Nagar, Dravida & Vesar Temple Styles

Nagar, Dravida & Vesar Temple Styles

Nagar Style

The main points of the Nagar style are as follows:

1. Key Features

• Square Ground-plan (Swastikaar Aadhar Aayojan) and Curvilinear Tower (Vakrarekhiy Shikhara) are the basic features of temples built in Nagar Style.

2. Pratima Kaksh (Sanctum)

• In Nagar-style temples, a room was built for the installation of the idol, which is called Pratima Kaksh or Garbhagrih or Deval (Sanctum).

3. Curvilinear Tower (Shikhara)

• A curvilinear tower (Shikhara) was built over the main idol room. This tower became thinner towards the top as its height increased. The height of side parts also reached the peak. Since the vertical line predominated in its planning, it was called a linear tower (Rekhiy Shikhara).

4. Amalak and Kalash

• There was an Amalak (looks like a ribbed Amala/Aanwala, i.e., gooseberry fruit) on top of the tower (Shikhara) in which the urn (Kalash) and flagpole (Dhwajdand) were installed.

5. Credit for Establishment

• The credit for the establishment of the Nagar style goes to the Gupta rulers.

6. Example of Nagar Style

• The Dashawatar temple (Deogarh, Lalitpur Dist., U.P.) is the first example of the Nagar style.

7. Climax of Nagar Style

• This style reached its climax during the period of Rajputa rulers.

Notes:

• The shrines of temples are of 3 types:

  1. Sandhara (without Pradakshina Patha),

  2. Nirandhara (with Pradakshine Patha),

  3. Sarvatobhadra (which can be accessed from all sides).

• Synonyms of Devalaya (temple):

  • Devkula, Mandir, Kovil, Deol, Devasthanam, Prasada, Kshetram.

Dravida Style

The main points of the Dravida style are as follows:

1. Key Features

• Rectangular ground plan (Aayatakaar Aadhar Ayojan) and pyramidal tower (Piramidiya Vimana) are the basic features of temples built in Dravida style.

2. Pratima Kaksh (Sanctum)

• In Dravida-style temples, a room was built for the installation of the idol.

3. Pyramidal Tower (Vimana)

• A pyramidal tower (Vimana) was built over the main idol-room, and Vimanas were built in increasingly smaller sections in order of their height.

4. Stupika

• Over the Vimana, a domed stupa or stupika was installed.

5. Gopuram

• Later, huge monumental Gopurams (gateways) were added to these temples. In some temples, the Gopuram was made so high that even the main tower (Vimana) of the temples was not visible from the front.

6. Credit for Establishment

• The credit for the establishment of Dravida-style temples goes to the Pallava rulers of Kanchi.

7. Climax of Dravida Style

• This style reached its climax during the period of Chola rulers. After Rajendra-I, this style lost its architectural force and became more ornate in finish.

Differences Between Nagar and Dravida Styles

The differences between the temples of Nagar and Dravida styles become visible when viewed from above, below, and the front. They differed mainly in the shape of their towers.

Nagar Style:

• Superstructure: Curvilinear tower (Shikhara)

• Ground-plan: Square-shape (Vargakaar)

• Gateway: Simple gateway (Saral Praveshdwar)

Dravida Style:

• Superstructure: Pyramidal tower (Vimana)

• Ground-plan: Rectangular-shape (Aayatakaar)

• Gateway: Huge gateway (Vishal Gopuram)

Vesar Style

The main points of Vesar Style are as follows:

1. Meaning of Vesar

• "Vesar" is a Sanskrit word that literally means "Khachchar" (a mule, i.e., the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse). Thus, the Vesara style means a hybrid style (Dravida style + Nagar style).

2. Characteristics of Vesar Style

• It is basically a modified form of the Dravida style of architecture.

• In this style, the basic planning and design are of the Dravida style, i.e., it has Vimana (pyramidal) and Mandapa (pavilion) like the Dravida style, but its tower, Stupika (a small dome over the Vimana), decoration, representation, and use of new symbols are influenced by the Nagar style.

• In this way, elements of both Dravida and Nagar styles are mixed, which is why it is also called Mishra/Musht Shailee (mixed style).

3. Credit for Establishment

• The credit for the establishment of the Vesar style goes to the early Chalukyas (i.e., the Chalukyas of Badami), which is why it is also known as the Chalukya style. Art historian Adan Hardy says that it is more appropriate to use the Karnat-Dravida style for the Chalukya temples of Deccan rather than the Vesar style.

4. Climax of Vesar Style

• The Vesara style reached its climax during the period of the Hoyasala rulers. The stellate/star-shaped ground plan became especially popular during the Hoyasala period.

Note:

• The Western Chalukya rulers of Kalyani were the first to use the stellate/star-shaped ground plan for temples. The earliest example of a temple based on a stellate ground plan is the Dodda Basappa temple (Dambal, Koppam district, Karnataka), built by the Western Chalukya ruler of Kalyani.

• The best example of a Vesara-style temple is the Hoyasaleshwar temple of Halebid.

Final Thoughts

Ancient Indian temple architecture is defined by distinct styles, mainly Nagar, Dravida, and Vesar. The Nagar style features a square ground plan and a curvilinear tower, with the Dashawatar temple in Deogarh as a prime example.

It flourished under the Gupta and Rajput rulers. The Dravida style, developed by the Pallavas, is known for its rectangular ground plan and pyramidal towers, with monumental Gopurams added by the Cholas.

The Vesar style combines elements of both Nagar and Dravida, emerging under the Chalukyas. It blends Dravida planning with Nagar's decorative features, and the Hoyasala rulers later popularized the star-shaped ground plan. Each style contributed to the diverse and symbolic architecture of Indian temples, reflecting the cultural influences of their time.