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 divisions of temples depending on five shapes or plans; 173 namely Vairājya174 (Caturaśra = square ); (2) Puspaka 175 (Āyatāśra = rectangular ); (3) Kailāsa 176 (Vịtta = round) (4) Maņika177 (Vșttāyata = Elliptical) and (5) Trivistapa 178 (Aștāśra = Octagonal). Each division contains 9 varieties ultimately giving rise to 45 varieties of the temples.
These temples with their five-fold shapes are to be built of stones and baked bricks in towns (Nagara ).
The Scheme given by Agni Purāņa is followed by Garuda Purāņa. 179 It gives exactly the general plan of five shapes and 45 sub varieties but the nomenclature is not identical in all cases. Almost all the canonical works like Sm. Su.180 and APPR.181 accept these five-fold geometrical representations of the forms or shapes as primary shapes for the ground plan of the temples.
From the usual five shapes of the ground plans of the shrine Sm. Su. of King Bhojadeva (11th Cent. A. D.) derives 64 kinds of temples; Vairāja, the square one, having 24 varieties and Kailāsa and others having 10 varieties each.182
This classification based on shapes like Vairājya applies to the Rucakādi group of 64 temples given in Ch. XLIX & LVI wherein the nomenclature of the varieties applies more to the list given in Ch. XLIX only i. e, to the varieties of the Chādya prāsādas, rather than the list of Sikharānvita prāsādas given in Ch. LVI.183
173. Ag. P. CIV; 1-34.
178. Ibid. 20, 21. 174. lbid. 14, 25.
179. G. P. XLVII, 21-23. 175. Ibid. 16, 17.
180. Sm. Su. XLIX, 3. 176. Ibid. 17, 18.
181. APPR. CIV. 3-5. 177. Ibid. 19, 20.
182. Sm. Su. XLIX. 183. Out of 64 varieties mentioned in this chapter only 25 varieties are based on shapes. They are grouped under the head Lātina.