Essay name: The Structural Temples of Gujarat
Author:
Kantilal F. Sompura
Affiliation: Gujarat University
This essay studies the Structural Temples of Gujarat (Up to 1600 A.D.).
Page 88 of: The Structural Temples of Gujarat
88 (of 867)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
The Component Parts of the Full-Fledged Temple 33 the Sikhara is square (YugÄÅ›ra)'10 the temple is said to belong
to the Nagara class, if circular (Vá¹›tÄmaka), to the Vesara
class if facetted (SaduragÄÅ›ra) (i. e. hexagonal or octagonal)
to the Dravida class. Thus Nagara shrine has a square
Sikhara i. e. it will be a pyramid on a square base, ending in
a point.
The square is the fundamental shape. The octagonal and
circular shapes are derivation from the fundamental square.
Thus, it is clear that Nagara which is square structure from
bottom to head i. e. completely square in the shape of its body
and head, has a pure form while those of DrÄviá¸a and Vesara
admit of mixture of shape in respect of the body and head.
The 'Tantrasamuccaya' a well known treaty of the Southern
school of architecture, has clearly accepted the fundamental
basis of classification of the styles of temples on the shape of
10. Narrated in Manasara, Mayamata, Tantrasamuccaya, IÅ›Ängurudeva
paddhati, KÄmikÄgama, Silpratna, SamarÄngaṇa SÅ«tradhÄra, AparÄjita-
pá¹›acchÄ etc.
+ NÄgaram caturaÅ›ram SyÄdaá¹£á¹ÄÅ›ram DrÄviá¸am TathÄ |
Vá¹›tam Ca Vesaram Prokatam......(vide Manasara LIII. 53-54)
Aparajitapá¹›accha, a work of 13th century at the latest, mentions the six
styles-नागर, दà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤µà¤¿à¤�, वà¥à¤¯à¤¨à¥à¤¤à¤�, वेसर, कलिंà¤� [nÄgara, drÄviá¸a, vyantara, vesara, kaliṃga ] and यामà¥à¤� [²âÄå³¾³Ü²Ô²¹ ] instead of the three
styles
Further, it mentions as many as fourteen varieties of as
under :-
(1) नागर ( [nÄgara ( ] 2 ) दà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤µà¤¿à¤� ( [drÄviá¸a ( ] 3 ) लतिन ( [latina (] 4) वराट ( [varÄá¹a ( ] 5 ) विमाà¤� ( [vimÄna ( ] 6 ) सानà¥à¤§à¤¾à¤� ( [sÄndhÄra ( ] 7 )
विमाà¤� - नागर ( [vimÄna - nÄgara ( ] 8 ) मिशà¥à¤°à¤• ( [miÅ›raka (] 9) à¤à¥‚मिà¤� ( [bhÅ«mija ( ] 10 ) विमाà¤� - पà¥à¤·à¥à¤ªà¤• ( [vimÄna - puá¹£paka ( ] 11 ) वलà¤à¥€ ( [valabhÄ« ( ] 12 )
सिंहावलोकन ( [siṃhÄvalokana ( ] 13 ) दारà¥à¤� ( [dÄruja ( ] 14 ) नपà¥à¤‚सक
[²Ô²¹±è³Üṃs²¹°ì²¹
] SamarÄngaṇa SÅ«tradhÄra, a work of 11th century, treats all the
above mentioned first eight varieties.
