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 Sm. Su. attributes the name Prāggriva 10 or Prāggrivaka11 to the porch. The word, originally, seems to mean the entrance. Sm. Su. does not lay specific rules pertaining to its architectural form.
From the description about the mandapa imparted by APPR, it reflects that the porch has not its independant architectural formulae which may throw light on its ground plan, superstructure or other details. But while dealing with the subject matter of mukhamandapa termed as “Trika mandapa' (i. e. the triple maņdapa in front of the closed (Nigūdha) maņdapa APPR enumerates its twelve varieties.13
The varieties differ in the number of their Cokies 18 and are known by different names. In the Brhamanical temples of Gujarat the porch is generally of type one, namely Subhadra which consists of one Coki, while the Jain temple yeild three more varieties namely Kiriţă; Prānta and śānta, which are commonly known Tri coki, Cha Coki, and Nava Coki' on the basis of the respective numbers of their cokis, for instance the triple temple of Vastupāla at Girnar has "Tri Coki' between the
10. Sm. Su. XLIX, 29. 11. Sm. Su. XLIX, 34. 12. APPR. CLXXXVII, 15-26. Originally Mukhamaņdapa' denotes the porch in front while “Trika mandapa” stands for the three porches on the three sides. But here the two terms seem to have been used synonimously. It makes no difference in prescribing the architectural form of the porch as the canons equally apply to all of them. 13. They number 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 20 respectively the corresponding number of pillars are 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 30 respectively,