Temple Architecture 10 min read
Temple Architecture
Temple Architecture
South Indian Dravidian temple typology, elements, construction traditions and documentation considerations.
Glossary Terms (6)
Gopuram
The monumental gateway tower at the entrance of a Dravidian Hindu temple's enclosure wall — the dominant visual feature of major South Indian temple complexes.
Vimana
The pyramidal tower that rises above the garbhagriha (main shrine) of a Dravidian temple — the architecturally primary element of the temple complex.
Mandapam
The pillared hall or pavilion in a South Indian temple — providing congregational space, processional routes and settings for rituals — ranging from small entrance halls to vast thousand-pillar halls.
Prakaram
The rectangular enclosure wall surrounding a South Indian temple complex, typically with gopuram towers at its gateways — major temples have two to four concentric prakarams.
Garbhagriha
The innermost chamber of a Hindu temple housing the principal deity — a small, dark, sacred space above which the vimana rises. Access is typically restricted in active temples.
Dravidian Architecture
The dominant South Indian temple-building tradition, characterised by the pyramidal gopuram and vimana towers, originating with the Pallavas and reaching its peak under the Cholas and Nayaks.
We do Temple Architecture work
Evergreen Origins carries out temple architecture projects across South India.