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

Page 344

The Architectural Forms of Temples
Mers. This view of Cousens, since accepted by archaeologists including Coomarswamy and Percy Brown suffers, however, from two important flows. The history of the ancestors of the Mers is not yet fully clear and it is not definitely known that they originally hailed from Kashmir. Secondly, none of the Kashmir temples of the type with which similiarities suggested can be dated earlier than the 8th Cent. A. D.; where as Gop temple is admittedly about two centuries older."
The absence in Kashmir of any example of the type of a date earlier to that of Gop stands at present in the way of acceptance of the hypothesis of Kashmirian origin of the Gop temple. (Moreover certain features of Kashmirian temple are absent in Gop temple.) All these would suggest that the conception of the Gop temple was distinct from that of the Kashmirian.
On the evidence of the shape of the basement arches in Gop temple Sankalia6 hesistatingly suggests a Gandharan influence through Sindh. But this view also cannot be pressed strongly as the fundamental elements of the design and composition of the Gop temple have hardly any parallels in the Gandharan monuments. The two major features in the
3. HIIA. p. 82.
4. IABH. p. 159
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5. AKK. p. 7., HIIA. p. 82., IABH. p. 159.
Recently a radio-carbon test of the wood fragment found in the Gop temple, was conducted by Dr. Syamadas Chetarji in the physics laboratory, Uni. College of Science and Technology, Calcutta. According to the test, Dr. Chetarji reports, the wood fragment is approximatety 1400 years old. The view of the archaeologist, who place the temple in the 6th Cent., is thus confirmed by a scientific method of dating objects. Dr. H. D. Sankalia (AG. p. 59) inclined to ascribe the temple to the 5th Cent. A. D. (S. E. foot note No. 77 p. 696) 6. AG. pp. 57-59.