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 76

The Shrine and the Temple: Early Phase
before the wood became common in use of architecture. From the ample references found in vedic literature; it is learnt that wood appears to have been a common material for architecture yet, stone is occassionally referred to.7
(c) The Wood Phase
Temples in ancient India are of two types, rock-cut and structural. The earlier structural temples like the rock-cut, were main festly derived from wood-architecture. The harmonious integration of plastic decoration, one of the most striking features of Indian temple architecture, has its source or derivation in the early wood architecture. That is why, nearly all the canonical texts of vastuvidyā have elaborately discussed the qualitative strength and plasticity of various kinds of wood, the most essential material used in architecture.
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The high workmanship found in the wooden construction leads us to believe that it supplied a considerable contribution in the development of stone masonery. Percy Brown has aptly observed," Owing to the Indian craftman's traditional genius for imitation every detail of this early form of timber construction has been most faithfully reproduced in the numerous and very complete examples of rock architecture which followed, so that although the wooden originals have perished their exact facsimiles remain preserved in the living rock. In no other country has the carpenters and joiners craft as practised over two thousand years ago been so fully and accurately recorded."9
(d) Buildings In Brick
Buildings in brick were partly conterminous with and succeded the period of wooden construction.
7. Rigveda 4, 3, XX; 'Satam, aśmanmayinām purām I also Macdonald and Keith, Vedic Index, pt. 1, pp. 229-231.
8. Al p. 76.
9. IABH p. p. 7.