NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards

Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual

The Muslims started moving south which led to the shifting of the capital south at Madurai
The architecture flourished principally under the rule of Tirumalai Nayak 1623 – 1659
The Madura Style as it is also known as was a revival of the Pandya style of architecture

The expansion of the temples corresponded to the expansion of the temple ritual :
• The forms and ceremonies became more elaborate leading to the arrangement of buildings for the activities
• The increase in the structural form was due to the wider powers given to the deity

Planning of the temple:

Deity :
• The cella or Garbagriha was dark, symbolic of the return to the womb experience in temples
• The inner portions of the temples were hence strictly reserved for the sacred habitation of the god
• On certain occasions the deity is led in procession to take part in festivals, for which purpose temples utilized the outer precincts
• To hence satisfy the requirements of these rituals the temple resolves itself to 2 main primary formations
• 2 main parts of the temple:
• Inner covered sacred part
• Outer, open, more public less sanctified part
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual

INNER AREAS :

• Consisted of flat roofed courts, one enclosed within the other

• This normally covered a large rectangular space
• Within the inner of the 2 courts is the sanctum, the cupolas of which covered in gilt projects out through the flat roofs acting as the focal
center
• There is a guarded seclusion to the inner area

OUTER AREAS:

• Concentric series of open courtyards known as ‘Prakarams’

• Enclosed within high walls, open to sky as they are too large to be roofed
• Provide space for secular buildings connected with the ceremonies

EXPANSION OR GROWTH OF TEMPLES:

1. Inner Areas or Cella: Wholly covered and sacrosanct

• The Cella and the Portico form the sanctum – origin of temple
• Cella was enclosed within another flat roofed hall to protect the original sanctuary and to emphasize the sacredness
• Pillared aisles were added entrance through a small gopuram in front on the east
• Later the covered court was enclosed within a similar structure, division of the concentric corridors by means of pillars and pavilions
• 2 entrances on the E and W with a larger gopuram than the previous enclosure
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual

2. Outer Areas:
• The entire composition was enclosed within a rectangle by means of a high wall
• The remaining space was left to provide a wide open courtyard or Prakaram
• The enclosure was entered by Gopurams, one on the E and W
• The Gopuram on the E was the principal doorway and largest
• Various structures were erected inside - pillared halls or Mandapas and subsidiary shrines
• Semi religious buildings such as granaries, store rooms for ceremonial supplies
• Later concentric rectangles were added contained within higher enclosing walls leaving another open space between the inner and the outer
perimeters
• 4 entrances adorned the four walls in the center at the cardinal points
• Each consisted of a Gopuram larger than the previous one within the outermost enclosure 2 large important structures were built- Thousand
Pillared Hypostyle hall and a Square Tank of water for ablutions, lined with steps and surrounded by an arcade
• This formed the basis for temple layouts but layer temples were sometimes disproportionately enlarged – Srirangam which has 7 concentric
rectangular enclosures the whole resembling a town.
Concept of Temples:
Spiritual nor Architectural
The Gopurams induce a feeling of awe and majesty, leading to progressive halls, smaller and dimmer than the previous, till the mystery of
the Cella or darkened shrine to feel the presence of God
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual

Elements of Temple:

1. Gopuram in the exterior

• Characteristic of the southern style
• Most of them are 1st class Gopurams –
• 150’ high to 200’
• 16 stories
• central doorway 25’ high on longer side
• Forms a corridor through the gopuram
• Rooms on either side for guardian and the door keeper
• One of these rooms has a staircase to reach the gopuram with a wide landing at each
storey leading to the summit
External treatment
• Ht. of Gopuram emphasized by vertical lines
• Each storey has a perpendicular projection
• In-between each storey diminishing tiers, forming horizontal lines
• Horizontal portion sometimes had figures- which were life size.
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
Evolution of the Temple- Complexity in Plan due to Complexity in Ritual

2. Pillars or Colonnades in the interiors

Moderate ht. of 12’
Presence of a 1000 pillared hall e.g. At Madurai

4 kinds of pillars –
1. Square molded patterned simplest one enlarged to a square pier normally with radiating brackets
2. Rampant dragon -Most common type 1000 pillared hall
Superstructures are cleverly composed above the dragon pillars
Gryphon bracket, capital or beam
3. Deity
4. Portrait of the donor or family
The third and fourth are similar, bigger than life size and attached to the shafts
No structural significance, held by attachments to the shaft
Some cases provide additive support as seen at Meenakshi Temple Madurai.
All of theses support massive structures which are complicated .
Crouching dragons and foliated brackets predominate
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE – MADURAI

• The Meenakshi Sundareswaran temple (twin temples) is one of the biggest

temples in India.
• The original temple built by Kulasekara Pandyan was in ruins. The plan for the
current temple structure was laid by Viswanath Naik and was completed by
Tirumalai Nayakar.
• The Aadi, Chittirai, Maasi, and Veli streets surround the temple.
• Both temples are adorned with exquisite carvings & sculptures and gold plated
Vimana's.

• The temple has 2 main sanctuaries dedicated to Shiva

and his consort Meenakshi
• The temple is hence a temple within a temple
• The outer wall is almost a square measuring
• 850’ x 725’ with 4 large gateways towards the center of
the 4 sides
• The main Gopuram is on the E
NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards

Planning:
 The main Gopuram leads one to the pillared avenue 200’ x 100’
 This leads to the smaller Gopuram forming the eastern entrance to the 2 nd
Prakaram
 The 2nd Prakaram is a rectangular enclosure 420’ x 310’ having 4 gopurams in
the center of each wall
 All the Gopurams are smaller than the previous one as is the case with all
temples
 Most of the 2nd enclosure is covered with a flat roof, partly open in the N
 Within this is another court 250’ x 156’ with one entrance on the E
 The most elaborate part of the temple and the most intricate grouping of pillars
is found outside this entrance
 The sacred shrine is located inside the last entrance
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE – MADURAI

The Sanctum Sanctorum – Shiva:

• The shrine consists of 3 components
• Assembly hall
• Vestibule
• Cella
• The cella is surmounted by a shikhara which penetrates through the flat roof seen from
outside rising like a golden crown
• The courts, corridors, halls making up the enclosures have colonnades of pillars arranged
in long lines or groups forming diverse vistas in all directions
Sanctuary of Meenakshi:
• The other sanctuary of the temple is dedicated to Meenakshi – fish eyed
• Enclosure on the S side of the temple at the rear
• Half size reproduction having one compartment within the other
• 225’ x 150’ entered by 2 Gopurams the one on the W being larger then the E
• Rising above the flat roof is the cupola
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE –
Pool of Golden Lilies:
• Lies in front of the Meenakshi shrine
• Rectangular 165’ x 120’
• Surrounded by steps and a pillared portico on all 4 sides
• The great mass of the S Gopuram is seen in the background over 150’ high and
reflected on its surface
• In the middle is a tall brass lamp column.
• The reflection of the granite pillars in the colonnade adds beauty

From the NE corner of the tank in the outer enclosure is a Gopuram marking the
processional passage to the shrine indicating an independent entrance. There are
totally 11 Gopurams the 4 outer ones being 1st class over 150’ high
Mandapa:
• Court of 1000 Pillars was added in 1560 on the NE of the outer Prakaram
• 240’ x 250’
• Faces south alongside a wide pillared approach of the main entrance
• The interior consists of a central aisle with a double row of columns
• Small shrine on the N end – Sabhapati
• Behind the colonnades forming the aisle are row upon row of pillars – 985
columns
in all
• Flat roofed remarkable only for the interior with range of grotesquely carved piers
 NAYAK ARCHITECTURE – 1600 AD onwards
MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWAR TEMPLE –

• Outside the main enclosure in axial alignment with the E Gopuram is the Vasantha or Pudu
Mandapam – Tirumalai Nayak’s Choultry
• Parallelogram 330’ x 105’ built for 7 years
• Reception hall or temporary place for the deity during festivals
• Central nave and 2 aisles with 4 rows of pillars elaborately carved giving a wonderful
perspective of the interiors
• In the center is a separate group of columns with sculptured shafts with 10 life size statues of
the Nayak house and Tirumalai the builder of the mandapam