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South Indian Temple Structure - Dravida Style

 

The Vimana and the Gopurams are the distictive characteristics of the Southern

style. The Vimana is a tall pyramidal tower consisting of several progressively

smaller storeys. This stands on a square base. The Gopuram has two storeys

seperated by a horizontal moulding. The Prakara or the outer wall, envelops the

main shrine as well as the other smaller shrines, the tank.

The Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar rulers, the Nayaks all

contributed to the Southern style of temples.

 

 

Pallava temples

The Pallava shrines normally have a Somaskanda relief panel. Some of the Pallava

temples :

Rajasimha temple

Olakkanesvara temple Mukundanayanar temple Shore temple at Mamallapuram

Talagiriswara temple at Panamalai in South Arcot Kailasanatha temple at

Kanchipuram ( Rajasimha & his son Mahendravarman ) Vaikuntha Perumal temple by

Nandivarman

 

Chola temples

The Cholas erected several temples and also renovated earlier brick structures

in stone. Early Chola temples are :

Sundaresvara temple at Tirukattalai ( Aditya I ) Vijayalaya Choleswaram at

Narthamalai Komganatha temple at Srinivasanallur ( Parantaka I ) Brihadiswara

temple at Tanjavur ( Raja Raja Chola ) Brihadiswara temple at Gangaikonda

cholapuram ( Rajendra Chola ) Airavateswara temple at Darasuram ( Raja Raja II )

Kamaparharesvara temple at Tirubuvanam ( Kulotunga III )

 

Pandya temples

The Pandyas mostly concentrated on the Gopurams, the main entrance. The basic

structure and style was maintained, but the decorations on the Gopurams and the

size characteisises the Pandya Gopurams. The typical Pandya style can be seen in

the

Sundara Pandya Gopuram added to the Jambukesvara temple

Eastern Gopuram, Great Temple, Chidambaram.

 

Vijayanagar temples

The main contributions of the Vijayanagar period were the tall massive gopurams

and the multiple mandapas. Unlike the Chola style, where the entire temple

structure was usually a unified whole, there were numerous mandapas, pillared

halls, shrines to minor deities, tanks, etc. Another major feature is the carved

pillars - with the rearing simhas ( lions ), yalis ( lions with elephant trunks

). The important temples from the Vijayanager period :

Vitthala Swami temple, Vijayanager

The pillars and gopurams of the Ekambaranatha temple

 

Nayak temples

The Madurai and Tanjavur Nayaks made great contributions - the main

characterictics of this period being the elaborate mandapas of the hundred and

thousand pillared type, the high gopurams with stucco statues on the surface,

the long corridors. The main temples representing this style in various portions

are the

The Ranganatha temple at Srirangam - for the increase in the no. of enclosures

The temple at Rameswaram - for the long corridors

The Subramanya temple at the Brihadisvara temple court at Tanjavur - for the

fine vimana with ardha and maha mandapas.

 

 

 

 

 

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