The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c7.32

c7.32

The size of Chālukyan temples was, probably, governed by the height of the pillar, and that again by the most convenient length of block obtainable from the quarries. It was a hard and fast rule with the builders to use a single stone for the shaft of a pillar, that is, the portion between the top of the base stone and the neck under the capital; they never built this part up of two or more stones. Thus, since it was incumbent upon them to maintain the usual proportions between the different parts of the pillar, the height was dependent upon the length of shaft. The fact that all their masonry was erected dry, with no cementing material, and few bonding stones with no clamps as were used in the north, militated against the raising of much loftier buildings. A rise in the height of the tower would mean an immense additional weight of material upon the walls of the shrine which would necessitate their thickness being increased out of all proportion to the other parts of the plan. This has, to some extent, been obviated in some of the northern temples by the hollowing out of the backs of the individual stones, and thereby reducing the weight.