________________
The Architectural Forms of Temples
321 schools as differing only in the shape of structures, as Dravidian authors later on did in defining the Nāgara, Drāvida and Vesara structures, 160 The original numbers of temples in the Lāļa order might have been 45, as mentioned in the Ag. P. but by the 11th cent. A. D. it has reached 64, as is evident from Sm. Su.
The Āgamas though written at a later age generally represent an early stage of development of Vāstuvidyā of southern school. From the summary of Kāmikāgama 161 we find that this Agama is acquainted with the divisions of temples into Nāgara, Drāvida and Vesara. It further adds three more varieties Sarvadeśika, Kalinga and Varāța, to this list.162 But the description of the Nāgara type of temples, 163 offered by this Agama is considerably much different from the description of this class of temples narrated by Sm. Su. 164 and APPR. 16 5 This clearly indicates that the divisions offered by the works of southern India were mostly confined to the temples built in that region and that the classification offered has nothing to do with the temple built in Northern India so far the classification of the temples is concerned. While discussing this topic Dr. T. B. Bhattacharya also arrives at a similar conclusion. He says, “There is therefore no doubt that the South Indian Vastu texts deal only with the Dravidian temples and their Nāgara, Drāvida and Vesara do not refer to their distinct styles or orders of Indian architecture; but for reasons now not clear, there was a confusion about the meaning of these words which shows (1) that this division was a later growth and (2) these ineant to them not three different styles of three different countries but three classes or varieties of the South Indian temples and various other structures like the linga, Lingapītha etc. 166
160. T. Bhattacharya. ‘A study on Vastuvidya' pp. 151-152. 161. Kāmikāgama. LXV.6-7, 12-18. 164. Sm. Su. LXI, LXII. 162. Ibid. XLIX; 2-3.
165. APPR.CVI., 18-25. 163. Ibid. XLIX, 5-10.
166. 'A study on Vastuvidya'. p. 161.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
