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CHAPTER-V THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONAL PHASES OF THE TEMPLE
(A) The Northern or Indo-Aryan Phase
From the eighth century onwards temples with the Northern style of Sikhara began to be constructed in large numbers and were not confined to North Indian plains but extended from the Himalayas to the Deccan and from Orissa to Saurastra. The style had several regional movements and accordingly it took the various local shapes and colours.
There were certain post-Gupta temples which really continued the tradition of Gupta brick as well as stronearchitecture.
The brick temples of Nalanda, Paharpur and Ahichchhatra dating from sixth to tenth centuries form themselves a group. They are high solid structures and in each case the shrine is placed at the top which was approached by a flight of steps. The largest one was that of Nalanda. The temple of Ahichchhatra was remarkable for its cruciform plan and stupendous size ( 152.5 x 91.5 meters at the base ),
The Lakshmaņa brick temple ( 10th cent A. D. ) at Sirpur in Raipur District resembles the Bhitargaon temple in its general design. (i) The Temples of Orissa (A. D. 800-1250)
This style is mainly concentrated at Bhuvanesvara, Puri and Konarka-all in Puri district of Orissa. The style started during the eighth century with the Parsuramesvara at Bhuvanesvara and culminated during the thirteenth century in the Sun temple at Konarka. The earlier Orissa examples consist of a
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