A LIVING STRUCTURE: FUNDAMENTALS OF HINDU TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE (original) (raw)
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Every style of building construction reflects a clearly distinctive basic principle that represents a particular culture and era. In this context, the Indian Hindu temples are not only the abode of God and place of worship, but they are also the cradle of knowledge, art, architecture and culture. A temple structure is considered to be everlasting and it should signify the art, architectural and cultural milieu of the period built. It also helps to retain and expand the social and cultural values of Hinduism among the people from one generation to another. This study intends to show that, a temple structure irrespective of its value can act as an artefact of the present generation's culture, knowledge and technological developments.
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The Indian temple architecture depicts clearly their evolution, following the original ancient models, which were derived from religious consideration and this practice is further being followed, since many centuries. These temples are actually, the place of transcendence where man crosses over from world of illusion, to the world of truth. The main style of Hindu temple architecture in India had its modest beginning precisely from the Mauryan rule i.e 3rd century BC. The Indian Silpasastras recognize mainly three categories of the temple style, the Nagara, Dravida and Vesara, but there was also another style very prominent, known as the Kalinga style, which is very distinguished all over the world for their unique characteristics, that existed between 6th century A.D to 16th century A.D in Odisha. The aim of the paper is to describe the Kalinga style of architecture and the basic characteristics of the temples of this style, eventually concluding with interpretation of the plan forms of the temples, to be following a scientific and methodical path of evolution.
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t From Captain Harkness' preface to Ram Raz, Essay on the Hindus, London 1834, p. iii. 2 From a letter of Ram Raz to Richard Clarke quoted in ibid., p. x.