what were the common strategy of temple building during ancient period
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Basic form of a Hindu temple
When you browse our earlier articles on Hindu Temple Architecture, you would realize one thing. It was a gradual evolution starting from the rock cut- cave temples to monolithic rathas which finally culminated in structural temples.The basic form of a Hindu structural temple consists of the following.
1. Garbhagriha:
It literally means ‘womb-house’ and is a cave like a sanctum.
In the earliest temples, it was a small cubical structure with a single entrance.
Later it grew into a larger complex.
The Garbhagriha is made to house the main icon (main deity) which is itself the focus of much ritual attention.
2. Mandapa:
It is the entrance to the temple.
It may be a portico or colonnaded (series of columns placed at regular intervals) hall that incorporates space for a large number of worshippers.
Dances and such other entertainments are practiced here.
Some temples have multiple mandapas in different sizes named as Ardhamandapa, Mandapa, and Mahamandapa.
3. Shikhara or Vimana:
They are mountain like the spire of a free-standing temple.
Shikhara is found in North Indian temples and Vimana is found in South Indian temples.
Shikhara has a curving shape while vimana has a pyramidal-like structure.
4. Amalaka:
It is a stone disc like structure at the top of the temple and they are common in North Indian temples.
5. Kalasha:
It is the topmost point of the temple and commonly seen in North Indian temples.
6. Antarala (vestibule):
Antarala is a transition area between the Garbhagriha and the temple’s main hall (mandapa).
7. Jagati:
It is a raised platform for sitting and praying and is common in North Indian temples.
8. Vahana:
It is the mount or vehicle of the temple’s main deity along with a standard pillar or Dhvaj which is placed axially before the sanctum.