Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c20.3

c20.3

The principal architectural features of the temple are as follows. Throughout the greater part of the country, the sanctuary as a whole is known as the *vimana*, of which the upper and pyramidal or tapering portion is called the *sikhara*, meaning tower or spire. Inside the vimana is a small and generally dark chamber or cella for the reception of the divine symbol. This cella is the *garbha griha*, or "womb-house", and was entered by a doorway on its inner, and usually, eastern side. In front of the doorway was a pillared hall, or *mandapa*, actually a pavilion for the assembly of those paying their devotions to the divine symbol in the cella. Some of the earlier temples indicate that the mandapa, was a detached building, isolated from the sanctuary by a definite open space, as in the "Shore" temple at Mamallapuram, and originally in the Kailasanatha at Conjeeveram, both near Madras, and built about 700 A.D. A little later it became the custom to unite the two buildings, thus forming an intermediate chamber, or vestibule, and called the *antarala*. Leading up to the main hall, or mandapa, is a porch or *ardha-mandapa*, while there may be a transept on each side of this central hall, known as the *maha-mandapa*. The most complete illustrations of the fully formed and co-ordinated temple structure, are the tenth century examples at Khajuraho, Central India, especially that known as the Kandariya Mahadeo (Chapter XXII). In this class of temple, each portion named above, has its separate pyramidal roof, rising in regular gradation, from the lowest over the porch (*ardha-mandapa*), to the lofty spire over the sanctum. In some parts of the country it became the practice to enclose the temple building within a rectangular courtyard by means of a continuous range of cells, facing inwards, the whole forming a substantial containing wall, and thus ensuring seclusion. One of the first temples to combine all these attributions, and to present a co-ordinated plan was that of the Vaikunthanatha Perumal at Conjeeveram (cir. A.D. 740). Most of these early temples have a processional passage or *pradakshina patha* consisting of an enclosed corridor carried around the outside of the cella. (Plate LIV).