________________
A Caulukya temple has all the principal features of a north Indian temple. It comprises of garbhagrha or malaprasada, 'the sanctum', a gūdhamandapa, 'a closed hall', and a mukhamaņpapa or trikamandapa, 'an entrance porch to the sanctum'. In the larger temples, such as the Vimalavasāhi and the Lunavasāhi, along the same axis, often preceded by a torana, 'an ornamental arch', there is a detached sabhamandapa or rangamandapa, 'an assembly hall' or 'a dance pavilion'.
In elevation, the Caulukya temple has the usual components of pitha, 'the member between the ground and the podium', vedibandha, 'the podium', and jangha, 'a wall between the podium and the eave cornice'. The mouldings and decorative elements occur in a sequence and according to the tradition."
The mandapas in a Caulukya temple are peristylar in design, and the pillars are profusely decorated with figures, floral design and ornaments, all according to a well-established tradition. The mandapas show an octagonal arrangement of pillars and in the larger conceptions, toranas are thrown across the principal pillars.
The domical ceiling of the rangamanďapa is supported on an octagonal frame of architraves resting over pillars. It consists of a series of diminishing concentric courses culminating in an elaborately designed padmašila, 'the central pendant of a lotus flower'.
Pilgrimage picture of Satrunjaya, Gujarat, c. 1800. Opaque watercolour on cotton. The pata provides a visionary view of temple complexes.
