Question

Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about South Indian Temple Architecture?
1.South Indian temple architecture, also called Dravida Style architecture, is characterized by its pyramidal tower.
2. The South Indian temple consists of a square-chambered sanctuary topped by a tower and an attached pillared hall enclosed by a peristyle of cells within a rectangular court.
3. The origins of the Dravida style can be observed in the Gupta period.
4. 7th-century rock-cut shrines at Mahabalipuram and the Shore Temple are not examples of South Indian Temple architecture.

• A. Only 1, 2 and 4
• B. Only 2, 3 and 4
• C. Only 4
• D. Only 1, 2 and 3

Answer 1

The correct option is D Only 1, 2 and 3

South Indian temple architecture, also called Dravidian style architecture, invariably employed for Hindu temples in modern Tamil Nadu from the 7th to the 18th century, characterized by its pyramidal, or Kumina-type tower.
Variant forms are found in Karnataka (formerly Mysore), and Andhra Pradesh states. The South Indian temple consists of a square-chambered sanctuary topped by a superstructure, tower, or spire and an attached pillared porch or hall (magapa, or magmapam), enclosed by a peristyle cell within a rectangular court. The external walls of the temple are segmented by pilasters and carry niches housing sculpture.
The superstructure or tower above the sanctuary is of the kumina type and consists of gradually receding stories in a pyramidal shape. A parapet of miniature shrines delineates each story, square at the corners and rectangular with barrel-vault roofs at the centre. The tower is topped by a dome-shaped cupola and a crowning pot and finial. The origins of the Dravidian style can be observed in the Gupta period. The earliest examples of the developed style are the 7th-century rock-cut shrines at Mahabalipuram and a developed structural temple, the Shore Temple, at the same site.