What is a shikhara of a temple?

shikhara, (Sanskrit: “mountain peak”) also spelled shikara, also called shikar, in North Indian temple architecture, the superstructure, tower, or spire above the sanctuary and also above the pillared mandapas (porches or halls); it is the most dominant and characteristic feature of the Hindu temple in the north.

Why do temples have shikhara?

A shikhara over the garbhagriha chamber where the presiding deity is enshrined is the most prominent and visible part of a Hindu temple of North India. In the south, shikhara is a term for the top stage of the vimana only, which is usually a dome capped with a finial; this article is concerned with the northern form.

Why do Hindu temples have towers?

Temples serve as dwelling places for deities, surrounded by markets selling offerings and flowers. Above the sanctuaries are central towers, shaped like the mountain home of the gods and brightly painted.

What is the top of a temple called?

A Hindu temple has a Shikhara (Vimana or Spire) that rises symmetrically above the central core of the temple. These spires come in many designs and shapes, but they all have mathematical precision and geometric symbolism.

What is a shikhara one word answer?

Answer: A shikhara is the topmost pointed portion of a temple.

Why was shikhara built?

Answer: The most important part of a Hindu temple was the garbha griha. A tower was usually built on top of the garbha griha. This was done to mark it as the sacred place. This tower was called the shikhara.

What is shikhara answer?

Who built shikhara?

It was completed around 1009 by Rajaraja Chola and is the largest and tallest of all Indian temples. The temples pyramidal multi-storeyed Vimana rises a massive seventy metres, topped by a monolithic shikhara, and the kalasha on top by itself is about three metres and eight centimetres in height.

What was the tall tower temple known as?

gopuram
A gopuram or gopura is a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of any temple, especially in Southern India. They are a prominent feature of koils, Hindu temples built in the Dravidian style….Tallest Gopurams.

What is a shikhara Class 7 answer?

What is a shikhara in history?

A shikhara is the topmost pointed portion of a temple. It forms the neck of the temple. The shikhara of the north Indian temple is different from the South Indian one. The north Indian shikhara was basically curvillinear in shape.

What is the meaning of shikhara in architecture?

Written By: Shikhara, (Sanskrit: “mountain peak”)also spelled shikara, also called shikar, in North Indian temple architecture, the superstructure, tower, or spire above the sanctuary and also above the pillared mandapas (porches or halls); it is the most dominant and characteristic feature of the Hindu temple in the north.

What is the meaning of ‘sikhara’ in a temple?

‘Sikhara’ meaning the tower or the spire  It is the pyramidal or tapering portion of the temple which represents the mythological ‘Meru’ or the highest mountain peak.  The shape and the size of the tower vary from region to region. 2.

What are the major differences between Nagara VS Dravidian style temple architecture?

The major differences between Nagara vs Dravidian Style Temple Architecture are: Temples located in Northern India are classified as Nagara Style. The Dravidian style has 1 single Shikhara. In Dravidian Style, it is always a single tower. In Dravidian Style, the most prominent element is the Gopuram.

What is the difference between Dravidian and Shikhara style?

The Dravidian style has 1 single Shikhara. In Dravidian Style, it is always a single tower. In Dravidian Style, the most prominent element is the Gopuram. In Dravidian Style, the entrance has Dwarapalas.