5. Different Parts of a Temple

Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)

by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words

This page relates 鈥楧ifferent Parts of a Temple鈥� of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.

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5. Different Parts of a Temple

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Hindu temples are made and attached with different parts viz.,

The measurement used in the construction of every part of the temple is done with hasta i.e., hand. The dimension of the construction of the whole process is basically based on the measurement in terms of hasta.^[1] Different parts of Hindu temple are discussed here focusing on the discussion found in the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺.

a) 闯补驳补迟墨:

闯补驳补迟墨 means moulding of a base^[2] or the platform of any construction. According to 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, it should be divided according to the section of the temple.^[3] The 痴腻蝉迟耻艣腻蝉迟谤补 opines that-the area of 箩补驳补迟墨 should be half of the entire area of the temple.^[4] The same viewpoint is found in the 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺. According to the 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 箩补驳补迟墨 should be half of the breadth or one third of the entire area of the ground.^[5] According to 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, four parts of the particular ground chosen for the site of a temple is considered as 箩补驳补迟墨 i.e the base of the temple.^[6] Again, the 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 suggests that the 箩补驳补迟墨 should be constructed first and it should be equal or twice to the length of the 艣颈办丑补谤补.^[7]

b) 叠丑耻尘颈办腻:

叠丑耻尘颈办腻 means the storey of a temple.^[8] In the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 it is stated that the storey of a temple should be constructed in the shape of 产丑补诲谤补辫墨峁环补 i.e., the storeys should be built one on top of the other.^[9] It is also mentioned that the length of the storey should be half of its height.^[10] Moreover, in the 11^th chapter of 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 called 产丑奴尘颈濒补尘产补惫颈诲丑腻苍补峁� [产丑奴尘颈濒补尘产补-惫颈诲丑腻苍补], the dimensions of different storeys are nicely described.^[11] Here, the counting of storeys starts from one and ends with twelve.^[12] According to this treatise, the temples should have one to twelve storeys.^[13] The 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also talks about temples up to twelve storeys. This signifies that this book refers to even high rise temples.

c) 碍补峁璱:

碍补峁璱 means the hip part of a building.^[14] According to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 办补峁璱 i.e., the hip^[15] part of the temple should be half of the entire height of the temple.^[16] But according to the 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, the hip portion of a temple should be equal to one third of its height.^[17] Again, the 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also keeps its view point in the same spirit with that in the 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.^[18] It shows that though the term 办补峁璱 has been used to mean the fixed portion of a temple in all treatises differences can be seen to ascertaining its heights in different works.

d) 碍奴峁璦:

碍奴峁璦 means the top portion of a building^[19] which is situated on the 办补峁璱 i.e., the hip part of the temple. According to the 艢补产诲补办补濒辫补诲谤耻尘补, 办耻峁璦 means small hut.^[20] Actually in Hindu temple architecture, small huts in particular shapes are seen to be constructed above the 办补峁璱 portion of a temple. In the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 it is stated that the 办奴峁璦 should be four-sided and it should be gradually elevating.^[21] 碍奴峁璦 should be half of the height of the temple as like the 办补峁璱 i.e., the hip part.^[22] 碍奴峁璦 can be classified into three divisions having three 腻尘补濒补办补蝉腻谤补办补蝉.^[23] 膧尘补濒补办补蝉腻谤补办补 or 腻尘补濒补办补 is a massive circular stone which is figured as the crowning member of the 艣颈办丑补谤补 or the peak of the temple.^[24]

e) 艢ikhara:

艢颈办丑补谤补 means the topmost part of a temple which can be said as a spherical roof rising like an inverted cup over a circular base.^[25] According to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the 艣颈办丑补谤补 of the temple should be decorated with various figures and it should not be skull-shaped or pointed.^[26] Moreover, 艣颈办丑补谤补s are also adorned with 腻尘补濒补办补蝉腻谤补办补蝉.^[27] The temples of Bhubanesvar, Puri, Konark, Assam etc., are seen to be adorned with beautiful 腻尘补濒补办补蝉腻谤补办补蝉 in their 艣颈办丑补谤补s.

f) 骋补谤产丑补驳峁沨补:

骋补谤产丑补驳峁沨补 means the central hall i.e., the sanctuary in the middle, where the statue of the deity is placed.^[28] The term itself refers to a place which is not seen from outside like a womb in a female body. The 驳补谤产丑补驳峁沨补 is basically a small room inside the main temple which is mostly square in size, plane or rectangular as well as many-sided or circular in rare cases. Stella Kramrisch, the author of the book The Hindu Temple also keeps the view point regarding the 驳补谤产丑补驳峁沨补 in the similar way.^[29] According to the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, should be decorated with various figures and it should not be skull-shaped or pointed.^[30] That means the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 recommends a separated room inside the main temple which can be considered as the womb chamber of the temple. The 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 also seems to have similar view point in this regard as this book remarks that the measurement of the 驳补谤产丑补驳峁沨补 should be half of the extent of the whole and it should have separate walls all around.^[31]

g) 惭补峁囜笉补辫补:

惭补峁囜笉补辫补 means the pavilion of a temple.^[32] The height of the 尘补峁囜笉补辫补 is fixed with nine 迟腻濒补 according to the Mayamata.^[33] In the 厂耻辫谤补产丑别诲腻驳补尘补, four kinds of 尘补峁囜笉补辫补s are mentioned and 诲别惫补迟腻尘补峁囜笉补辫补 is regarded as the first one.^[34] According to the 骋补谤耻岣峚辫耻谤腻峁嘺, the measurement of a 尘补峁囜笉补辫补 should be ten or twelve cubits and the 尘补峁囜笉补辫补 should be supported by sixteen pillars.^[35] Though the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 does not talk about the structure, measurement etc. of a 尘补峁囜笉补辫补, this book carries the discussion about different temples having 尘补峁囜笉补辫补s which will be discussed later.

h) 颁补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻:

颁补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻 means a kind of window which refers to a dormer window.^[36] The 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 says that 肠补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻 is the exalted part in a temple which should be made on the doors and it beautifies the doors of the temple.^[37] It instructs that the temple should have separately four 肠补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻s on the top of the four doors.^[38] According to the 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, the roof of a temple must have three 肠补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻s i.e., dormer windows.^[39] The following figures show the diagrams of a temple with its different parts.

Temple with Jagati, etc.

[above figure: Temple with 箩补驳补迟墨, 办补峁璱, 艣颈办丑补谤补, 驳补谤产丑补驳峁沨补, 尘补峁囜笉补辫补, 腻尘补濒补办补s膩raka and 办补濒补艣补^[40]]

Temple with Bhumika, etc.

[above figure: Temple with 产丑耻尘颈办腻, 办耻峁璦 and 肠补苍诲谤补艣腻濒腻^[41]]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

hastapram膩峁嘺ntat辫谤辞办迟补峁� pr膩s膩d膩n膩峁� tu 濒补办峁峁嘺峁�/ sa峁僺th膩nato vinirdi峁ａ弓a峁� hastam膩n膩nuk墨rtana峁�/ Ibid., 3. 86.2

[2]:

P.K Acharya, A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, Vol 1, p.205

[3]:

产丑腻驳补峁� tu 箩补驳补迟墨办腻谤测腻 pr膩s膩do bh膩gameva ca/ 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3. 86.4

[4]:

辫谤腻蝉腻诲腻谤诲丑补蝉补尘补峁� 箩帽别测补峁� 箩补驳补迟墨bhadranirgamam/ 痴腻蝉迟耻艣腻蝉迟谤补, 3.4

[5]:

箩补驳补迟墨 vistar膩dhena tribh膩gena kvacidbhavet/ 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 104,6

[6]:

产丑奴尘腻惫别办补岣� 辫谤补惫颈峁ａ弓补岣� sy膩ccaturbhir箩补驳补迟墨尘补迟腻/ 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 262.2

[7]:

艣颈办丑补谤别峁嘺蝉补尘补峁� k膩ryamagre 箩补驳补迟墨惫颈蝉迟补谤补峁�/ dvigu峁噀n膩pi 办补谤迟补惫测补峁� 测补迟丑腻艣辞产丑腻苍耻谤奴辫补迟补岣�/ 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 42.5

[8]:

P.K Acharya, A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, Vol 1, p.455

[9]:

bhadrap墨th膩k峁泃i岣� 办腻谤测腻产丑奴尘颈办腻 puna岣�// 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺. 3.86.5

[10]:

ucchr膩y膩 tena kartavy膩 hyekaik膩产丑奴尘颈办腻岣� 驳补迟颈岣�/ Ibid., 3.86.5

[11]:

bh奴milambavidhi峁� vak峁 艣膩stre sa峁僰峁pata岣� kram膩t/ 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, 11.1⁷² ete峁 k峁dram膩na峁� 尘补诲丑测补尘补峁� pa帽ca峁岣嶀笉hastam膩rabhya/ ek膩da艣膩rkahast膩nta峁� dvidvihastena 惫峁沝诲丑颈岣� 办补迟丑颈迟腻/ Ibid., 11.5

[12]:

ete峁 k峁dram膩na峁� 尘补诲丑测补尘补峁� pa帽ca峁岣嶀笉hastam膩rabhya/
ek膩da艣膩rkahast膩nta峁� dvidvihastena 惫峁沝诲丑颈岣� 办补迟丑颈迟腻/ Ibid., 11.5

[13]:

dev膩n膩mapi sarve峁Ｄ佱箖 hamyairk膩dyanta峁冣€︹€ury膩ttad膩laya峁� 辫谤辞办迟补峁�/ 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, 11.71

[14]:

P.K Acharya, A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, Vol 1, p.106

[15]:

V.S Apte, The Student鈥檚 Sanskrit English Dictionary, p.129

[16]:

鈥︹赌�..辫谤补蝉腻诲腻谤诲丑补峁� 办补峁璱岣� 办腻谤测腻/ 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3.86.6

[17]:

yo vist膩ro bhavedyasya 诲惫颈驳耻峁嚹� tatsamunnati岣�/ ucchr膩y膩dyast峁泃墨y膩峁兣沘stena 迟耻濒测腻办补峁璱岣� sm峁泃膩/ 叠峁沨补迟蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 56.11⁷⁸ dvigu峁噊cchr膩ya峁� tattribh膩ga岣� 办补峁璱rbhavet/ 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 270.18

[18]:

dvigu峁噊cchr膩ya峁� tattribh膩ga岣� 办补峁璱rbhavet/ 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 270.18

[19]:

P.K Acharya, A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture, Vol.1, p.114

[20]:

艢补产诲补办补濒辫补诲谤耻尘补, Vol-1, p.168

[21]:

办奴峁璦岣�鈥�.. caturastrastath膩 r膩jankramopacayasa峁� 测耻迟补岣�/ 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 3.86.8

[22]:

pr膩s膩d膩rdha峁� 办补峁璱岣� 办腻谤测腻办奴峁璦meva峁� tathaiva ca/ Ibid., 3.86.6

[23]:

办奴峁璦岣� k膩ryastridhoccheda岣� 艣ubh腻尘补濒补办补s膩raka岣�/ Ibid., 3.86.7