HOA3: Indian Subcontinent Architecture Part 3

Gupta Dynasty

It is the largest political and military empire. It ruled most of northern India and eastern Pakistan

Mandir

It refers to the Hindu or Jain temple

Devalaya

It refers to temple (going to the gods)

Prasada

It refers to Hindu religious offering

Hindu Temple

It is meant to encourage reflection, facilitate purification of one's mind, and trigger the process of inner realization

Purusha

It refers to a primordial man

Mandala

It is the generic name for any plan or chart which symbolically represents the cosmos (magic diagram of the cosmos). An expression of sacred geometry

Vastu Purusha Mandala

It constitutes the mathematical and diagrammatic basis for generating design.

Purusha

It refers to energy, power, soul, or cosmic man

Sthapatis

It refers to temple priest-architects who design and construct the temple according to the sacred architecture found in the Agamic scriptures

Kumbhabhishekam

It refers to tge consecration ceremony that lasts several days

Pujas

It refers to the act of worship

Shilpa Shastras

It is the Science of Arts and Crafts

Vastu Shastra

It is the Science of Architecture

False

brick and wood

True or False:

The oldest temples that were built of stone no longer exist

Mountain

Step well

Forest

River Bank

Sea Shore

Diverse locations where Hindu Temples can be found:

Temple

It is usually in the center of the village

Grama Vinyasa

It refers to the entire arrangement of Hindu temples

1/9 th of the total area

How much is the central area demarcated for the temple according to the Rule of Thumb?

East

This is the direction where the temple itself should be facing, because it is considered as the most auspicious direction - the place of origin of the sun

Pada (foot)

Jangha (trunk)

Gala/Griva (neck)

Nasika (nose)

Garbhagriha (heart)

Symbology of Hindu Temples

Antrayamin

referred to as the indwelling lord

Garbhagriha

Shikhara

Vimana

Pradakshina Patha

Gopuram

Mandapa

Water Reservoir/Temple Tank

Walkways

8 Components of a Hindu Temple Complex

Garbhagriha

It refers to the inner sanctum, the womb chamber, where the primary idol or deity is housed along with purusa

Shikhara

It refers to the tower above the garbhagriha. It is a pyramidal or tapering portion of the temple which represents Meru

Amalaka

It is on top of a shikhara. It is a segmented or notched stone disk, usually with ridges on the rim, cushion type or flattened fluted melon

Kalasha

It is the ornament on amalaka

Vimana

It is the entire building housing the garbhagriha (sanctuary + tower)

Nagara

Dravida

Vesara

Types of Vimana according to location

Pradakshina Patha

It is an ambulatory passageway for circumambulatio. It can be enclosed passage or open courtyard

3, 9, 11

Numbers of Pradakshina Patha

Dwajasthambam

It is the start or endpoint of Pradakshina Patha

Gopuram

It refers to the entrance gates. It is a monumental and ornate tower at the entrance of the temple complex

Mandapa

It is the main temple hall. It can be a school, hospital, courts for the community, or a place for the recitation and listening of folktales

Antarala

It is the vestibule or the intermediate chamber. It unites tha main sanctuary and the pillared hall of the temple.

Ardha Mandapa

It refers to the front porch or the main entrance of the temple leading to the mandapa

Nata-Mandira

It is the temple hall of dancing, where in the olden days ritual of music and dance was performed

Pitha

It is the plinth or the platform of the temple

Water Reservoir / Temple Tanks

It is used for rituals and also to keep the temple floor clean or even for a ritual bath before entering the holy area

Dvarapalas

It is the door keepers or guards that adorn the entrance to garbhagriha

Pallava

It is one of the 7 kingdoms and empired and it pioneered the south indian architecture.

Pallava

Its greatest works are the single rock temples in Mahabalipuram and their capital Kanchipuram located in Tamilnadu

Chola

It reached the apex of south Indian Architecture

Brihadishiwara

This dravidian temple was built by Chola King Rajaraja I and the world's first complete granite temple. It is also one of the tallest temples in the world

Airavatesvara

This dravidian temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva. It took more than 25 years to build by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th c. It is smaller than Brihadishiwara Temple

Gangaikondacholapuram

It is one of the two great temples and is remarkable for its sculptures and bronzes

Kailasa Temple

It is the most complete example of Dravidian Style

Gadag Style

It is the art of western chalukyas

Pushkarni

It refers to the ornate stepwells that served as ritual bathing places found in Lakkundi

Karnata Dravida

It is how the Hoysala Architecture is decsribed. It is distinguished from the traditional Dravida and considered an independent architectural tradition with many unique features

Yali Columns

It refers to pillar with charging horse

Kalyanamantapa

marriage hall

Vasanthamantapa

Open pillared halls

Rayagopura

Term used to call tower in Vijayanagar

Surya Temple

This Nagara temple is exquisitely carved

Orissa

It is the most outstanding examples of Nagara Architecture

Parasuramesvara Temple

This temple consists only of a shrine and a hall

Bada (foot)

Gandi (trunk)

Mastaka (apex or head)

Kapotas (rolled cornice)

Gavaksas (circular or horseshoe arch)

Parts of an Orissan Temple

Amalaka

It decorates the crown of a mastaka

Visvanatha Temple

It is part of Khajuraho group of monuments. It enshrines Shiva Linga and is a panchayatana complex

Khandariya Mahadev and Jagadambi Temple

They are the largest monument of Khajuraho. It has 84 ascending shikharas

Vesara

It is a combination of Nagara and Dravidian Style of temple architecture styles

Vimana

It refers to the circular/stellar plan of a Vesara

Sanctum

It refers to the square part of A Vesara

Vav

Another term for stepwell

Stepwell

It provides water for drinking, washing, and bathing. These are also venues for colorful festivals and sacred Rituals

Manduka

It refers to the 8x8 plan of a garbhagriha

Paramasayika

It refers to the 9x9 plan

Yantra

It is a hexagonal tool

Triratha

3 ratha grid, 3 projecting

Pancharatha

5 ratha grid

Moksha

It refers to the enlightened state

Tirtha

It is a Sanskrit word for "a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed"

Jain Temples

Concept of 'mountains of immortality'

Shikar-bandhi

Ghar Jain

2 Types of Temples

Shikar-Bandhi

It refers to the main temple with the dome

Ghan Jain

It is the home temple without dome

Hastinapur

It has free standing pillars called vanity-subduing pillars

Ranakpur

It is a marble temple built on a hill. It is supported by over 1444 marble pillars, carved and no two pillars are the same

Dilwara

It contains 5 marble temples that are the sacred pilgrimage of the Jains

Tamerlane

He is a Mongol Conqueror that led his armies into India

Babur

He is a descendant of Tamerlane who was emperor of the Muslim dominions for 4 years

Akbar

He is Babur's grandson and was the greatest Mughal sovereign

Nadir Shah

He was a Persian King that led an army to India and plungered Delhi

Humayun's Tomb

It was built by the widow Hamida Manu Begum for his deceased husband, nine years after his death

Humayun's Tomb

It is the 1st example of Mughal architecture in India and 1st garden tomn on the Indian subcontinent

Lahore Fort

It is a citadel complex started by Akbar. Located in the walled city of Lahore

Old Delhi Red Fort

Its walls were built to keeo out invaders during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

Jharoka

It refers to marble canopies

Palace of the Crown

Other term for the Taj Mahal

Darwaza

It is the main gateway of Taj mahal

Bageecha

It refers to the garden with water channels, lotus pools, and colorful flowerbeds and trees

Masjid

It refers to the mosque of the Taj Mahal

Naqqar Khana

It refers to the rest house of Taj Mahal

Rauza

It refers to the mausoleum of Taj Mahal

Charbagh

It describes that plan is entirely consistent and is known as a concept of garden

Iwan

It refers to a two-storey passageway that acts as a connection between the various parts of the building or as an entrance

Indo-Saracenic Style

It is a mixture of Hindu, Islamic, and Western Elements

Se Cathedral

It is the cathedral of the Latin Church Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the seat of the Patriarch of the East Indies

St. Francis Church

It is considered as the first church built by Europeans in India