TEMPLE HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU

1
Temple Heritage Of Tamilnadu
2
Historical Evolution of architectural styles
Predecessors Maurya to Chalukya Chronology in
Tamilnadu Pallava-Pandya, Chola, Later Pandya,
Vijayanagara and Nayak
3
Architectural Architectural features of
contemporary temples
Layout Vimana Garbhagriha Gopura etc
4
Sculptural Evolution of images
Sculptures in the round Relief sculptures
Deity in the sanctum Images in the
niches Processional images
Stone, stucco and metal images
5
Spiritual Symbolism in Indian worship
Conons vasthu, silpa and agama
satras Iconometry and iconography
6
Hereditary practitioners
Vishvakarma (Temple architects) their training
contribution Priests
7
Social
Rituals and festivals
8
Early period (Asoka to Chalukya)
Ashokan caves and stupas Buddhist caves in
Maharashtra Gupta temples Amaravati
stupas Badami, Aihole of Chalukyas
9
Evolution of Architectural styles
Cave shrine Monoliths Structural temples
10
Cave shrine Pallava beginning 6th to 8th centuris
Varaha cave Mamallapuram
Mahendra cave Mandagappattu
11
Cave shrine Pandya contribution 7th 8th
centuries
Lower cave Tiruchirappalli Rockfort
12
Monoliths (Single stone temples) Pallava
beginning 7th 8th centuries
Dharmaraja Ratha Mamallapuram
13
Monoliths (Single stone temples) Pandya
contribution (8th century)
Vettuvan Koil Kazhugumalai
14
Structural temple Pallava (7th 9th cneturies)
Kailasanatha Temple - Kanchi
15
Structural temples Early Cholas 9th 10 centuries
Vijayalaya-cholisvaram Narttamalai
Mover Koil - Kodumbalur
16
Structural temples Middle Cholas (11th century)
Brihadisvara Temple Gangai-konda-chozhapuram
17
Structural temples Later Cholas (12th century)
Airatesvara Temple Darasuram
18
Structural temples Pandyas Mostly gopurams 13th
14th centuries
Chidambaram Temple Eastern gopuram
19
Structural temples Vijayanagara Mostly gopurams
pillars 15th century
Ekambaranatha Temple Kanchi
20
Structural temples Nayaks Mandapam, prakarams
etc 15th 18th centuries
1000-pillared mandapam Meenakshi Temple Madurai
Third prakaram Rameswaram
21
Architectural features of contemporary temples
Layout Vimana Garbhagriha Gopura etc
22
Layout
Canons describe sixteen types of temple layouts
But the most common are square and rectangular
23
Typical Saivite shrine
24
Typical Vaishnava shrine
25
Parts of temple
26
Sanctum
The most important part  of a temple garbha-griha
("womb room") cave-like cube-shaped with low
roof, without doors and windows facing east or
west dark except for ceremonial lamp houses the
presiding deity
27
Vimanam
28
Gopuram
Entrance to temple unique feature of Dravidian
temples
29
Gopuram
30
Evolution of images
Early Pallava Middle pallava Early Chola Middle
Chola Later Chola Later Pandya Vijayanagara Nayak
Images in sanctum Relief sculptures Images in the
niches Processional images
Stone Stucco Cast metal
31
Mahendra
Nataraja Siyamangalam cave temple
32
Mahabalipuram-Kanchi phase
Durga - Mamallapuram
33
Mahabalipuram-Kanchi phase
Durga - Kanchi
34
Mahabalipuram-Kanchi phase
Siva - Kanchi
35
Early Chola
Nataraja - Pullamangai
36
Early Chola
Kalarimurti Kodumbalur
37
Middle Chola
Nataraja Tanjavur
38
Later Chola
Siva - Darasuram
39
Vijayanagara Nayak
Krishna Srirangam
40
Vijayanagara Nayak
Kali Kudumuianmalai
41
Bronzes
42
Bronzes
43
Bronzes
44
Bronzes
45
Symbolism in Indian worship
Indian temple is not a building it is an image,
a conception of divinity.
46
Earth as a living organism is the basis for Vastu
sastra. A Universal Being, vastu purusha
symbolizes this. The vastu-purusha-mandala
represents the manifest form of this Universal
man upon which the temple is built and in
whom the temple rests.
47
Vastu purusha mandala
48
The symbolism extends beyond.
sanctum - head, ardhamandapa nose antarala
neck prakaras hands Entrance foot
49
Symbolism exists in the temple rituals and
festivals also.
50
Conons vasthu, silpa and agama satras
51
Vasthu satras
Manasara and Mayamata the most popular texts
today deal with of temple construction soil
testing techniques orientation measurements etc
52
Srirangam temple layout
53
Iconometry and iconography
54
Dhyana sloka (verses for contemplation) word-pictu
res of a three-dimensional image
form aspects countenance physiognomy facial and
bodily expressions posture (static/dynamic,
flexions number of arms, heads and
eyes mudras ornaments ayudhas
55
Vishvakarma (the temple architects)
Unique Viswakarma lineage Rigorous training
oral and practical Draws inspiration from
Vedas Acquire truly multi-disciplinary
knowledge Holistic in thought and
understanding Tremendous sense of purpose Zeal to
maintain purity
56
Priests
Another hereditary practioner Well versed in
agamas and rituals
57
Rituals and festivals
58
Thank you
Swaminathan