Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c39.56

c39.56

By the beginning of the tenth century the growth of the style had come to an end, as, owing largely to political circumstances, temple building received little encouragement after that date. Small shrines continued to be produced but no notable architectural enterprises were undertaken. If the miniature Siva temple at Puranadhisthana (Pandrenthan), three miles from Srinagar has been correctly identified as one built in the middle of the twelfth century, then this example carries the progress of the style another stage (Plate CXL, Fig. 1). The building which is only 17½ feet square externally and 24 feet in height is a perfect type of the later development, and displays several interesting features. In this example it will be noticed that the horizontal moulding cutting across the upper angle of the high pitched pediment is omitted, and this member rarely appears again. The ceiling is also unusually attractive, as it consists of diagonally placed beams, with brackets, like dentils, supporting its outer framework, all very wooden in treatment, but on the other hand the general principles applied in this design are much the same as those in the coffered ceilings of many Hindu temples There are mainly several other shrines, some much smaller even than this example, so that they are not constructed, but mainly are monolithic, such as those at Payar, Mamal, Kother, and Bumazu, which illustrate the declining period of the style.