Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The Kailasa temple architecture is different from the earlier style prevalent in the Deccan region. As stated above, it appears to be based on the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal and the Kailasa temple at Kanchi, but it is not an exact imitation of these two temples.[26] The southern influence on the temple architecture can be attributed to the involvement of Chalukya and Pallava artists in its construction. The indigenous Deccan artisans appear to have played a subordinate role in the temple's construction. The entrance to the temple courtyard features a low gopuram. Most of the deities at the left of the entrance are Shaivaite (affiliated with Shiva) while on the right hand side the deities are Vaishnavaites (affiliated with Vishnu). A two-storeyed gateway opens to reveal a U-shaped courtyard. The dimensions of the courtyard are 82 m x 46 m at the base. The courtyard is edged by a columned arcade three stories high. The arcades are punctuated by huge sculpted panels, and alcoves containing enormous sculptures of a variety of deities. Originally flying bridges of stone connected these galleries to central temple structures, but these have fallen. Some of the most famous sculptures are Shiva the ascetic, Shiva the dancer, Shiva being warned by Parvati about the demon Ravana, and river goddess.

Within the courtyard, there is a central shrine dedicated to Shiva, and an image of his mount Nandi (the sacred bull). The central shrine housing the lingam features a flat-roofed mandapa supported by 16 pillars, and a Dravidian shikhara. The shrine – complete with pillars, windows, inner and outer rooms, gathering halls, and an enormous stone lingam at its heart – is carved with niches, plasters, windows as well as images of deities, mithunas (erotic male and female figures) and other figures. As is traditional in Shiva temples, Nandi sits on a porch in front of the central temple. The Nandi mandapa and main Shiva temple are each about 7 metres high, and built on two storeys. The lower stories of the Nandi Mandapa are both solid structures, decorated with elaborate illustrative carvings. The base of the temple has been carved to suggest that elephants are holding the structure aloft. A rock bridge connects the Nandi Mandapa to the porch of the temple. The base of the temple hall features scenes from Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Kailasa Temple Vimana (main shrine) containing the sanctum attains to 32m in height from the ground It was double-storeyed, 45.72 mt x 30.48 mt at its base and the roof is a pyramidal having a three-tier tower and a projecting gable-front. There are two Dhwaja Sthambhas (pillars with the flagstaff) in the courtyard and a flagstaff which is 15.54 meters high with carvings of Siva. The temple architecture shows traces of Pallava and Chalukya styles, looks like a rock temple.

Mandapams & Pillars - In the extensive interior of the Mandapa are 16 independent pillars and 20 pilasters carved on the walls. The Nandi mandapa and main Shiva temple are about 7 m high and built on two storeys. The lower story of the Nandi Mandapa is a solid structure, decorated with elaborate illustrative carvings. The temple is faced by a pavilion, 15.24 mt high, the pavilion 6.09 mt square is the abode of Nandi. On each of the Nandi is a pillar cult.

Temple Walls - A huge rock was carved into a beautiful temple with advance engineering designs and intricate carvings on the walls. All the wall paintings and carvings depict existence of an underground civilization and tiny humanoids. Carvings on the walls have big images of god and goddesses and below a level tiny humanoids and animals are shown.

Inscriptions - The inscriptions are very old, most of them got diminished as hundreds of years passed by Deciphering and reading inscriptions is almost impossible. According to an inscripition left at Ellora, it was the second Rashtrakuta king, Krishna-I (reign 756-773), who completed the Kailasa Temple.