History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c25.s7.2

v2.c25.s7.2

Among the oldest and most characteristic of the Dhârwâr temples is that of Pâpanâtha, at Pattadakal. As will be seen from the plan of this temple given above (Woodcut No. 182, vol. i., page 322), the cell, with its tower, has not the same predominating importance which it always had in Orissa; and instead of a mere vestibule it has a four-pillared porch, which would in itself be sufficient to form a complete temple on the eastern side of India. Beyond this, however, is the great porch, Mandapa, or Jagamohan—square, as usual, but here it possesses sixteen pillars, in four groups, instead of the astylar arrangements so common in the east. It is, in fact, a copy, with very slight alterations, of the plan of the great Saiva temple at the same place (Woodcut No. 204), or the Kailâs at Elûrâ (Woodcut No. 199). These, with others, form a group of early temples wholly Dravidian in style, but having no affinity, except in plan, with the temple of Pâpanâtha, which is as essentially Indo-Aryan in its architectural arrangements. This, in fact, may be looked upon as the characteristic difference between the styles of Dhârwâr and Orissa. The western style, from its proximity to the Dravidian and admixture with it, in fact, used pillars freely and with effect whenever wanted; while their use in Orissa is almost unknown in the best ages of the style, and their introduction, as it took place there, showed only too clearly the necessity that had arisen in the decay of the style, to supply with foreign forms the want of originality of invention.