Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c28.33

c28.33

The third period or "Later" style of Orissan architecture which flourished about 1200 A D , includes a number of temples, none of which is large, but all are remarkable for their rich and finished appearance. From the monumental compositions of the previous period to these moderately sized but profusely decorated examples of the builders' art implies a definite change in values, a condition already observed in connection with the evolution of the Dravidian style when the immense pagodas of the Cholas were succeeded by the smaller, more intimate, and exquisitely ornamented halls of the Vijayanagar period There are at least a dozen temples at Bhubaneswar representing this later phase of the Orissan style, the majority of which consist of the two basic parts only of the temple type, the deul and its jagamohan. On the other hand the most striking of all, the Ananta Vasudeva, resolves itself into a reduced copy of the much larger and previous type, as it comprises the full complement of four buildings all in one line, although in this instance, too, the nat and bhog mandirs both appear to have been a subsequent addition. The largest example of the "Later Period", it has a length of 125 feet with a breadth of 40 feet, and its tower is 68 feet high, while the whole structure being built on a substantial plinth, a rare feature in most of the temples of this group, it presents a reasonably impressive effect. (Plate LXXXI).