Hoysala architecture is the building style in Hindu temple architecture developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, in the region known today as Karnataka, a state of India. Hoysala influence was at its peak in the 13th century, when it dominated the Southern Deccan Plateau region. Large and small temples built during this era remain as examples of the Hoysala architectural style, including the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura. These three temples were accorded UNESCO world heritage site status in 2023. Other examples of Hoysala craftsmanship are the temples at Belavadi, Amruthapura, Hosaholalu, Mosale, Arasikere, Basaralu, Kikkeri and Nuggehalli. Study of the Hoysala architectural style has revealed a negligible Indo-Aryan influence while the impact of Southern Indian style is more distinct.
Indian architecture is rooted in the history, culture, and religion of India. Among several architectural styles and traditions, the best-known include the many varieties of Hindu temple architecture and Indo-Islamic architecture, especially Rajput architecture, Mughal architecture, South Indian architecture, and Indo-Saracenic architecture. Early Indian architecture was made from wood, which did not survive due to rotting and instability in the structures. Instead, the earliest existing architecture are made with Indian rock-cut architecture, including many Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples.
Hindu temple architecture as the main form of Hindu architecture has many different styles, though the basic nature of the Hindu temple remains the same, with the essential feature an inner sanctum, the garbha griha or womb-chamber, where the primary Murti or the image of a deity is housed in a simple bare cell. For rituals and prayers, this chamber frequently has an open space that can be moved in a clockwise direction. There are frequently additional buildings and structures in the vicinity of this chamber, with the largest ones covering several acres. On the exterior, the garbhagriha is crowned by a tower-like shikhara, also called the vimana in the south. The shrine building often includes an circumambulatory passage for parikrama, a mandapa congregation hall, and sometimes an antarala antechamber and porch between garbhagriha and mandapa. In addition to other small temples in the compound, there may be additional mandapas or buildings that are either connected or separate from the larger temples.
The Architecture of Bengal, which comprises the modern country of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley, has a long and rich history, blending indigenous elements from the Indian subcontinent, with influences from different parts of the world. Bengali architecture includes ancient urban architecture, religious architecture, rural vernacular architecture, colonial townhouses and country houses and modern urban styles. The bungalow style is a notable architectural export of Bengal. The corner towers of Bengali religious buildings were replicated in medieval Southeast Asia. Bengali curved roofs, suitable for the very heavy rains, were adopted into a distinct local style of Indo-Islamic architecture, and used decoratively elsewhere in north India in Mughal architecture.
Western Chalukya architecture, also known as Kalyani Chalukya or Later Chalukya architecture and broadly classified under the Vesara Style, is the distinctive style of ornamented architecture that evolved during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire in the Tungabhadra region of modern central Karnataka, India, during the 11th and 12th centuries. Western Chalukyan political influence was at its peak in the Deccan Plateau during this period. The centre of cultural and temple-building activity lay in the Tungabhadra region, where large medieval workshops built numerous monuments. These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida temples, form a climax to the wider regional temple architecture tradition called Vesara or Karnata dravida. Temples of all sizes built by the Chalukyan architects during this era remain today as examples of the architectural style.
The Siddhesvara Temple is located in Haveri in Haveri district, Karnataka state, India. It is considered an ornate example of 12th-century Western Chalukyan art and is well known for the many loose sculptures of Hindu deities that exist in it. However, inscriptional evidence would suggest that the initial consecration of the temple was in the late 11th century. An exciting aspect of the temple is that it faces west instead of facing the rising sun in the east–a standard in Chalukyan constructions. Though it is currently used as a Shaiva temple dedicated to God Shiva, historians are unsure by which faith or sect the temple was consecrated initially and to which deity. Many people visit the temple for their spiritual beliefs, while evidence about temple visits can be found in Gita chapter 17, verse 23, which says otherwise. Most of the Lord Shiva sculptures are observed to be of him meditating. There are claims that he meditates on himself, whereas some proof can be found in Devi-Bhagavata Purana that Lord Shiva meditates for some other God. This uncertainty perhaps stems from the many loose sculptures of deities and the degradation of primary wall images.
The Puthia Temple Complex consists of a cluster of notable old Hindu temples in Puthia Upazila, Rajshahi District, Bangladesh. Located 23 km to the east of Rajshahi city, it has the largest number of historic temples in Bangladesh. The temples were built by Hindu Zamindars Rajas of the Puthia Raj family who were noted philanthropists of Rajshahi. The temples have been built in terracotta in a variety of styles combining the typical Jor-bangla architecture with other influences. The Rajbari or Palace of the Raja of Puthia and the Dol Mancha are part of the complex. The temples are laid out around a lake named Shyam Sagar and the complex is surrounded by a moat called Shiv Sagar.
Samta is a village and a gram panchayat in the Howrah district of West Bengal, India, on the banks of the Rupnarayan river. Samta is noted for being the home of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay for twelve years, starting from the year 1923. The terracotta temple of Madangopal jiu is located in the neighbouring village of Mellak. Samta is connected to the state capital, Kolkata, through the National Highway 6, that also connects it to the nearby towns of Bagnan and Kolaghat. Samta hosts few educational facilities including the Samta Sarat Chandra Girls High School, among others.
Deula is an architectural element in a Hindu temple in the Kalinga architecture style of the Odishan temples in Eastern India. Sometimes the whole temple is also referred to as Deula. The word "deula" in Odia language means a building structure built with a particular style that is seen in most of the temples from Odisha. Deul is also used in English, though the deul temples are also of a different form in the Manbhum region of Western Bengal.
Manwal is a town in Udhampur district of the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies 28 km (17 mi) away from the district headquarters of Udhampur.
Bara Ahnik Mandir is a Hindu temple of the Puthia Temple Complex in Puthia Upazila, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. It stands next to Chauchala Chhota Govinda Mandir and faces east. It was built by the Rajas of Puthia. It follows a mixed form of Bengal temple architecture with a central Do Chala flanked with two Char Chala structures on both sides. The only other of known existence of something similar type in Bangladesh being Rajaram Mandir in Faridpur District.
Mankar is a village in Galsi I CD Block in Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal, India.
The Galteshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located at Sarnal village near Dakor in Kheda district, Gujarat, India. The 12th century temple is unique in its style and of its period because it is built in central Indian Malwa style, bhumija, without influence of Paramara architecture and with influence of Gujarati Chaulukya architecture. It has a square garbhagriha as well as octagonal mandapa.
Nandhikesvarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Thenur in Perambalur district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Byaspur Shiva Temple is a famous Shiva temple located at Byaspur in Kashimbazar, Murshidabad district. The worshiped in this temple is Byasa Dev, a form of Shiva – one of Hinduism's trinity of supreme divinity. The temple was built in 1811, and renovated in 1918 and 1995.
Chala Style is a style of Bengal temple architecture, that originated in Bengal from the 15th centuries. Originating as a regional style in Hindu temple architecture. The main features of this style are curved tops and cornices. Chala-style temples in West Bengal were made of mud walls and thatched roofs. But, in East Bengal it was built with bamboo structures and thatched roofs.
Ramkeli Madanmohan Jiu Mondir is a Vaishnava temple at Ramkeli village in West Bengal. Hindu god Krishna is worshiped in the form of Madanamohan in this temple. It is located in the ruined medieval city of Gauda in Malda district. Built by Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami, known as Mahavaishnavas, the temple stands in the northern part of the village. The present temple building is a great example of the combination of Dalan and Ratna architecture of the district; however, the temple was established in the first decade of the 16th century.
Kotulpur Sridhar Temple is a Vishnu temple at Shiromanipur village in West Bengal. Hindu God Vishnu is worshiped as Sridhar (Shaligram) in this temple. It is located in Kotulpur police station of Bankura district. Built by Bhadra family known as traders and zamindars, the temple stands within the Bhadra palace. The temple is a great example of ratna architecture, which was erected in the early-fourth decade of the 19th century.
Gopinath Temple, also known as Jor-Bangla Temple, is a Krishna temple at Pabna city of Rajshahi Division. In the past, the Hindu god Krishna was worshiped as Gopinath in this temple, but currently no worship is done. It is believed that the temple was built by Brajmohan Krori who was the tahsildar of Murshidabad Nawab. The temple is a great example of Jor-Bangla temple architecture belongs to Chala style, which was built in the 6th decade of the 19th century.
Keshto Ray Temple, also known as Jor-Bangla Temple, is a Krishna temple at Bishnupur city of Medinipur Division. In the past, the Hindu god Krishna was worshiped as Keshto Ray in this temple. According to the Inscriptional plaque, the temple was founded by 51st King of Mallabhum kingdom Raghunath Singha in 1655. The temple is a great example of Jor-Bangla temple architecture, which belong to the chala style.
