History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c25.s17: Brindâban.
History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c25.s17
- Language
- English
Brindâban.
v2.c25.s17.1
Whether the Moslims wantonly threw down most of the temples of the Hindûs or not, it is evident that the first three centuries of Muhammadan rule in India were singularly unfavourable for the development of Hindû art in any part of the country where their rule was firmly established. With the tolerant reign of Akbar, however, a new state of affairs was inaugurated. Not only was he himself entirely devoid of religious bigotry, but most—or at least the most—eminent of his ministers and friends were Hindûs, and he lent an attentive ear to the Roman Catholic missionaries who frequented his court. But, besides its tolerance, his reign was marked by a degree of prosperity and magnificence till then unknown during that of any other Indian sovereign of his religion. Not only are his own buildings unrivalled in their extent and magnificence, but he encouraged all those around him to follow his example, and found, among others, a most apt imitator in the celebrated Mân Singh of Amber, afterwards of Jaypur, who reigned A.D. 1592-1615. In 1590 he erected at Brindâban, 5 miles north of Mathurâ, a temple, of Govind-deva or Krishna, which either he left unfinished at his death; or, as is related, the sikhara of it was thrown down by Aurangzib, who is said to have erected also an ’Ibâdat-gah, or place for Moslim prayer, on the roof.¹ It is one of the most interesting and elegant temples in India, and the only one, perhaps, from which a European architect might borrow a few hints.
v2.c25.s17.2
¹ It consisted of a wall like an ‘Îd-gâh,’ as seen in Woodcut No. 351; this was removed during repairs in 1873.
v2.c25.s17.3
[Figure: 350. Plan of Temple at Brindâban. (By Capt. Cole.) Scale 100 ft. to 1 in.]
v2.c25.s17.4
The temple, as it now stands, consists of a cruciform porch, internally nearly quite perfect, though externally it is not clear how it was intended to be finished (Woodcuts Nos. 350, 351).² The *antarâla* or inner mandap of the original temple was afterwards apparently converted into a shrine, and is perfect internally—and used for worship—but the sikhara is gone, having been destroyed along with the cella; after which the antarâla was made into a shrine.³ Though not large, its dimensions are respectable, the porch measuring 117 ft. east and west, by 105 ft. north and south, and is covered by a true vault, built with radiating arches—the only instance, except one, known to exist in a Hindû temple in the north of India. On each side of the original shrine are two side chapels. Over the four arms of the cross the vault is plain, and of 23½ ft. span, but in the centre it expands to 35 ft., and is quite equal in design to the best Gothic vaulting known. It is the external design of this temple, however, which is most remarkable. The angles are accentuated with singular force and decision, and the openings, which are more than sufficient for that climate, are picturesquely arranged and pleasingly divided. It is, however, the combination of vertical with horizontal lines, covering the whole surface, that forms the great merit of the design. This is, indeed, not This page is blank and contains no text, headings, figures, footnotes, or page furniture to transcribe.
v2.c25.s17.5
² Mr. Growse believed that it was intended to be finished with five spires—over the shrine, the antarâla, the dome of the mandap, and on each of the attached chapels.—‘Mathura,’ 2nd ed. pp. 223-224.
v2.c25.s17.6
³ The original image is said to have been removed to Jaypur. The cella was roughly rebuilt in brick behind this, about 1854, and dedicated to Krishna.—Growse’s ‘Mathura,’ 2nd ed. pp. 223-224.
v2.c25.s17.8
peculiar to this temple; but at Bhuvaneswar, Halebîd, and elsewhere, the whole surface is so overloaded with ornament as
v2.c25.s17.9
351. View of Govind-deva Temple at Brindâban. (From a Photograph.)
v2.c25.s17.10
to verge on bad taste. Here the accentuation is equal, but the surfaces are comparatively plain, and the effect dependent on the elegance of the profile of the mouldings rather than on the extent of the ornamentation. Without elaborate drawings it would be difficult to convey a correct impression of this; but the view on next page (Woodcut No. 352) of a balcony, with its accompaniments, will suffice to illustrate what is meant. The figures might as well be omitted; being carved where Moslim influences had long been strong, they are the weakest part of the design.
v2.c25.s17.11
There are other three temples at Brindâban, much in the same style and of the same period, but also much ruined. They were raised through the influence of the Gosains or disciples of Chaitanya and, consequently, all dedicated to Krishna under his various names—as Madan Mohan, Gopinâth, and Jugal Kishor. The erection of the last, represented on Plate XXVII., is referred to 1627, in the reign of Jahângîr. Its plan is given in Woodcut No. 353, but the outer porch has entirely disappeared, and what is left is only the ardhamandap and shrine. It faces the east, and the mandap, 17½ ft.
v2.c25.s17.12
352. Balcony in Temple of Govind-deva, Brindâban. (From a Photograph.)
v2.c25.s17.13
square inside, has also entrances on the north and south, with closets in the side walls which are 5 ft. 9 in. thick. The cella is about 16 ft. square inside, with recesses for images; outside it is octagonal in plan with the angles broken up so as to make it almost circular. Above the level of the mandap roof the *sikhara* tapers upwards with three string courses, and is crowned by an amalasîlâ.¹ It may be noted that the doors had all been arranged to slide back into slits provided in the walls.
v2.c25.s17.14
¹ From a drawing by the Archæological Survey of India.
v2.c25.s17.15
¹ The Tower of the Madan Mohan temple is of the same form, but very richly carved. *Infra*, p. 161, note 2.
v2.c25.s17.16
353. Temple of Jugal Kishor.[^1] Scale 25 ft. to 1 in.
v2.c25.s17.17
The other vaulted temple, above alluded to, is that of Harideva, at Govardhan, 12 miles west from Mathurâ, and built by Râja Bhagwândâs of Amber, under the same tolerant influence during the reign of Akbar. It is a plain edifice 135 ft. long by 35 ft. in width externally, and both in plan and design singularly like those early Romance churches that are constantly met with in the south of France, belonging to the 11th and 12th centuries. If, indeed, the details are not too closely looked into, it might almost pass muster for an example of Christian art at that age,² while except in scale the plan of the porch at Brindâban bears a most striking resemblance to that of St. Front at Perigeux.³ The similarity is accidental, of course; but it is curious that architects so distant in time and place should hit so nearly on the same devices to obtain certain desired effects.
v2.c25.s17.18
² Both the Govind-deva and Harideva temples are illustrated in Lieut. H. H. Cole's ‘Illustrations of Building near Muttra and Agra’ (1873), to which and Growse's ‘Mathura’ (1880) the reader is referred.
v2.c25.s17.19
³ ‘History of Ancient and Medieval Architecture,’ 3rd ed. vol. ii. Woodcut No. 562, p. 64.