||Introduction||Temple Architecture|| Cave Architecture||Rajput Architecture|| Jain Architecture || Indo-Islamic Architecture||Colonial Architecture||Modern Architecture||Sculpture in India||World Heritage Sites|| 
||Famous Architects & Sculptors of India|| 

||Solanki Style || Gupta Style || Orissa Style || Chalukyan Style || South Indian Style||

SOLANKI STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE

The Solanki style of temple architecture that flourished in Gujarat has all the essential features of a north Indian temple, but bears the closest affinities to the Rajasthan style. On plan, it consists of a sanctum, a closed hall and a porch that are inter-connected internally and externally. The wall faces are broken by numerous indentations, projected and recessed alternately, which are continued along the elevation, producing a pleasing contrast of light and shade. In larger temples a detached peristylar hall is added in the same axis, often preceded by a torana or ornamental arched entrance. In rare cases the hall has more storeys than one. The temple at Sunak (10^th century), Sun temple at Modhera (11^th century), the Vemala Temple at Mount Abu (11^th century) and the Somnath Temple at Kathiawar (12^th century) are some of the best examples of this style of architecture.  

THE CHANDELAS

 The Chandelas of Jijihoti or Bundelkhand were known as great builders during the l0th-11th centuries. It is they who built the temples at Khajuraho justly famous for their graceful contours and erotic sculptures. These 22 temples (out of the original 85) are regarded as one of world's greatest artistic wonders.  The Khajuraho Temples do not illustrate a development over a long period of time but were built within a short period of hundred years from 950-1050 A.D. The Khajuraho Temples have highly individualistic architectural character and are generally small in size.  Each temple is divided into three main compartments - the cella or garbha griha, an assembly hall or mandapa and an entrance portico or ardha mandapa.   Some temples also contain the antarala or vestibule to the cella and the transepts or maha-mandapa. The Kendriya Mahadev temple is the largest and most beautiful of the Khajuraho Temples.   The Shiva Temple at Visvanath and the Vishnu Temple at Chaturbhanj are other important temples at Khajuraho.

||Introduction||Temple Architecture|| Cave Architecture||Rajput Architecture|| Jain Architecture || Indo-Islamic Architecture||Colonial Architecture||Modern Architecture||Sculpture in India||World Heritage Sites|| 
||Famous Architects & Sculptors of India||