Introduction
The majority of the architectural relics from Ancient and Medieval India are of a religious nature.
Temples in various parts of the country have unique architectural styles as a result of geographical, ethnic, and historical diversity. In the country, two broad styles of temples are known as Nagara in the north and Dravida in the south.
Occasionally, the Vesara style of temples is encountered as a distinct style, resulting from the selective blending of the Nagara and Dravida orders. As temples became more complex, additional sculpture surfaces were created by adding rhythmically projecting, symmetrical walls and niches without deviating from the shrine's fundamental plan.
The shrines of the temples were of three kinds—(i) sandhara type (with pradikshinapatha), (ii) nirandhara type (without pradakshinapatha), and (iii) sarvatobhadra (which can be accessed from all sides).
The fundamental structure of a Hindu temple is as follows:
sanctum (garbhagriha, literally 'womb-house'), which began as a small cubicle with a single entrance and gradually expanded to become a larger chamber. The garbhagriha is designed to house the temple's main icon, which is the focus subject of considerable ritual attention;
the mandapa, which is a portico or colonnaded hall that accommodates a large number of worshippers;
freestanding temples typically feature a mountain-like spire, which can take the form of a curving shikhar in North India or a pyramidal tower called a vimana in South India;
the vahan, i.e., the mount or vehicle of the temple’s main deity along with a standard pillar or dhvaj is placed axially before the sanctum.
Nagara Style
It is not uncommon for an entire temple in Northern India to be built on a stone platform called Mandapa with steps leading up to it.
Additionally, unlike in South India, it lacks elaborate boundary walls and gateways.
While the earliest temples featured a single tower, or shikhara, later temples featured multiple shikhara.
The garbhagriha is always located directly under the tallest tower.
Nagara temples are classified according to the shape of the shikhara.
The various components of the temple have different names in different parts of India; however, the most common name for the simple shikhara that is square at the base and has walls that curve or slope inward to a point at the top is 'latina' or rekha-prasada.
The phamsana is the second major architectural form in the nagara order; it is typically wider and shorter than latina forms. Their roofs are composed of several slabs that gently rise to a single point above the building's centre, in contrast to the latina roofs, which appear to be sharply rising tall towers.
The valabhi type is the third major subtype of the nagara building. These are rectangular structures with a vaulted chamber at their centre.
The Kandariya Mahadev Temple in Madhya Pradesh is a classic example of temple architecture in the Nagara style. In 1986, it was also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Other examples are Sun Temple at Modhera, Lakshman Temple of Khajuraho, Sun Temple at Konark, Jagannath Temple at Puri, etc.