Structural Temples of Gujarat

SR No.: 006728
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kantilal F Sompura
Publisher: Gujarat University Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 868
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

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The Structural Temples of Gujarat The temple at Gop ( Dist. Jamnagar)21 consists of a square shrine Surrounded by a double court yard. The shrine is 3.4 ms. square inside, about 7.1 ms. high, with wall .7 ms thick. The walls, which are perfectly plain, having no niche or any other ornament, are perpendicular to a height about 5.3 ms. thereafter they begin to contract to form the Sikharae (spire ) of the temple. The Sikhara was constructed on the corbel principle, the interior being hollow. On the out side the Sikhara rises in tiers as a stepped pyramid, but it is distinctly cut off into three divisions. The lowest division has two caityawindows on each of its faces; the upper one has one; above it the apex is crowned by a single stone. 2 2
Of the two courtyards, the inner one is mostly broken probably, as shown by similar later temples, it served as a pradakṣiṇāpatha. The outer one standing a little below the inner is in ruins; only a portion of the eastern side now remains. 2 S The temple of Gop faces east.
The temple at Kadvar (Dist. Junagadh )3 4 has a long rectangular shrine, surrounded by an outerwall, which opens 21. AKK. Plts. LI-LIIS; SMTK. Plts. XXVII-XXVIII. Here figs. 1, 215, 216. For the location of the places mentioned henceforth, vide the map at the end of this section. 22. AG. p. 56. 23. AG. p. 56
The recent conservations by the Archaeological department of Government of India have exposed the high plinth of the temple which is near by 4.5 ms. in height and measures 20.5 ms. each side on the ground surface. At the bottom it has seven lateral projecting bays on each side. Vertically the plinth is cut into two platforms, the outer of which, perhaps, served as an open pradaksiņāpatha around the temple. The surrounding top of the plinth also, probably, served as a pradaksiņāpatha. It was possibly roofed with flat slabs, as indicated by the holes just below the cornice of the walls of the shrine. 24. SMTK. plts. XXIX-XXXV. Here Figs. 219. & 2.
Due to the close affinity of Gupta temple motives Dr. Sankalia believes that the temple may be assigned to that period. (FGT. Vol. IV