Indian Temple Architecture

Choose the Correct Answer

Correct Answer : Option c

Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Nagara style of temple architecture developed during the Gupta period (4th-6th century CE) and became dominant in North India.

Examples: Dashavatara Temple (Deogarh), Parvati Temple (Madhya Pradesh), and later, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple (Khajuraho).

Statement 2 is not correct: Gopuram (ornate gateway tower) is a feature of Dravida style, not Nagara style. Nagara temples do not have elaborate entrance gateways (Gopurams), which are more common in South Indian temple architecture.

Statement 3 is not correct: In Nagara architecture, the main tower above the sanctum, known as the Shikhara, usually has a curvilinear or beehive shape rather than a pyramidal form. The pyramidal Vimana is a characteristic feature of Dravidian temple architecture.

Statement 4 is not correct: Water tanks are not an essential feature of Nagara temples.
In contrast, Dravida temples have temple tanks (Pushkarini) inside the complex for ritualistic purposes.

Statement 5 is correct: One of the features of the Nagara style is that the temples are typically built on an upraised platform called the Jagati, which helps elevate the structure and provides a more majestic appearance.