The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c13.25

c13.25

The Gandhara monasteries, described by M. Foucher, were generally rows of cells ranged in a square, the centre of which was occupied by the chaitya; but occasionally the cells were placed in a circle round the sacred symbol. The panch-ratna, or "five-jewelled" temple, from which the plan of the Taj Mahall was derived, was probably a small monastery with a verandah all round the cell containing the chaitya or image and a yogi's seat at each of the four corners—the nava-ratna or nine-jewelled temple being a similar one with two stories.