Hindu Temple Architecture- 200 BCE-300 CE
Many small dynasties became powerful during the period between 200 and 300 BC. At this time that a dramatic change is seen in field of architecture sculpture. Most of the architectural arts we see in India were made during this time.
Religion was given more importance in architectural sculpture during this period. However, there are differences between some Eastern and Western researchers in this field. As Anand Kumaraswamy and Stella Kamorrez point out, architecture is a new aspect of deep spiritual Indian doing.
Many times the architecture and sculpture of the Yaksha, Yaksini, Naga, Nagis are sculpted by them. In that case, people used to worship their God at that time.
According to the sources of the Mahaparinirana of the Buddha, it is known that many Chaityas were built in Vaishali. Two engraved broken pillars have been found in Amravati . One of these is to do the carved of a tree that is covered by railing. Here is a 2nd century BCE Brahmi inscription, which depicts the Bahuputa Chaitya.
In another place it is seen that people worship the feet & tree of the Buddha. Here is an inspection which indicates that it is a Chopla Chaitya.
Early Hindu temple & sculpture
Central India:
Speaking of the Hindu temples of this period, it is necessary to say first that many temples have been destroyed during archaeological excavations.
A Vishnu temple was found near Herodotus pillar in Bidisha, Madhya Pradesh.
This temple dates to the 3rd century BCE.
The temple has a brick pillar and is made of clay, wood, and leaves.
It was one of the largest mud platforms of the time, which was destroyed by floods.
At this time a place called dangwada was found in central India where two elliptical architectures were found. One of which has a pillar boulder.
One of which has a clay seal mentioned that it was a Shiva temple.
Another temple has two mud pillars carved with mud seal that was a Vishnu temple.
Rajasthan:
Madhyamika is an ancient city situated in the city of Chittorgarh district.
Here is an inscription from the 1st century BCE.
According to this inscription a stone building has been found here and it has been identified as Vishnu Temple
Below it is found another old building dating to the 3rd century BCE.
They have two elliptical structures.
These structures are mainly made of clay, and a broken and limestone floor has been found here.
Uttar Pradesh
Archaeologists excavated a small mound on the side of a large mound in Atranjikhera in the Eta district and found a dome-shaped temple, which dates to the late NBPW phase period iv D (200-50 BCE).
On the surface of this temple is found the relief of a gaja-lakshmi.
Where two elephants are pouring water on the goddess.
Therefore, it is said that this temple is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi.
Mathura:
The temple was discovered in a city complex in Sonak, Mathura.
There are many settlements and roads around the aspidal number 1 temple.
Here are 9 structures found in which time is 1st and 2nd century CE.
Here is an image of the altar covered with large pillars.
In addition there is a mother plaque, made of red sandstone and found on the floor.
Also in this temple are many plaque of Mahisasurmardini and goddess Durga.
The temple was square types.
Aspidal number 2:
It was found in the Sonak's main area, where a pond with a large brick platform was found.
The roof inside is a arch-shape ceiling.
The enternce is arch-shapped and a musical presence is seen there.
The temple is surrounded by stone walls. Which has carved on both sides
The architectural fragment found here carries a figurine of boar on the lower lintel of gateway and Naga, Nagis sits on the throne.
Many stone sculptures, terracotta plaques, inscriptions, and seven-headed naga images were found in this temple.
That's why it is considered as the Naga Temple
Andhra Pradesh:
Parashurameswara temple has been found in Goodimalam in Chitto district of Andhra Pradesh.
It was a Shiva temple of the 2nd century BCE.
Sharma, which was excavated in 1994.
In ancient times Shivling was depicted in a stone
This temple was hypaethal, means that it had no roof on its head.
Here are the bones of some livestock sheep whose cut marks indicate that the animals were sacrificed here.
Based on the architecture of this temple in phase-ll, it is believed to date from the 1st to 3rd century CE.
At this time, the temple was surrounded by shivling.
Nagarjunakonda:
It is located in the ancient city of Vijayapura, which is called the capital of the Ikshaku dynasty(225-325CE).
It was situated in the valley of NalaMalai. The river Krishna flows along it, which has a palace, bathing, monuments, Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas on its banks.
Sarkar and Mishra in 1972 discovered in this area and also contributed soundarya.
But unfortunately most of these structures were destroyed during the construction of the Nagarjuna Sagar dam.
Here, 9 Hindu temples were seen in the citadel and ten were seen on the banks of the river Krishna.
Some temples have been found inscription that determine the time of construction of these temples
Of these, five shrines have been dedicated to Shiva, Kartik and Devasena, and another major temple of Vishnu is dedicated to the goddess Sarva Deva, that is, all the deities.
A square, rectangular and arch-shaped temple has been found at Nagarjunakonda.
There was a porch and the temple gateway was to the east.
These temples were mainly made of brick, but stones were also used to make the pillars of the temple.
One of these temples was made of wood.
The pillars of the porch were made of limestone and the roof was flat.
Scarcely a fraction of the sculpture was found here, indicating that its walls were flat.
