The Age of the Imperial Guptas c8.31

c8.31

In the case of both of these temples the architect was concerned more with the provision of a covered path of circumambulation (pradakṣiṇā-patha) as at Elephanta, than with a Śikhara. In fact, though there is a small chamber above the main shrine in the case of the Early Gupta temple at Nachna Kuthara, there is no indication of any Śikhara in the case of both of these structures. In both cases the flat roof of the sanctum or the chamber above it indicates that there was no Śikhara. The earlier temple at Nachna Kuthara possesses a small flat-roofed chamber above the sanctum, proving thereby that the architect did not intend to build a Śikhara over this shrine. These two temples prove that the origin of the Śikhara or spire in Indian temple architecture is much later than the period of domination of the Early Gupta Emperors in Northern India. From its style as well as the mason's marks in the temple of Śiva discovered at Bhumra, this one is the earlier of the two. The remains of this shrine were excavated by the writer in 1920-21. The entire shrine was 35' square. In front of this square area was the plinth of the Maṇḍapa or porch measuring 29'-10" by 13'. There is a flight of steps in front of this porch, on each side of which were discovered the plinths of two smaller shrines, measuring 8'—2" by 5'—8". In the centre of the square portion of the plinth is the sanctum or *Garbha-griha*, measuring 15'—6" square, built of finely dressed Kaimur red sandstone without any mortar and roofed with long flat slabs. The rest of the space in the square area, which enclosed the sanctum, was a covered path of circumambulation as can be proved from the analogy of the exactly similar existing structures at Nachna Kuthara and Aihole, which are lighted by stone-windows of pierced screens on the sides.