The medieval temples of India possess varied architectural styles. The religious places and temples built at that time were symbolic of the rulers ruling during that era. Wide-ranging in architectural style, the medieval temples offer a glance into the conglomerate society that shaped India. The structural designs of the medieval temples have a blend of many foreign countries from central Asia. Thus, it has enriched its presence and created a landmark. Whether it is north, south, east, west or central India, the temples stand out for their distinctive features.
One of the most prominent north Indian temples is the Jagadamba temple in
Madhya Pradesh. This is one of the most erotic shrines situated in Khajuraho, a historic town located in Madhya Pradesh. It lies in close proximity to the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple. The temple contains a striking image of
Goddess Parvati, wife of
Lord Shiva. Firstly the temple was in the honour of
Lord Vishnu. Decorated images of Lord Vishnu are seen in the sections of the temple. Worth mentioning is the striking mandapam which is covered by a pyramidal roof on the top. The most-discussed images of mithuna and sensuously made figures of stone are there in the Jagadamba temple. The bus station is located in the center of the town, at a distance of 2 km from the Khajuraho Airport and the nearest Railway Station, is the Khajuraho Railway Station.
In the Banaskantha district of
Gujarat, one will come across Ambaji temple, one of the most popular temples in West India. The deity of this temple is the Goddess Ambe Mata. This temple is also one of the famous Shakti Peethas in India. The Goddess is a demonstration of Shiva`s wife, Parvati.
Navaratri is celebrated on a large scale in this temple. A mammoth fair is organised here during this festival every year. The important characteristic of this shrine is that there is no idol of the goddess, a yantra of marble engraved at a place is worshipped.
Ossian is situated at the boundary of the
Thar Desert, about 65 kms north-west of
Jodhpur,
Rajasthan. Ossian, the once affluent city, possesses more than 100 Jain and Hindu temples of the medieval age. It is said that the town was established by a Rajput prince, Utpaladeva of the Pratihara Dynasty. It was then recognized as Ukesha or Upkeshapur. The Ossian temples are amongst the most primitive of all temples of Rajasthan of the medieval era. The former temples are very small in height, some only measuring eight feet high. From among the beautifully designed red sandstone edifices, three are devoted to Harihara- or the union of Shiva and Vishnu. Abundantly carved from their lifting plinths, pillars and right till the very summit of the spires, these temples are regarded as architectural masterpieces.
On the other hand, one of the most renowned temples of eastern India is the Dakshineswar Kali Temple,
Kolkata. It is located at the side of the Vivekananda Bridge, north of Kolkata. This place is about 20 kilometers away from BBD Bagh. The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is renowned for its connection with
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa , who attained spiritual vision at this place. Founded in 1847 by Rani Rashmoni, the 12- spired temple having its huge courtyard is encircled by 12 other temples devoted to Lord Shiva.
Amongst the south Indian temples of the medieval era, Vittala Temple is the most famous. This temple is the most beautiful architectural attraction of
Hampi. The temple was constructed in 15th century AD. But the preset form is due to the various enhancements done by successive kings to add to the beauty of the temple. Made in a sprawling campus form, the Vittala Temple is having gateway towers and compound wall. There are several pavilions, halls and temples situated inside this campus. The name Vittala came from the name of the form of Lord Vishnu. The cattle herds of this part worship this form of Vishnu as their deity. The striking feature of Vittala temple is the stone chariot and notable pillared halls. The stone chariot situated within the campus is the exclusive symbol of Hampi and the halls engraved with an awesome range of sculptures on the massive granite pillars are worth a sight to see.
Apart from the Hindu temples, there are various other Buddhist and Jain temples in medieval India. One of the notable Muslim places of worship in India is the Jama Masjit. This is the largest among the mosques in India. Jama Masjid was constructed between 1644 and 1658 at the time of Shah Jahan. Made of white marble and sand stone, the mosque possesses three gateways, two minarets of 40m height and four towers.
The other temples of the medieval era are Virupaksha Temple or Pampapathi temple in Hampi, Hatimura Temple in Nagaon, Sukresvara Temple in Guwahati, Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir in New Delhi, Ettumanoor Temple, Kottayam, Kerala, Rudranath Temple, Chandi Devi Temple in Haridwar, Chandi Devi Temple in
Haridwar, Siddhivinayak Temple in
Mumbai and Ossian Temples situated in Jodhpur.
Experimentation in the construction of religious architecture was first started with the medieval temples in India. From ancient times, India is considered to be the land of spiritualism where people can find different kinds of temples erected with the use of exclusive architecture of that period. The medieval temples of India thus have their uniqueness in architectural design which forms a place of worship and immense tourist attraction.
