{"id":31364,"date":"2026-10-27T17:21:50","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T11:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=31364"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:21:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T11:51:50","slug":"nagara-style-of-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/nagara-style-of-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"Nagara Style of Architecture, Features, Types, Schools, Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:align-top\">The <strong>Nagara<\/strong> <strong>style of architecture<\/strong> is a major tradition of Indian temple architecture associated primarily with northern India. Its most recognisable feature is the shikhara, a rising tower above the sanctum that commonly follows a curving profile. Raised platforms, sculpted walls, pillared halls, and carefully arranged subsidiary shrines are other important features.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:align-top\">The Nagara style of temple architecture developed into several regional traditions rather than a single uniform design. The temples of Khajuraho, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and the Himalayan region demonstrate how builders adapted shared architectural principles to local materials, religious practices, and artistic preferences.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture About<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Nagara style of architecture, which flourished in northern India, is marked by its distinctive features such as the Garbhagriha, the curvilinear Shikhara, and the Mandapa.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Temple Structure: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Nagara style of structure is generally divided into three main parts: the Pithika (plinth), the Mandovara (walls), and the Shikhara.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A defining feature of the Nagara style is its curvilinear Shikhara, which is four-sided, square, or oblong with a pointed finial at its top.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Exterior of the Nagara Style:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Nagara temples are marked by horizontal tiers, as seen in the Jagamohana or porch before the sanctum of the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/lingaraja-temple\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lingaraja temple<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at Bhubaneswar, while the Vimana is often circular in layout.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture Features\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While elements of the Nagara style of architecture first emerged as early as the sixth century A.D., according to excavated temple ruins, the style reached its full development by the eighth century.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31370  aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/10\/27164748\/Nagara-Temple-Architecture-Study-Chart.png\" alt=\"Nagara Style of Architecture\" width=\"658\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/10\/27164748\/Nagara-Temple-Architecture-Study-Chart.png 1059w, https:\/\/vajiramias.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp\/upsc-exam\/2026\/10\/27164748\/Nagara-Temple-Architecture-Study-Chart-768x537.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Components of Nagara Temple<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara style of architecture temples feature elements such as the garbhagriha, mandapa and shikhara, along with architectural features that support and decorate the temple.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Garbhagriha:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The principal image is housed in the garbhagriha (sanctum), which is usually found beneath the tallest tower (shikhara) of the temple.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mandapa:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The mandapa (pillared hall) serves as the hall or passage leading to the sanctum, where devotees gather for darshan. Over time, additional mandapas were built, and the sanctum was often enclosed by a circumambulatory path (pradakshina patha).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Shikhara:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the earliest temples, roofs were flat, but later they evolved into pyramid-like forms. This structure, known as the shikhara, rose upward as a tall spire that gradually narrowed at the summit.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Jagati<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is the raised platform on which a Nagara temple is built, and above it lies the pitha, a smaller stage. From this level rises the adhisthana, the foundational base that supports the temple\u2019s superstructure.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Other components:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> bhadra, \u015birsa, amalaka, bijapuraka, and rathika.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Plan of the temple<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unlike the Dravidian style, Nagara style of architecture temples generally lack grand boundary walls or monumental gateways. Their ground plan is typically square or rectangular in form.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Decorative elements<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These temples are richly embellished with detailed carvings and sculptures. River goddesses (Ganga and Yamuna) are usually found at the entrance of a garbhagriha in a Nagara temple. Walls and pillars display apsaras, yaksas, yaksis, amalakas, and garlands.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture Types<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The major types of Nagara style of architecture include Rekha-Prasada, Phamsana, and Valabhi, each distinguished by its roof form and architectural characteristics.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rekha Prasada<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is marked by a square base, with its walls curving or sloping inward to meet at a point at the top.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As the Latina structures became more intricate, the temple started to hold numerous smaller towers, the tallest of which was located in the middle, above the garbhagriha, and were grouped like rising mountain peaks.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Latina shikhara further developed into two sub-types: the shekhari and the bhumija.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Shekhari: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A variation in which the main Latina shikhara is surrounded by smaller subsidiary spires (urushringas), creating a more elaborate and clustered appearance.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bhumija:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A variation characterised by miniature spires arranged in regular vertical and horizontal rows on the main tower, creating a geometrical pattern.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Phamsana<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Phamsana structures are generally broader and lower in height compared to Latina structures and are mainly built for mandapas<\/span><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Their roofs consist of multiple slabs that gradually slope upward, meeting at a single point above the centre of the building. Example: Jagmohan of Konark Temple<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Valabhi<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These are rectangular buildings with a roof that rises into a vaulted chamber; therefore, they are usually called 'wagon-vaulted buildings\u2019. Example: Telika Mandir Temple, Gwalior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture Sub-Schools<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Nagara style of architecture developed several regional sub-schools across India, shaped by local materials, artistic traditions, and construction techniques. The major sub-schools include the Odisha, Khajuraho, and Gujarat\u2013Rajasthan schools, each distinguished by its architectural features and temple designs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Odisha School<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some of the best examples of Nagara-style architecture, which was popular from the seventh to the thirteenth centuries CE, may be seen in the temples of Odisha. Here, the shikhara, locally known as the deul, rises vertically for most of its height and then bends sharply inward near the top.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Types of Deul: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The distinctive architectural forms of Odisha temples are grouped into three categories: rekhapida, pidhadeul, and khakra.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rekha-deul: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its sikhara or spire is linear or straight. Here, Rekha means straight, and deul means temple. Examples include Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Pidha-deul: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its shikhara rises in diminishing pidha tiers. \u2018Pidha\u2019 refers to horizontal receding tiers resembling platforms. The Jagamohana, or assembly hall built before the sanctum, is typical of the pidha-deul style. Like the Jagmohan of the Konark <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/sun-temples-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sun Temple<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Khakhara-deul:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The sikhara's roof has a gourd-like or barrel-like appearance. Here, the word \"khakhara\" is derived from the word \"khakharu,\" which refers to a gourd and pumpkin. Example: Baitala Deula, Bhubaneswar.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>More Features:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The \"hall of dance\" (natya mandapa) and the \"hall of offerings\" (bhoga-mandapa) are two of the venues that are used.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The construction of Torana-Dvara, an arched entrance in front of the temple that stands alone.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Solanki School<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under the Solankis, the temple architecture style was Maru-Gurjara (a mixture of old regional traditions).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Components: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Garbhagriha, gudha-mandapa or mahamandapa, and antrala (a porch in front of the gudha-mandapa).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ranga-mandapa:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Open and half-walled, allowing light and air to flow freely.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sikhara: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is embellished with urahsringa (small subsidiary spires attached to the main shikhara) and begins atop the cornice.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Example: Sun temple at Modhera, built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Chandela School<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Chandelas of Khajuraho (Bundelkhand) were prolific temple builders during the 10th to 11th centuries A.D.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Two types of temples in Khajuraho: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These temples are classified into two types based on the presence or absence of a circumambulatory path (pradakshinapatha) around the sanctum. These are Nirandhara and Sandhara temples.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Nirandhara-type temples<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: No pardaksinapatha or circumambulatory path.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Sandhara-type temples: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No circumambulatory path around the sanctum.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Features: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Chandela School of temple architecture is distinguished by its intricate carvings, distinctive structural designs, and refined craftsmanship, reflecting the artistic excellence of the Khajuraho temples.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Balconied windows with sloping sun-shades or chajjas<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Constructed from granite and premium sandstone that ranges in colour from buff to pink or pale yellow.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Known as pancayatana temples since they consist of a primary shrine and four smaller, subsidiary shrines at each of its four corners that stand on the same platform. Each compartment or mandapa has its own shikhara.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Examples: Kandariya-Mahadeva, the Lakshmana, and the Visvanatha temples.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style Temples Region Wise<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Nagara temple style evolved from the basic Gupta structural temples to more complex temples in Medieval India. The temples of the Nagara style are found in Central (Northern), Western, and Eastern India.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Central India<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many characteristics of the Nagara style of architecture can be found in the ancient temples of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh has some of the oldest surviving structural temples from the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/gupta-empire\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gupta period<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Each shrine has four pillars that support a small mandapa that looks like a simple square porch-like extension before an equally small room that serves as the garbhagriha.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most noticeable feature is that they are made of sandstone.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of the two surviving temples, one stands at Udaigiri near Vidisha within a Hindu cave-shrine complex, while the other at Sanchi near the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/stupas\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>stupa<\/strong> <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is notable as the first flat-roofed temple.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deogarh Temple (west-facing) in Uttar Pradesh (sixth century CE). This temple is in the panchayatana style of architecture with three main reliefs of Vishnu on the temple walls.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other examples include the Lakshmana Temple of Khajuraho and the Kandariya Mahadeo temple at Khajuraho.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">West India<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The temples in the north-western parts of India, including Gujarat and Rajasthan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Temple stones<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Although most sculptures are made of sandstone, some sculptures from the 10th to 12th centuries use grey to black basalt<\/span><b>.<\/b>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Example: The soft white marble found in the 15th-century Ranakpur temple and several of the Jain temples on Mount Abu from the 10th to 12th centuries.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important art-historical sites in the region:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Samlaji in Gujarat, which demonstrates how the region's previous artistic traditions blended with post-Gupta design to create a unique sculpting style.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sun temple at Modhera:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It was built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026. There is a massive rectangular stepped tank called the Surya Kund in front of it, which is perhaps the grandest temple tank in India<\/span><b>.<\/b>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lavish carving and sculpture work shows the influence of Gujarat's woodcarving tradition. The sun shines directly into this central shrine every year at the equinoxes.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">East India<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Temples in Eastern India include those in the North East, Bengal, and Odisha. Each of these three areas produced unique temples. Until the seventh century, Terracotta, which depicts Buddhist and Hindu deities in Bengal, was the primary building material.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Assam: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A sixth-century sculpted door frame from the Da Parvatia temple near Tezpur shows a post-Gupta style.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, a distinctive regional style known as the Ahom style emerged in and around Guwahati by the twelfth to fourteenth century. For example: Kamakhya temple of the 17th century.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Bengal: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The mid-eleventh to mid-thirteenth century sculptures are named after the Sena monarchs, whereas the sculptures from the ninth to eleventh centuries in Bengal and Bihar are referred to as the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/all-about-pala-dynasty\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pala Dynasty <\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">style.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Example: Siddheshvara Mahadeva temple (9th century) shows a tall curving shikhara crowned by a large amalaka.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Hills<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The hills of Kumaon, Garhwal, Himachal, and Kashmir gave rise to a distinctive architectural style.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Features of the temples:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The tradition of wooden buildings with pitched roofs is visible. At several places in the hills, while the main garbhagriha and shikhara are made in a rekha-prasada style, the mandapa is of an older form of wooden architecture.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Kashmir: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the 5th century CE, the area had a strong Gandhara impact due to its close proximity to important Gandhara sites, including Taxila, Peshawar, and the northwest boundary.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This started to blend with the Gupta and post-Gupta customs that were introduced from places like Sarnath and Mathura, as well as places in Gujarat and Bengal.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Example: The Pandrethan Temple of the Karkota period was built during the eighth and ninth centuries.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Kumaon:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The temples at Jageshwar, close to Almora, and Champavat, close to Pithoragarh, are two of Kumaon's most iconic Nagara architectural designs.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture vs Dravidian Architecture\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Nagara and Dravidian styles are the two major traditions of Hindu temple architecture in India. The Nagara style developed primarily in northern India, while the Dravidian style became prominent in southern India; they differ mainly in tower design, temple layout, and gateways.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 96.0919%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 17.6353%\"><b>Feature<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 32.6921%\"><strong>Nagara Style of Architecture<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"width: 44.9632%\"><b>Dravidian Style of Architecture<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Geographical region<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Predominantly North India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Predominantly South India<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Temple tower<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Curvilinear tower called Shikhara<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stepped-pyramidal tower called Vimana<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Temple enclosure<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally lacks elaborate boundary walls<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Usually enclosed within compound walls<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Gateway<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally lacks monumental entrance gateways<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Features prominent gateways called Gopurams<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Tower summit<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often features an Amalaka and Kalasha<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Often features a crowning element called Stupi<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Temple platform<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Commonly built on a raised stone platform<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Built within an enclosed temple complex, sometimes on a raised platform<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Sanctum (Garbhagriha)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located beneath the tallest Shikhara<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located beneath the Vimana<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Water structures<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Temple tanks are not a defining feature<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Temple tanks are common in many temple complexes<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.6353%\">\r\n<p><strong>Examples<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 32.6921%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kandariya Mahadeva, Khajuraho; Sun Temple, Konark<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 44.9632%\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur; Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nagara Style of Architecture UPSC PYQs<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><b>Q1:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Which of the following temples has\/have a Nagara-style shikhara? <b>(UPSC Prelims 2026)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Select the answer using the code given below:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">1 and 2<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2 and 3<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3 only<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3 and 4<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><b>Ans: (b)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Q2:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> With reference to the cultural history of India, the term 'Panchayatan' refers to <\/span><b>(UPSC Prelims 2014)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">an assembly of village elders<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a religious sect<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a style of temple construction<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">an administrative functionary<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><b>Ans: (c)<\/b><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nagara style of architecture is a major tradition of Indian temple architecture associated primarily with northern India. Read about Nagara style, example, features &#038; types.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":31375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,23],"tags":[2156,40,619],"class_list":["post-31364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-notes","category-upsc-art-culture-notes","tag-nagara-style-of-architecture","tag-quest","tag-upsc-art-and-culture-notes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31364"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31388,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31364\/revisions\/31388"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}