Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

ARCHITECTURE

the Hoysala Kings flamboyantly set about evolving entirely new patterns for their places of worship. Firstly, they planned temples and shrines within which were situated more than one cenral gar- bagriha or inner cella. These cella, even upto 5 in number in some temples, were grouped along one end of a large common mandapa. Further the plan of each of these cellas was an elaborate star shape, seemingly defying the sanctity invested in the square by the Hindu art canons. On analysis however, one finds that the builder had derived even their complex stellar outline from the purity of the square. This was achieved by rotating the square around its fixed centre, and turning its diagonal through a series of equal angles. The resulting outline of the intersecting corners of so many superim- posed squares emerges as a star. The number of its points and their proportions could be varied merely by changing the angle through which the diagonal was turned at every step. TIRUMALA TEMPLE A major part of the temple is built completely in the Vijayanagar style. The main temple is a masterpiece of South Indian architec- ture. It has a glittering gold-covered Vimanam, rising over the sanctum. The temple complex consists of three main enclosures or 'prakarams'. The first is the 'sampangi prad.akshin.am' or the outer- most gate within which are exquisitely crafted statues and the gold covered towering pillar called the 'dhwajastambham' . The 'Kalyan- amandapam' in this enclosure houses the 'vahanas' or sacred ve- hicles.

The 'Swayambhu' or naturally formed 2m high idol of Sri Ve- nkateshwara depicts the Lord's standing image on a lotus. Of its four arms the two at the back carry the 'Shankha' or conch and the 'chakra' or discus while on the chest are the images of Goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The jet black idol is a glit- tering mass of gold and jewels. Most striking is the fabulous dia- mond crown which is said to be the costliest single ornament ever made in the world. Temple structures are broadly divisible into 5 parts viz. the plinth

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called the upapitha, the basement called the adhistana, pillar called the stambha, the entablature called the prastara and the top portion called the sikhara. In a mandapa the adhistana is identical with that of a temple and the pillars are made of the items mentioned above. The pillar or stambha is sometimes square and at other times octagonal. The pillar is always raised by a base asvapada. It is formed of three cubical parts called 'saduram' and of two prismatic parts with facets called 'rattai'. Normally in a modern pillar a little ornament called nagabandha resembling the hood of a cobra is seen.

J The second enclosure the 'vimana pradakshinam' contains the sacred well, kitchen and several important shrines. The innermost enclosure, the 'Vaikunta pradakshinam' is opened only once every year. Beautiful gold-covered gates guard the entrance to the main sanctum sanctorum.