tem·ple
/ˈtɛm.pəl/noun
A building set apart for the worship of a god; a house for the divine.
Origin
From Latin templum: a patch of ground marked out by priests for watching the sky for omens.
Also called
- devālaya देवालय
- Sanskrit
- mandir मंदिर
- Hindi
- dēvasthāna ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ
- Kannada
- kōvil கோவில்
- Tamil
- guḍi గుడి
- Telugu
Styles
The temple of north India: a curved tower rising straight above the sanctum. Found from Odisha to Gujarat and Rajasthan.
How to spot it
- shikhara
- a curved tower right above the sanctum
- amalaka
- a ribbed stone disc on top
- kalasha
- a pot-shaped finial above the disc
- urushringa
- smaller towers clustered around the main one
- jagati
- a raised platform, no gateway towers
Famous examples
- Bhitargaon TempleBhitargaon, Uttar Pradesh · Gupta · late 5th c.
- Dashavatara TempleDeogarh, Uttar Pradesh · Gupta · early 6th c.
- Mukteshvara TempleBhubaneswar, Odisha · Somavamshi · 950–975
- Modhera Sun TempleModhera, Gujarat · Solanki · 1026
- Kandariya MahadevaKhajuraho, Madhya Pradesh · Chandela · c. 1030
- LingarajaBhubaneswar, Odisha · Somavamshi · 11th c.
- Udayeshvara TempleUdaypur, Madhya Pradesh · Paramara · 11th c.
- Jagannath TemplePuri, Odisha · Eastern Ganga · 12th c.
- Konark Sun TempleKonark, Odisha · Eastern Ganga · c. 1250
- Jagdish TempleUdaipur, Rajasthan · Sisodia (Mewar) · 1651
The temple of south India: a stepped pyramid of storeys over the sanctum. Found across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
How to spot it
- vimana
- a stepped pyramid tower over the sanctum
- shikhara
- only the dome cap on top, not the whole tower
- gopuram
- gateway towers in the outer walls
- prakara
- walled courtyards around the shrine
- mandapa
- pillared halls, often with a Nandi pavilion in front
Famous examples
- Pancha RathasMahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu · Pallava · 7th–8th c.
- Shore TempleMahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu · Pallava · c. 700
- Kailasanathar TempleKanchipuram, Tamil Nadu · Pallava · c. 700
- Virupaksha TemplePattadakal, Karnataka · Chalukya · c. 740
- Kailasa TempleEllora, Maharashtra · Rashtrakuta · 756–773
- BrihadeeswararThanjavur, Tamil Nadu · Chola · c. 1010
- AiravatesvaraDarasuram, Tamil Nadu · Chola · 12th c.
- Virupaksha TempleHampi, Karnataka · Vijayanagara · enlarged 15th c.
- Vitthala TempleHampi, Karnataka · Vijayanagara · 16th c.
- Meenakshi TempleMadurai, Tamil Nadu · Nayak · 16th–17th c.
The Deccan blend: southern layouts with northern tower shapes, often on a star-shaped plan. Found mainly in Karnataka, from the 7th to the 13th century.
How to spot it
- stellate
- a star-shaped plan, from base to tower
- jagati
- a high platform that follows the star
- trikuta
- often three shrines around one hall
- soapstone
- dense carved friezes of elephants, horses and epics
- pillars
- glossy, lathe-turned columns inside
Famous examples
- Durga TempleAihole, Karnataka · Chalukya · c. 700
- Mahadeva TempleItagi, Karnataka · Western Chalukya · c. 1112
- Lakshmi Devi TempleDoddagaddavalli, Karnataka · Hoysala · early 12th c.
- Chennakeshava TempleBelur, Karnataka · Hoysala · 1117
- Hoysaleswara TempleHalebidu, Karnataka · Hoysala · 12th c.
- Kasivisvesvara TempleLakkundi, Karnataka · Western Chalukya · 12th c.
- Doddabasappa TempleDambal, Karnataka · Western Chalukya · 12th c.
- Veera Narayana TempleBelavadi, Karnataka · Hoysala · c. 1200
- Ramappa TemplePalampet, Telangana · Kakatiya · 1213
- Keshava TempleSomanathapura, Karnataka · Hoysala · 1258
Jain temples
Coming soon
Temples I visited
12 so far: where they are, who built them, and when I went. See them on a map →
Dynasties
Sixteen dynasties built these temples. See them among 34 dynasties of India, on a map →