Temple architecture
| Style | Region | Features | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagara | North India | Curvilinear tower (shikhara), no boundary walls, amalaka on top | Khajuraho (Chandelas), Modhera Sun temple, Odisha temples |
| Dravida | South India | Pyramidal tower (vimana), high boundary wall, huge gateway (gopuram), water tank | Brihadeeswara (Thanjavur), Meenakshi (Madurai), Shore temple |
| Vesara | Deccan | Mix of Nagara and Dravida | Chalukya and Hoysala temples (Belur, Halebidu) |
Kalinga (Odishan) style — a sub-style of Nagara
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deula / Rekha deula | Sanctum with curvilinear tower |
| Jagamohana (Pidha deula) | Assembly hall with pyramidal roof |
| Nata mandira | Dance hall |
| Bhoga mandapa | Hall of offerings |
| Khakhara deula | Barrel-vaulted roof (Vaital deula — Chamunda) |
| Temple | Built by / period |
|---|---|
| Parasurameswara, Bhubaneswar | Sailodbhavas, 7th c. — earliest surviving |
| Vaital deula | Bhaumakaras, 8th c. (khakhara) |
| Mukteswar | Somavamshis, 10th c. — "gem of Odishan architecture"; torana |
| Rajarani | 11th c. — no presiding deity |
| Lingaraj | Somavamshi Yayati / completed by Gangas, 11th c. |
| Jagannath, Puri | Anantavarman Chodagangadeva, 12th c. |
| Konark Sun Temple | Narasimhadeva I, 13th c. — chariot with 24 wheels, 7 horses; UNESCO 1984; on the ₹10 note |
Other temple facts
- Earliest structural temples: Gupta period (Sanchi temple 17, Deogarh, Bhitargaon).
- Rock-cut: Kailasa temple, Ellora (Rashtrakuta Krishna I) — carved from a single rock; Mahabalipuram rathas (Pallava Narasimhavarman I).
- Sun temples: Konark (Odisha), Modhera (Gujarat), Martand (Kashmir).
- Dilwara (Mount Abu) — Jain, marble.