TEMPLE

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Progressive development of the construction of temples is visible in the Gupta period (fourth to sixth century). Earlier wooden temples were built or may have been built, but soon temples and bricks started being built in many places in India. By the 7th century, temples have been found to be built with stones in Aryan culture parts of the country. The temples were built at a very rapid pace during the Gupta period from the fourth to the sixth century. Originally the style of Hindu temples may have been derived from Buddhist temples, as in the old temples of that time, the idols were found to be placed in the center of the temple and had a circumambulatory path like Buddhist stupas. Nearly all the temples remaining from the Gupta period are relatively small, with a very thick and strong workmanship, a small central chamber, which is either at war at the main gate or the verandah around the building. The early temples of the Gupta period, for example the roof of Buddhist temples at Sanchi, are flat; However, the North Indian summit style of temples also developed during this period and the height of this peak kept increasing. The Buddhist temple built and elevated in 7th century at Bodh Gaya represents the climax of the Gupta building style.nnArtificial caves were used by Buddhist and Jain pantheons for religious purposes and were also assimilated by Hindu religions. Yet the temples built by Hindus in caves are comparatively few and no evidence of pre-Gupta period is found in this regard. While trying to gather maximum information in relation to the temples built by cutting the cave temples and rocks, the number of places we could find is enlisted in a separate list. Mahabalipuram, the place of the Pallavas to the south of Madras (present-day 'Chennai'), houses several small rock-cut temples built in the 7th century and represent the then religious buildings in the Tamil region.nnThe existence and grandeur of temples is seen from the time of the Gupta dynasty. It would not be an exaggeration to say that since the Gupta period, the importance and size of Hindu temples expanded significantly and their design had a special effect on local architecture. The excellence of Hindu temples in northern India is found in Khajuraho in Orissa and northern Madhya Pradesh. The nearly 1000 year old Lingaraja temple located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha is the best example of architecture. However, the Sun Temple of Konark, built in the 13th century, is the largest and world famous temple in the region. Its summit was broken in its early days and today only the place of prayer remains. The most important temples of Khajuraho were built in the 11th century from the point of view of time and architecture. Good architecturally independent temples were built in Gujarat and Rajasthan as well, but their remains are less attractive than in Orissa and Khajuraho. Towards the end of the first decade, the South Indian style of architecture reached its zenith at the time of the construction of the Rajarajeshwara Temple at Tanjore (ancient name Thanjavur).