The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c16.32

c16.32

The archæological evidences put forward to support the case are as irrelevant as any of Fergusson's stylistic classifications. If anything can be safely asserted about the temples which the Guptas built and of those which were characteristic of the period, it is that they would be dedicated to Vishṇu, the Ishta-Deva of the Gupta dynasty. But in General Cunningham's analysis of the characteristics of the "Gupta style" the first and principal item is "Flat roofs, without spires of any kind," *i.e.* the instances cited are all Siva temples! Further comment is needless.