Temples have housed thousands of devotees to practice their religious beliefs across the world, India being on top of the list. From North India to South India,  temples in India have a number of regional styles within them, but the basic elements remain the same across all periods and styles. Hindu temple architecture is mainly divided into Dravidian (South Indian) and Nagara (North Indian) styles. The elements same across all temples are- Garba Griha (inner sanctuary), Murti (cult image of the deity), Shikhara/ Vimana (tower-like structure), and the Mandapa (congregation hall). 

The earliest preserved Hindu temples are simple cell-like stone temples, some rock-cut and other structures in timber-based architecture that hardly have survived till date. The rock-cut Udayagiri Caves are among the most important early sites. Examples of early major North Indian temples that have survived after the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh include Parvati Temple, Nachna; Lakshman Brick Temple, Sirpur; and Rajiv Lochan temple, Rajim.  The South Indian temple consists essentially of a square-chambered sanctuary topped by a superstructure (maṇḍapa or maṇṭapam), enclosed by a peristyle of cells within a rectangular court. The external walls of the temple are segmented by pilasters and carry niches housing sculpture. The superstructure above the sanctuary is of the kūṭina type and consists of an arrangement of gradually receding stories in a pyramidal shape. Each story is delineated by a parapet of miniature shrines, square at the corners and rectangular with barrel-vault roofs at the centre.

Lavishly decorated temples were constructed in Central India. Examples include the Lingaraj Temple and Sun Temple in Odisha, Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu. The main influence of these designs were from Indian traders who brought Indian architecture to South East Asia through various trade routes.  

Hoysala Architecture is Karnataka’s contribution to Indian architecture, from the Hoysala Empire. Research on the Hoysala architectural style has shown a negligible Indo-Aryan influence while the impact of Southern Indian style is more distinct. Hoysala temple architecture is famous for its attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship. The temples of Belur and Halebidu are proposed UNESCO world heritage sites.  Approximately 100 Hoysala temples survive today.

Temples that have had architectural impact are- Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand, Somnath Temple in Gujarat, Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu, Vaishno Devi Mandir in Jammu and Kashmir, Siddhivinayak Temple in Maharashtra, Golden Temple in Punjab, Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh, Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan, Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Maharashtra and ISKON Temple in Uttar Pradesh to name a few. These places should not be limited just to worship but also to be visited for the intricate designs and details, and its constructional aspects as well for it holds our history within its walls. 

Which of these temples have you visited? Tell us in the comments below.