Introduction

• The period between C.E 700 and 1200 is referred to as the early medieval period of Indian history.

• During this time, India was politically divided into numerous regional states that were often in conflict with each other.

• Despite political division, there was a growth of new and rich cultural activities in the fields of art, literature, and language.

• The emergence of new regional cultural zones occurred, including:

  • Bengal and Odisha in the North

  • Gujarat and Maharashtra in Central India

  • Andhra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in the South.

• Various art forms, languages, and literature that are part of regional cultures today took shape during this period.

• Large-scale royal patronage was given to the tradition of temple building, sculptural art, and paintings.

• Temples served as representatives of the might and glory of the kings who built them.

• Due to royal patronage, three distinct types of temple architecture evolved during this period: Nagara, Dravida, and Vesara styles.

• There was significant improvement in the art of making sculptures and fresco paintings in temple premises.

• An important contribution of Chola artists was the creation of bronze images of Nataraja, representing Siva in his cosmic dance, unmatched in rhythm and balance.

• The chapter focuses on the tradition of art and architecture that flourished during the early medieval period of Indian history.

Temple Architecture

• The term temple is derived from the Latin word ‘Tempulum’, which originally meant a square or rectangular place marked out by an augur for the purpose of worship.

• In its primitive sense, the word corresponds to a sacred place for a God, where the house of the God may be erected.

• The shrine or abode of the God has different nomenclatures, such as Devagriha, Devalaya, and Devakula in ancient Sastras or literature.

• In the Vastusastra, North Indian temples are known as Prasada, while South Indian temples are referred to as Vimana, Harmya, and occasionally Prasada.

• The term mandira first occurs in Banabhatta’s Kadambari, a 7th-century C.E. text.

• Temple architecture in India began during the Mauryan period (3rd century BC), as seen from archaeological sites at Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) and Bairat (Rajasthan).

• Gupta period saw the momentum of temple architecture, with Temple no. 17 at Sanchi and Temple no. 1 at Udayagiri near Vidisa as early examples.

• The Indian Silpasastras recognize three main types of temples:

  • Nagara or ‘northern’ style

  • Dravidian or ‘southern’ style

  • Vesara or hybrid style.

• Nagara temples are found from the Himalayas to the Vindhys, Vesara from the Vindhys to the Krishna, and Dravida from the Krishna to Cape Comorin.

• Distinct styles also exist in peripheral areas such as Bengal, Kerala, and the Himalayan valleys.

• The construction of Hindu temples during the 6th-13th centuries was on a magnificent scale, comparable to the building of churches and cathedrals in medieval Europe.

• A large variety of Hindu temples were constructed across India, differing in scale, building techniques, and the deities worshipped.

• Differences in political, cultural, climatic, geographical, and prosperity factors between towns and villages influenced the variety in temple construction.