the old man witnessed a stunning scene where a structure was spontaneously rising from the ground, which he believed was Sateri Devi. That location is believed to be where Devi Sateri Mandir stands today. Before noon, the eastern part of temple with the entrance receives light while all other parts are shaded. The southern part of temple falls under the shadow of the Bhutnath temple. At noon, the shadows are parallel to the south and north facing walls. At around 4pm all the walls are shaded except for the west wall.
Villagers pray to this deity to have their wishes fulfilled, if they are unable to conceive children or haven’t been able to get married. Devotees offer her pieces of clothing, locally called ‘Oti.’ Villagers wrap beaten rice, cashew fruit, rice and coconut in the leaf of cucumber or turmeric and put them in a ‘Supa’ (winnowing basket). When their wishes are fulfilled, they offer her a Palana (cradle) and Mundawalya (an ornament made using pearls and tied on the forehead of bride and bridegroom at the time of marriage). Dwarpalas are door or gate guardians. They are portrayed as warriors, armed with a weapon. These dwarpalas are wide spread architectural elements throughout Hindu culture and Buddhist culture. Dwarpalas were first seen on stupa ‘Toranas’ or gateways, in the form of animals and human figures that could have been demi-god. These dwarpalas are referred as ‘Yaksha’’ and ‘Acala’. Yakshas were referred as ‘immovable protectors’ with vajra in their hands.
The entrance door of Devi sateri temple faces east. A series of three steps leads the devotees to the mandapa through a timber door. The door frame has intricate carvings of leaves and flowers carved on it. The height of the door is ...m and the width is …..m. The lintel level of this door is higher compared to entrances of all other temples in the complex. The bevelled panel is 18mm thick and tenon and mortice joint is used to safely house the panel. Door jamb or Dwarasarkha is single panelled with intricate carving of leaves and flowers on it. Gajalakshmi at the centre of lintel with dwarapalas at either side of base can also be seen. These are referred as trisakha dwara.
Shri Dev Nitkari is one of the eight major deities worshipped in the Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan. His temple is located on the western part of the complex. Shri Dev Nitkari is believed to be a local deity in the region of Sawantwadi and is less renowned in other parts of the country, known by different names across different states. The term “Nitkari” refers to the ancestors of Mahara. Shri Dev Nitkari Mandir is also known as Shri Dev Baracha Purwas. The temple is situated to the west of the Bramhanath temple The plinth level of the temple is the lowest compared to all other temples here, at 0.6 m from ground level. The temple has a wooden door for entry with large openings on both of its sides. The walls on the interior are cladded with granite tiles. The structure has a hip roof with manglore tiles clad on the outside, supported by the framework of battens and rafters. A fascia board is installed at the sloping edge of the roof. A Kalash on the top of roof is similar to the other temples in the complex. The idol in this temple resembles the figure of the deity in human form sitting on a horse, holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left hand. He has a crown on his head, and two attendants are depicted in standing position on both his sides. They hold a Chatra (umbrella) in their hand. The most interesting part is the horse, which is in a seated position.
The various types of gods are worshiped in many ways in Konkan region. They are found in two main forms in India- the Vyakta (Described) and Avyakta (Amorphous) forms. Mainly in the Non-Brahmanical society, the cult images are prominently worshiped. Offering is a common thing in this worship; the range of offerings is from betel leaf to an animal sacrifice. The ruling factor in worship and propitiation would appear to be fear, fear of power, and all power being a form of god (Deva) which must be propitiated by offerings if it cannot be rendered harmless by some special rite. This temple was established as a place of Devotion by Tembey Swami, a respectable spiritual saint and a Devotee of lord Datta and was built 150 years ago. It faces the northwest direction. The priest of the Dev Nitkari Temple is traditionally from either the Jangam or Gurav family. It was believed in the village that there were some rituals and restrictions set by god and these were obligatory for all. This deity performs certain duties. His primary duty is to ensure that all the villagers are following the rituals. He also ensures that the villagers abide by the administrative laws given by gods. This deity is worshipped by men and women alike. The temple of Dev Nitkari is a smaller structure compared to all other temples in the complex, similar in size to the Jain Brahmin Temple. The structure opens to the west, with the idol facing the west as well. The temple overlooks the settlements beyond the complex in the west. After visiting the main temple of Dev Kaleshwar, one visits the temple of Dev Nitkari, following the designated clockwise Pradakshina path. It is adjacent to the verandah of the temple of Shri Kaleshwar, separated by a lawn.
The Jain Brahmin temple in Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan is situated to the north of Dev Kaleshwar temple and to the south of Brahmanath temple. The entrance to this temple faces the east. The idol resides in the western part of the temple facing east. Devotees from the village of Nerur worship this deity, known to them as ‘Jain Deva’. The followers of this deity are not necessarily Jains. The form of this deity is ‘avyakta’. The idol is erected with his right hand holding a “Japmala” and the left hand is in “Varadmudra”. It looks intimidating, having a short beard with two attendants standing on both of his sides. The shadow cast by the main temple does not let the south and east facing walls of the temple receive the heat from the sunlight. Also, in addition, the structure is surrounded by a few trees and bushes in the west. As a result, the temple stays cool. The idol resides in the western part of the temple. The laterite steps leads the pilgrims to the raised plinth, enclosed within brick walls. The idol resides in it on a further raised platform, clad with marble. The roof is a simple hip roof with a timber king-post roof truss and other exposed wood work of rafters, purlins and battens.
Brahmins have played a major role in the diffusion of Jainism throughout India from the royal ministers like Chanakya and Bhadrabahu. Jain Brahmins are the Brahmins who follow Jainism. They are known by different names according to the regions they are in India. Jain Brahmins exist in most regions where there are Jain communities. There are two types of Jain Brahmin priests - the Bhojak and the flower priests. The duties of the Bhojak are to act as a temple pujari or worshipper. The Jain Brahmins priests dress like normal Brahmins priests. While in some temples, the Devotees are allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the temple to make offerings to the “Murti” or icon, in most temples the priests make the offerings on behalf of them. In the Konkan region of Maharashtra, amongst the Jain community the sixteen “Samskaras” or sacraments that Jain initiate into, are nearly the same as the sixteen Brahmin “Samskaras”. Except that the Jain priest’s ritual texts are not Vedic the rites do not differ from those performed by Brahmans. Even their birth ceremonies are the same.
The Vetoba temple houses the shrine of Dev Vetoba, the king of ghosts or evil entities. Vetoba, also known as Vetala, is considered as the guardian of the village. In ancient Sanskrit literature he is considered to be a dwarf- grotesque with a cruel soul, who carried calamities with him. The idol of Vetoba is accompanied by the idol of goddess Bhadrakali. Goddess Parvati is the consort of Lord Shiva and Bhadrakali is one of the nine forms of Devi. She is that fierce form that protects the good from the evil, and brings good fortune and prosperity in the lives of the Devotees.
The sanctum comprises of the idols of goddess ‘Bhadrakali’ and lord ‘Vetala’. Bhadrakali is one of the fierce forms of the great goddess Adi Parashakti or Durga Devi. The Sanskrit meaning of Bhadra means the one who is full of blessings and good fortune and prosperity. The mantras are chanted by the devotees visiting this temple. This is done for the prosperity, fortune and good health of the people and the world, thus resulting in the elimination of negativity. It has been said that Goddess Bhadrakali has risen from the north and has three eyes and thus she is worshipped in the form of an idol that depicts the similar nature. The worshipper of Shiva is often seen paying their respect to Bhadrakali as she is taken the form for Lord Shiva. She carries numerous weapons that symbolizes the power of gods and goddess like Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma.
In the Konkan region, particularly in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, Vetoba has a status of the village deity. Villagers of these two districts have a deep faith in him. In some villages, villagers have installed him in a small shrine nearby the main temple. He is worshipped by the people of Konkan region because of their staunch belief that Vetoba can protect them from the dark powers of ghosts and evil spirits, who they believe come in through the south. Thus, the idol of Vetala faces south, signifying that those evil spirits stay away, afraid of coming across him. The Mahara community mainly worships this god. He is depicted holding a skull bowl in his hand. Vetoba is offered a bunch of banana (ghad), sweets such as sugar, pedhe, laddus, a pair of dhoti, uparna as “Naivedya”. There is also a tradition of offering him a pair of new chappals. Natives believe that Vetoba acts as the caretaker and protector (raksha karta) of their beautiful village, perambulating its paths in the night wearing the chappals. During the festival his idol is made to sit horseback. Prominent families like as Shinari, Gawas, Fadate worship him. This temple is not divided into separate zones as per usual Konkan temple architecture, as it is a smaller shrine. There is no separate sabha mandapa and ardha mandapa, and the mandapa houses the garbhagriha, which is not demarcated by an antarala, in this case. The temple has smaller and lesser fenestrations, which don’t allow the harsh sun rays to enter, and the porous quality of laterite further helps in maintaining a cooler temperature inside.
The entrances to Hindu temples are in the form of gates or arches, ornately designed while serving their purpose. A temple complex conventionally has a “Dwar” or entrance gates erected on the four cardinal directions. Most of these temples face east, along with the deity residing in them, apart from a few facing south, or the other directions. Hence, the main entrance of a complex lies in the east, leading directly to the primary temple. The Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan has an arched opening as an entrance on the south, known locally as the Nagarkhana. It was built in the year 1978 in honour of late Annapurna Naik, by Babaji Naik. This structure is single-storeyed which forms a shelter beneath it for the pedestrians approaching the temple.
This is a load bearing structure with arched openings on northern and southern facades. The ceiling is constructed of wooden boardings supported by joists. It has a narrow, flight of stairs walled on both sides.
To mark the onset of the evening prayers, the traditional dhol is played by the locals on the first floor of this structure. The floor has wooden flooring, and currently acts as a storage space. The Nagarkhana means a ‘drum house’. Nagarkhana is situated above the entrance gate. This place resonates music during the main darshans and at ‘aarti’ times. The dhol played here is accompanied with ‘tasha’. It is an important part of Konkan celebrations or events. This enclosure is on an elevated platform so as to let the sound of the instruments played, traverse with an ease, in and around the temple complex. Another element that benefits the structure to perform qualitatively is the perforated latticed screening contributing to the major facades of that enclosure. This is done by overlapping the wood in a cross pattern, leading to the formations of diagonally cross pattern. This also allows an adequate amount of natural light and ventilation throughout the day. Moreover, the exposed wood used in this structure gives it a distinct character to the temple complex during the time of entry in the temple complex.
A rath is the holy conveyance used during the celebrations of the festival of ‘ Mahashivratri’ , for the rath yatra . It is a movable structure on wheels. A four- storeyed, twenty- five feet tall new rath is being used in present times, which was built in the year 1991, after discarding the old rath, which was built around hundred and fifty years ago. The rath is kept in the north east part of the temple complex ,inside a shelter and is moved out only during the festival. This structure has four wheels and this rath is made up of teak wood with aesthetically pleasing details of two horses , the ‘kirtimukh’ , which is at the centre of the facade on it’s first tier . On top of this, is a statue of the lord shiva and other intricate details ,with some impressions of beliefs , revolving around lord shiva.
The Mahakaleshwar temple complex comprises a total of four ‘deep stambhs’. These free standing posts are erected outside the temple to be illuminated with diyas on special occasions. The structure comprises of vertical arrangement of small platforms for diyas to rest on. These posts are built in front of the temple entrances of Kaleshwar , Devi Sateri,Bhutnath and Bramhanath temple. The orientation of the respective post in bramhanath ,sateri and kaleshwar temple is to the east ,because of the idols facing the east direction. The Bhutnath temple and the idol placed within it faces to the south, which is why the ‘ deep stambh’ is built to the south of this temple. The oil lamps, when lit on these posts, spread a golden light around the temple which is very soothing.
The temple has a metal kalash on top of the temple roof above the garbhagriha.The Kalash symbolically represents creation. The vacant pot, symbolizes earth, and the water filled symbolizes the primordial water from which life began on earth.The leaves and coconut represent creation. The thread represents the love that "binds" all in creation. The kalash is therefore considered auspicious and worshipped.The significance of this form of the kalash on temple top is that it symbolizes the potentialities of life. The bud which is the topmost portion signifies new life and growth. All the temple roofs have kalash on the top except for the bhutnath temple and vetoba temple . This is because of the change in the direction to which the deities in bhutnath and vetoba temple faces ,i.e.,to the south direction.
Sound of bells and conch shells plays an important role in hindu temples. The temple bells are made up of an alloy of various metals that includes cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, nickel, chromium and manganese . The proportion in which these metals are mixed , makes the bell produce such a distinct sound that it unites and activates the left and right brain of the devotee. The auspicious sound produced by the ritual bell, sacred chants and conch shells reverberates through the mandapa and garbhagriha producing the sound of ‘OM’ , the universal name of the lord. This ‘naad’ or divine music ,lasts for a minimum of seven seconds in echo to reach the seven healing centres or chakras in the body.
The temple platform has tulsi planted in a specially built structure, which has images of deities installed on all four sides, and an alcove for a small earthen oil lamp.Tulsi symbolises purity. Every part of the Tulsi plant is revered and considered sacred. Even the soil around the plant is holy ,since it absorbs the harmful gases like carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide from the environment.The temple complex has tulsi vrindavans to the south of the deep stambh, growing on a similar platform on which the deep stambh is built,except for the tulsi plant which is to the west of the deep stambh in front of bhutnath temple entrance. This is because of the difference in the direction to which the respective deity faces. Although , believed to be the embodiment of Lakshmi, the hindu goddess of wealth, love and prosperity , ‘tulsi’ has medicinal values too.
This water body is to the east of the temple complex, i.e., at the east entrance. This kund - the water tank, has it’s level lower than the temple platform. The descending steps to the water of the kund form an inverted pyramid which is strongly complemented by the identical profile of the shikhar of the temple , rising to the sky, forming a straight line- of - sight , mirroring the roof form in the water in symbolic unification . The kund is a body for water while temple directs to the sun, an embodiment of fire.
It is a prevailing belief that is shared by most Hindus is the importance of physical and spiritual cleanliness and well-being.This widespread aspiration lends itself to a reverence for water and hence , there is an integration of water into most Hindu rituals, as it is believed that water has spiritually cleansing powers. It is said that, there is an increase in water level at the time of ‘ somvati mahodaya’ day. Water is offered to the Deity and the water collected after bathing the Deities is offered as ‘ Theertha’.These
Hemadpanti style of architecture was popularized by Hemadri Pandit, also known as Hemadpant, a minister during the Yadav Dynasty. This art was further developed to be used on wood as well, as it has been used in the temple complex of Shri Kaleshwar. The black stone pillars in the sanctums of Shri Kaleshwar and Bramhanath temples are such that they appear to have been turned on a lathe. In the village of Nerur, a family of craftsmen specialises in the art of Hemadpanti, and a tutorial lecture was held to showcase this talent of carving. They explained the functioning of the tools they used, elaborating on one such instrument, which is to have linear carvings in wood, where the depression is made parallel to the edge of the wood piece on which the instrument is recessed.It is a primitive technology in which the distance of the line to be carved can be varied as per requirement, by moving the rod attached to it This has a tiny, sharp nail-like projection that helpsthe wood procure a fine, straight depression on its surface.The process of carving was photo and video documented, while the craftsmen explained the process, demonstrating it live.
We would like to thank our college L.S. Raheja School of Architecture for giving us the opportunity to document this project in our first year and also for planning a well organized trip. It would not have been possible without the support and guidance of our principal Ar. Arvind M. Khanolkar and our Head of Department Ar. Mandar Parab. We would also like to thank the authorities of Shri Kaleshwar Temple Complex, Nerur for granting us permission to document the complex and for co-operating with us.
We would like to give a special mention to our class in-charges, Ar. Neeta Sarode and Ar. Aarti Mimani for their unconditional support through every stage of this project and for always having pushed us towards our full potential.
We also take this opportunity to thank Ar. Anmol Warang and Ar. Ninad Patkar for joining us on this tour, for educating us about the important constructional details through on-site lectures and for helping us at every step.
We are extremely grateful to the people from the village of Nerur for their warm hospitality, who never hesitated to extend their helping hand for us to acquire the information necessary to understand our site better, in terms of its socio-cultural aspects. We’d like to give special thanks to Mr. Prakash Waman Nerurkar, Mr. Sushil Nibre from Anant Shivaji Desai Library, Kudal and the Gram Panchayat at Nerur for providing us with essential information about the temple complex, the village and its demography.
We would also like to thank each and every individual who has taken the time to help in the completion of this project.
-The students of the First Year B.Arch class (2017-2018)
