Temple Architecture 10 min read
Tag
Dravidian Architecture
7 resources tagged with Dravidian Architecture
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.