UNIT- 4

NAGARA STYLE OF TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

CHANDELA DYNASTY, TEMPLES AT
KHAJURAHO
AR. SURUCHI S
AR. ROSHINI M
 CHANDEL / CHANDELA DYNASTY
RAJPUT CLAN OF CENTRAL INDIA

• Popularly termed as Chandelas or Jejakabhukti

dynasty
• Ruled much of the Bundelkhand region of Central
India – 500 years between 9th and 13th centuries
AD.
• Maharaja Rao Vidyadhara –
Insert images
• Repulsed the attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni
• Dynasty known for temples art and sculpture
• Khajuraho temples - construction continued
throughout the rule of Chandela rulers
• Tradition and social duty of King – construct more
than 10 temples in his rule.

Territory of the Chandelas during the reign of Vidyadhara circa 1025 CE

 CHANDEL / CHANDELA DYNASTY
ORIGINS

• Legends state: Chandelas descended from the union

of Moon and Hemavati.
• Hemavati: The widowed daughter of Hemaraja,
• Priest of King Indrajit – ruler of Kashi
• Rajput dynasty origins : expressed in a glorified way
• to enhance their greatness
• create identity.
• 954 CE Khajuraho inscription:
• Nannuka(founder) - descendant of sage
Chandratreya - son of Vedic sage Atri
• Later medieval records like Prithiviraj Raso, Mahoba-
khanda, Varna Ratnakara has defined Chandelas as
one of the 36 Rajput clans.
CHANDELA DYNASTY CHRONOLOGY
Nanuka Vakapati Yauashakti & Rahila Shri Yashovarman
• 235-845 CE • 845 - 865 CE Vijayashakti • 885-905 CE Harshadev • 925 - 950 CE
• 865 - 885 CE • 905 - 925 CE

Kirtivarman Devavarman Vijaypala Vidyadhara Gandadeva Dhangadeva

• 1060-1100 CE • 1020-1060 CE • 1035-1050 CE • 1003 - 1035 CE • 999 - 1002 CE • 950 - 999 CE

Sallakshanav Jayavarman Prithvivarma Madanavarm Yahsovarman Paramardi

arman • 1110-1120 CE n an -II • 1165 - 1203 CE
• 1100-1110 CE • 1120-1128CE • 1128 - 1165 CE • 1164-1165 CE

Viravarman Hammiravar Bhojavarman Viravarman Trailokya

• 1315 CE man • 1285 - 1288 CE • 1245 - 1285 CE Varman
• 1288 - 1311 CE • 1203 - 1245 CE
 CHANDEL / CHANDELA DYNASTY
ORIGINS

• British scholars – expressed Chandelas origins

differently
• Derived from Gond tribe
• Vindha & Satpura ranges since centuries
• Feudatories of Gujara Pratiharas
• Northern Indian Rulers : 7th to 11th century
• 9th century: Chandelas declared independent
rule.
• Maniya Devi – Goddess worshipped by Chandelas
• Maniyagarh – Place of Origin.
• Rahila – 5th Ruler – subordinate to the Pratiharas
• Later: Independent rule began
 CHANDEL / CHANDELA DYNASTY
ORIGINS

• Capital city – Khajuraho

• later changed to Mahoba
• Khajuraho: part of the Pratihara kingdom
• Nannuk – founder and ruler of the small kingdom
which became the Chandela Dynasty.
• considered as the chief of his clan. Insert images
• Vakapati – successor – tenth century
• Assisted Pratiharas in the battle field
• Territory extended till Vindhya hills
• Jaishakti – successor : Successfully extended his
empire.
• Was also called Jai Jak
• region acquired the name of Jaijikbhukti

Title of the image with the source

CHANDEL / CHANDELA DYNASTY
1. Dhangdev– Successor:
1. Vajaishakti – successor: younger brother
1. Peak of power
1. Conquered neighboring areas.
2. Took over eastern part of Pratihara's kingdom lying
2. Rahil – Successor: north of the Yamuna.
1. Village Rahilya – south west of Mohaba was 3. Kalinjar attained great importance - regarded as the
named after him second capital
2. A tank known as Rahilyasagar 2. Chandella dynasty who ruled over central India for almost
half a millennium.
3. Harshdev – Successor:
3. Contribution of the Chandelas - famous temples of
1. 900 A.D. - extended dominion
Khajuraho – mid-10th and mid-11th centuries.
4. Yashorvarman – Successor:
4. Example of north Indian temple architecture of that era
5. Reached the banks of the Yamuna in one direction
5. Chandellas are known to give heritage of awesome art and
and the borders of Chedi and Malwa in the other.
sculptures. They are also known for a large number of Jain
and Hindu temples.
TEMPLES OF KHAJURAHO
1. Khajuraho – large city of Central India

2. Old name, as per inscriptions – Khajuravahaka,

Khajuravatika, Khajurapura or Khajjinpura.

3. Abundance of date trees – name origin.

4. Historically: 85 temples were present

1. A religious center

5. Temples destroyed due to:

1. Neglect and in military expeditions by Muslim

forces

6. Temples of Khajuraho

1. British India army Captain T.S. Burt rediscovered

Khajuraho temples in year 1838

2. 22 temples remaining
 KHAJURAHO TEMPLES BY REGION
WESTERN GROUP EASTERN GROUP JAIN GROUP SOUTH EASTERN

Kandariya Mahadev Brahma Temple Adinath Temple Chaturbhuj Temple

Temple Javari Temple Ghantai Temple Duladeo Temple
Lakshman Temple Vamana Temple Parshvanath Temple
Varaha Mandap Shatinath Temple
Chitragupta Temple
Devi Jagadambi Temple
Nandi Mandap
Vishvanath Temple
 ARCHITECTURE
CHANDELA DYNASTY
• Khajuraho popular for temples – sculpture and
architecture
• Location Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh
• Dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu and a variety of other
Hindu gods
• Built in North Indian Nagara Style
• Constructed between 950 -1050 A.D.
• It was considered as the golden period of Chandela
Dynasty - Central Indian region – independent
influence.
 ARCHITECTURE
CHANDELA DYNASTY
• Temples follow a grid geometrical
design
Aspect of Creat
• Vastu-purusha-mandala
Energy, the
• Plan has three important components
centre, the
• The circle of mandala circumscribes
the square. Garbhagriha
• The square is divine for its perfection
• Each supports the other.
Aspect of
• Square is divided into perfect 64 sub-
squares called padas.
God and
• Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 (64)
Goddess
padas grid
Parikrama
• Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with
pitha mandala the square grid
path, Aspect of
incorporated in the design of the spires. Human Life

Aspect of
Asura
 ARCHITECTURE
CHANDELA DYNASTY
• The primary deity or lingas are
located in the grid's Brahma
padas
• in the Garbha Griha.
• Above the temple's brahma pada
is a Sikhara (Vimana or Spire)
Insert images
• Rises symmetrically above the
Garbh Griha
• typically in a circles and
turning-squares concentric
layering design
• Flows from one to the other as
it rises towards the sky.
 ARCHITECTURE
CHANDELA DYNASTY
• Mandapas are arranged in a symmetric repeating
patterns
• Each sculpture is distinctive
• All the temples – east facing except one
• Devotee's entrance is from East side.
• This is often surrounded by smaller, subsidiary
towers (urushringa) and intermediate towers;
• Naturally draw the eye up
• Towards the highest point
• Resembles a series of hills
• Setting the temple on a raised base (adhisthana) -
promotes this vertical quality.
 ARCHITECTURE
FEATURES
• Amalaka - stone disk with ridges on the rim that is on
top of the temple's main tower.
• Crowned with a kalasha from which a temple banner
is hung.
• Ardhamandapa is the entrance porch that forms a
transitional area between the Mandapa and outside
world. Insert images

• Mandapa is a hall in the temple, forming a

transitional space between the Mahamandapa and
Ardhamandapa.
• Mahamandapa is the temple's main entrance-hall,
separated from the garbhagriha by an antarala.
 ARCHITECTURE
FEATURES
• At Khajuraho, a mahamandapa is indiacted by the
bumped-out portions which are perpendicular to the
temple's main axis.
• Antarala is a transitional space between a temple's
main hall and the inner sanctum.
• The exterior panels on these elements are the
primary sites for large panels with sculptures. Insert images

• Garbagirha is the temple's inner sanctum that

contains the image of the temple's primary deity.
• Urushringa are the smaller towers on the temple's
exterior that would lead the eye up to the highest
point.
• Adhishsthana is the raised base on which a temple
was built. These are high especially in the temples at
Khajuraho.

Title of the image with the source

URUSHRINGAS
1. A subsidiary tower

1. Attached to the main tower – shikhara

2. Lower and narrower than the shikhara

3. Strengthens the verticality of the temple

4. May give structural support by acting like a

buttress

5. Helps visualize the temple as a sacred

mountain
LAKSHMANA TEMPLE
 LAKSHMANA TEMPLE

• Dedicated to Shiva,

• Rises on a high platform

• ensuring visibility in the surrounding flat countryside from

afar.

• Independent subsidiary shrines

• located at the four corners of the platform

• sense of enclosure and defining a sacred precinct without the

actual existence of a wall.

• The temple consists of three mandapas preceding the main

shikhara.

• The mandapas are articulated in horizontal layers; the main

shikhara emphasizes the vertical.
• Distinguishing feature
• front elevations
• mandapas are designed so that
at eye level they all appear to
nestle into each other perfectly.
• The superstructure of every
Hindu temple is conceived as a
model of the universe;
• its purpose is to disclose to the
believer the inherent order and
beauty of that universe.
KANDARIYA MAHADEVA TEMPLE
 ARCHITECTURE
CHANDELA DYNASTY

• Built in the panchayatana style

• One central temple
• Four subshrines at four corners.
• Material: Granite or sandstone
• Shikharas: constructed by placing solid
blocks of stone upon four pillars
• Sculptures located on the outer wall of the
antaraal
• Columns and architraves – built with
megaliths.
• Arches created by corbelling
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