Hindu temple architecture style

Hindu temple architecture has many varieties of style, though the basic nature of the Hindu temple remains the same, with the essential feature an inner sanctum, the garbha griha or womb-chamber, where the primary Murti or the image of a deity is housed in a simple bare cell. Around this chamber there are often other structures and buildings, in the largest cases covering several acres. On the exterior, the garbhagriha is crowned by a tower-like shikhara, also called the vimana in the south. The shrine building often includes an ambulatory for parikrama (circumambulation), a mandapa congregation hall, and sometimes an antarala antechamber and porch between garbhagriha and mandapa. There may further mandapas or other buildings, connected or detached, in large temples, together with other small temples in the compound.

Architectural style
The earliest remnants of Hindu sanctuaries were carved rocks in Udaigiri, near the Archanes , which still clearly show the influence of Buddhist architecture. The 17th church was built in the early 5th century in Sáncsi, in fact it is a square shrine, with a columned porch in front of it. This two-chamber form spread almost every subsequent architectural style. With the development of the technical knowledge of the stone carvers and builders, the formal, symbolic elements whose designs were those mountains that were over the shrine (cave) became more and more elaborate and more abstract.

The cave structures that represent a particular form of architecture in Elora , where, like the Buddhist caves of Adzsanta , the building of the buildings was done in a strange way with the dismantling of the base, the monolithic blocks thus created were refined inside, while the sanctuary and the the forms of its halls. This is an outstanding representative of this form of sculpture, built by the Rastrakuta dynasty , the Kailásza church complex set up in the 8th century.

The monoliths of granite blocks were also excavated at Mahabalipuram on the beach by the so-called “seven pagoda” rats (basically stone-worn chariots, which, during their festivals on wooden models, surround the image of God). These include the main stylistic elements of Dravida’s church architecture. The Rathas are in fact shrines, the sacred places of the pagoda brothers of the Mahabharata , each ratha bearing the name of a pandavate brother. Interestingly, their sanctuary is extremely small, or some have no.

In the beginning, wooden bamboo building materials were used to create high-rise sanctuaries, but when constructed from bricks and stone from these bricks, the structure designed for light and flexible wood was oversized and robust. Latter-day Hindu temples became increasingly taller as the builders recognized and exploited the sculptural potential of the stone and gradually became the basic architectural styles. The rise of massive masses imitated entire mountain ranges. The Bhitargaon brick-built Visnu church (first half of the 5th century) is an early example of the exceptionally tall superstructure raised above the shrine. The extremely thick walls required to maintain the high roof reinforced the inner-sanctuary’s womb-like imagery. With the increasingly complex structure of the exterior, it was difficult to understand the complexity of the masonry, and how richly decorated, the original function remained, the essence of which was the square-floor interior, over which there was a high- swing Sikhara roof, axial layout with a columned porch space. These elements still determine the built structure of the Hindu temple with a unique form. Pyramid-shaped roofs were raised over the smaller halls, repeating in a smaller scale the shape of the great Sikhara over the garbhagriha.

Hindu temples can be considered as architectural monuments of various Indian dynasties, especially in Central and Northern India. In the 6th century, the style of temple architecture was similar in both the north and the south. After that date, architecture has developed into different directions. The two areas where church architecture was most advanced, the Dekkán and Orisza , here are North and South-style churches alongside each other. The vimaña, with its Sikhara over the shrine, was particularly important in Orissa, and had a functionally far more meaningful meaning than the South Indian gopuram, where the barrel-shaped tower does not crown the sanctuary or garbhagrih, but only serves to signal the entrance. The orisian architect wanted to give more emphasis to the temple than to other buildings in the area, he thought he was in the garbhagrih, where he lived.

In terms of their style, Hindu temples are usually divided into three categories, taking into account their geographic location and their particular features. These

the spouse , or the city;
the southern or dravida ;
the destruction of the two, or the Deccan architecture.

The main difference between these architectural features is the architectural concept of the inner sanctuary, the towers above the garbhagriha .

The mix of Southern and North stylistic features in some areas gives interes

Different styles of architecture
The ancient Hindu texts on architecture such as Brihatsamhita and others, states Michell, classify temples into five orders based on their typological features: Nagara, Dravida, Vesara, ellipse and rectangle. The plan described for each include square, octagonal and apsidal. Their horizontal plan regulates the vertical form. Each temple architecture in turn has developed its own vocabulary, with terms that overlap but do not necessarily mean exactly the same thing in another style and may apply to a different part of the temple. Chronologically, the early Hindu temples are often called classical (up to 7th or 8th century), while those after the classical period through 12th or 13th century are sometimes referred to as medieval. However, states Michell, this is inappropriate for Hindu architecture given India’s artistic tradition to conserve its heritage and architectural framework, while evolving ideas.

The style of Hindu temple architecture is not only the result of the theology, spiritual ideas, and the early Hindu texts but also a result of innovation driven by regional availability of raw materials and the local climate. Some materials of construction were imported from distant regions, but much of the temple was built from readily available materials. In some regions, such as in south Karnataka, the local availability of soft stone led to Hoysala architects to innovate architectural styles that are difficult with hard crystalline rocks. In other places, artists cut granite or other stones to build temples and create sculptures. Rock faces allowed artists to carve cave temples or a region’s rocky terrain encouraged monolithic rock-cut temple architecture. In regions where stones were unavailable, innovations in brick temples flourished. Hindu temple architecture has historically been affected by the building material available in each region, its “tonal value, texture and structural possibilities” states Michell.

Dravida and Nagara architecture
Of the different styles of temple architecture in India, the Nagara architecture of northern Indian and the Dravidian architecture of southern India are most common. Other styles are also found. For example, the rainy climate and the materials of construction available in Bengal, Kerala, Java and Bali Indonesia have influenced the evolutions of styles and structures in these regions. At other sites such as Ellora and Pattadakal, adjacent temples may have features drawing from different traditions, as well as features in a common style local to that region and period. In modern era literature, many styles have been named after the royal dynasties in whose territories they were built.

Contemporary church architecture
The Hindu temple architecture is still on the road marked by ancient texts (Silpa-shoppers, Vásztu-shoppers and branches). With the emergence of globalization, many large and richly decorated temples are built around the world, especially in larger Hindu communities, found in one of the Indian subcontinents, rarely by mixing these styles. Many Hindu temples have gained a place and recognition in North America and Europe not only among believers but also among architects. The Siva-Visnu church in San Francisco, Livermore , is a major tourist center with various cultural and religious events.

Though strict observance of the standards is observed by the Brahmans who understand all over the world, the development of architecture can be found in temple architecture, and modern techniques and building materials can be found in new temples. Fine examples of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Complex & the Chicago near Bartlett , which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. The BAPS organization has built more than sixty temples in North America and many in Europe. The London BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir for example, recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as well as the largest traditional Hindu temple outside India.

The first decade of the 21st century, the most famous architect of the traditional church Csennaiban live V. Ganapati Sthapati , who is also the only living guru is Silpa. He has lectures on temples and their construction at Indian and American universities. Traditional Indian architecture is currently in floristic times, with many design companies dealing with the construction of buildings that are rooted in ancient traditions.

Regional styles

Bhuvanesvar
Only in Bhuvanesvar, in the Orisza state , about 7,000 buildings were built around the sacred lake of Binduszagar , not over five centuries, but only a few hundred of them survive. The area represents three construction periods: 7-10. century buildings (Parasurámésvara and Vaitál-deul) , 10-12. century (Muktésvara, Brahmésvara, Jagannátha- Lingarádzsa churches) and the 12-13th century. church temples of the century (temples of Rádzsaráni, Ananta Vászudéva).

The fairly small Parasurámásvara church stands on the ground without a platform (pistages), with its dancers, musicians richly decorated in the side walls. The small shrine copies are typical of the churches in Orissa, which are frequently repeated on the sites of the works.

The uniqueness of the Muktésvara Church is manifested by the fact that the jaguaran’s ceiling is a pattern of lotus flowers. In front of it there is a small gates (tórana) , which, at first glance, seem arches, but in reality they are made of horizontally stacked stones, which, by their own weight, are without binder on the columns.

There is also the Kharka-style Vaita-deul, which was devoted to tantric gods, and the Gauri Temple, named after one of Siva’s wives.

The celebrated Lingaradzsa Church (built in the 11th and 12th centuries) is a prominent example of two-celled, three-pillar halls that are anchored to the interior sanctuary. From east to west: the hall of offerings, the dance hall, the hall of the faithful, and finally the proper inner sanctuary. Unlike many historic temples, this huge sanctuary is still in active use and is not accessible to non-Hindus, tourists can only see on a platform. The Lingaradzsa Temple in Bhuvanesvar is the culmination of the temple architecture in Orissa. There was exactly one hundred years after the construction of the Jagannath Temple in Puri . This is the largest in Orissa (about 65 m high), and although its decorations are modest in comparison to the temples so far described, it is of great religious significance among the Hindus due to the encircling wake festival.

Khadzhara
In Khartoum, at the Chandel Dynasty , the royal family has built at least 25 temples in more than 200 years, decorating the outer surfaces, sculpture reflects the prestige of the lavish art patronage and the attraction of mystical, especially tantric rituals. The best of them was the Laksmana Church (about 950), where the BhumidzsaThe axial layout is characteristic of the structures pulled in front of the jibs. The believer encircles the inner sanctuary in a closed corridor before entering the central room. The light on this wrap is provided by small, eye-opening holes on the intricate interior wall so that the attention of the believer is no longer removed from the sculptures on the outer wall from self-pity. During the Csandella dynasty, 85 churches were built in this area, only 12-13. century. Only in Kharzurah, some 25 temples have been discovered, the ensemble of which is currently part of the World Heritage Site.

Containers
The end point of architecture in Orissa is the Konaraki Sun Temple, which was built during the reign of the East Ganga King, Narasimha (1238-1264) at the Konárk beachfront. At the time of its construction, its highest sucker was the sanctuary built here in Orissa. The now-ruined ruins of Szúr , the day- old building complex, form an imaginary carriage with its twelve- wheeled wheels with real dimensions and a diameter of three meters each, and horses in front of the sanctuary complex. The extraordinary richness of the remaining ornaments is pistachiosit is most evident. The nonfigurative elements of ornamentation represent small shrine copies, figurative elements are elephants in a forest environment, hunting scenes, parades and paths with horses, wild boar hunting, deer and lions, races and duels.

The erotic sculpture – besides Khumurah – is one of the richest manifestations here: you can see girls in funky, seductive positions, playing instruments, pet birds mingle, love couples melting in a sexual hug. Among the formed figures we can see princes, teachers with their students, ascetics, hunters, warriors and soldiers.

South Indian or dravida style
The construction of the South Indian Dravidian style temples or the kancsipurami Pallava Dynasty (600-850) reign of Badami resident Csálukja dynasty or a Madurai bound Panda dynasty. The Mahabalipuram Temple Complex in Tamilnadu , the Ladhkan Temple in Aihol, and the Casinata Church in Pattadakal are excellent examples of this architectural style. From 600 to 850 BC they started to build temple temples in Tamilnadu under the boulders (stone-drawn rathas in the Mahabalipuram of the divine wagons) and in the Elora of Kailasanantha Temple and the churches of Vaikunta PerumalIn the Kancsipuram ). Between 850 and 900, churches built in the Tamil Dynasty of the Csola dynasty ( Brihadeshvar and Sirirai ). Between 1336-1565, the Pampavati and Sri Vithala temples were built in Hampi, Karnaktaka , under the reign of the Vidjajagara Empire. From 1600 to 1700, the rulers of the Najak Dynasty in Madurai expanded the already existing Mínassi Amman Temple Complex .

In the South, in the Dravida areas, a distinctive regional style has been developed, characterized by tops of roofs, rounded oro decorations, columns along the walls, multi-column halls, concentric walls and massive entrance gates. This form of life is also traced back to churches dating from the early 7th century, where columned halls led to the inner sanctuary that was deeply rocked.

Early Dravida-style temples independent of caves in Mahabalipuram can already be considered as models of later large-scale architectural solutions. The so-called ratha temples were built here , which were carved out of the monolithic granite of the beach as a model of wheeled cars carrying images of gods. Each of them has different characteristics, and the characteristics of local architecture can be recognized in their shape. The solutions of some churches are obviously derived from the dongablotted roof structure of the tauits halls – which can be observed, for example, at the Adash Buddhist cave churches- while others look like simple wooden shrines. They agree to be based on a centralized design concept. All buildings are on an elevated basis, the decorations abundantly exploit the columns’ surfaces or the wall offspring, the division of the wall.

Southern Dravid temples are almost fractal. The building blocks that can be seen in the figure repeat themselves on several levels, multiplying the original shapes, indicating the mystical unity and connection of the smallest detail and the whole church. The design of the surface is so decisive that it is more than the addition of architectural forms and mere decoration, as small base units form larger and larger structural elements.

Their general structure
The vertically elevated levels of the Dravida-style churches can usually be divided into six well-defined units. The lowest level is the Adhisthana , basement, base, or support. There are more than 150 varieties of this structural element. This level also determines the shape of the church. This ground without terrain is mentioned in the Vásztu-shacks as upa-pitha or upana (plinth).

Above the basement level, at the height of the walls, technically the columns of the columns (stambha-varga) follow. The smooth and strong robust columns are embedded in the walls ( except for the pillars ) and usually except for the columns that are not carved or can not be seen. The level of the columns with the wall falls . This level is followed by a roof-like structure called the ” prastara-varga” , usually made of flat stone slabs. The part above the wall structure is called prastara and there are decorative cabins that are actually miniature shrines.

The fourth unit of the church is the griva or kantha (neck), the small interruption over the roof-like brass , which serves to directly support the church’s top element, the dome or, as is also the case with the Naga architectural solutions, Sikhara . The shape of the “neck” should be the same as the shape of the Sikhara, whether it is square, octagonal, circular, or apse-shaped. The dome or Sikhara (the crown) defines the fifth level, which serves not only the protection of the shrine, but also has a sacred meaning: it proclaims the grace, the majesty and the splendor that the church represents. Sikhara is richly decorated with gold plated copper. Sometimes it’s a nerdy training(nasika) are located on all four sides of the dome.

Above the dome is the closure (stupa) as the sixth unit. This is the pattern of the sacred water jugs (calves). Below it may be an Indian plant similar to gooseberry, the shape of the phyllanthus emblica (amla) , the amber , the name of the plant.

The neck, the dome and the vertex together form the so-called vimana , usually used throughout the superstructure above the shrine, sometimes including the sanctuary.

The images of the gods are on all sides of the temple, as the branch of the church has built. There are currently more than 1500 varieties of this type of church.

Especially at the southern tip of India, where Islamic influence never entered, and in addition to the strictly caste system, the orthodox Hindu conception was the decisive one, the encircled space around the temples became more and more spacious over the centuries. The initial, small-scale sacred environment was slowly adapted to meet the increased demands, which was particularly important for the preservation of festivals and festivities. The northern small, shriveled mandapas and columnar pre-constructions that were still in the Naga style were expanded into massive so-called “thousand-column” halls. As the space for believers has been constantly expanded, monumental sanctuary towns gradually developed over several hectares with their own administration, law enforcement forces, craftsmen and landowners.

The gopuram
The southern type of temple complex is a prominent feature of the huge rectangular tower structure ( gopuram , “the mauve gate”) raised to the interior shrine, but more generally than the entrance to the temple complex. The shrine, along with the gopuram, is often the vimana itself , that is, the actual main church.

The entrance gopuram is sometimes much higher than the tower built on the actual shrine, and it is not unusual for a height of about 40 feet to about 60 feet. At the top of the gopuram there is mostly cylindrical closure, which was carved out of a few granite niches at several churches. Yes it is known in Tamil Nadu in the State Madurai Minaksi Church gopuramja which the cascading structures decorated with sculptures and hundreds of small szentélymásolatok.

Maduráj
The core of the Muraysian Amman temple complex dedicated to Madurai, Párvatinak , is the central sanctuary that was initially encircled to indicate to the masses that only the chosen ones, higher castles may enter. They were provided with a remarkably decorated door that drew attention to the church far. As the demands grew, new sanctuaries were built outside the gates, and they were also enclosed, including the yard of the first sanctuary, and so on until a spatial structure consisting of concentric squares emerged, with its entrances with enormous, rarely 40-50 meters high stair gopurams they did. Its final form was won in the 17th century, and the church now had 14 entrances (gopurammal). The entrances are now decorated with more than 33,000 sculptures and the annual Mullac Tirukaljanam festival hosts nearly one million visitors.

Tandzsávur
The concept of elevating the tower above the sanctuary can be seen in Tanjuzu, the 11th century Brihedesvara Church . The church built under the Csola Dynasty had great influence not only on South India but also on Sri Lanka and even India’s backdrop. Here the builders managed to raise garbhagrihaabove the tower, so it was three times higher than any church building built before or at that time. The base is a large square of about 82 meters in length, but there is also a trajectory around the central sanctuary, which contains smaller protuberances, thus smoothing the solid mass of the building. Two-storey high above the base, rising half-posts and small cabins were placed, while the roof-level was built to a smaller extent, and then the towering pyramid roof rises there. The closure is a dravida sikhara, which was carved out of a monolith. Its weight is estimated to be over 8 tonnes, this is a dome-like finish. Usually there is an axial, symmetrical porch with two columned halls in front of the sanctuary. Between the church and the large entrance gate there is a small columned sanctuary in honor of the sacred bull, Nandi ( Siva ‘s pedigree). The surrounding wall consists of a double colonnade. In the corner of the courtyard several smaller churches point to the central sanctuary. In the construction of later temples, instead of the solid dome, smaller, columned dwarf poles were placed at the peaks of the shrines.

Szrírangam
Taking into consideration the needs of the masses, the Temple of Ranganata, dedicated to Visnun ( Tamilnadu ), was also built.

The general structure of the Szrrrangam temple complex with its large gate structures (gopurams) and nested concentric courtyards later became a model for Southern Dravidian religious centers and temples even where the spatial structure surrounding the sanctuary itself was not able to accommodate large masses.

In Sarriang, the construction started about 1,000 in the area enclosed by the two branches of the Kauveri River, although at that time only a modest garbhagrihaand its columned hall and the walled courtyard were built. Since its popularity over the next 500 years has grown steadily, this complex had to be expanded, so the walls surrounding the buildings were built, renovated, adjusted to the north-south axis, but they left the architectural continuity, the formal unit. In the newly built courtyards, there were additional sanctuaries and multi-post halls, pools for the ritual bath, and next to the columns filled with wall, the temple elephant statue and a building for ritual sacred places. By the time the fourth enlargement was completed, the wall of the church included a small town and the enclosed area became nearly one square kilometer. The complex now occupies an area of about 156 hectares.During the expansion, the rather modest original church received a larger building, but it still trespasses the mightyálboltozatos gate passes (gopuramok) In addition, the axis of which are located in the facility. In the outermost wall, three gopuram were built at the midpoint of the pages to conform to the orientation prescribed by the theological texts. The outer surface of the gates rises slightly steeply inwards and then the intricately carved ornaments of the top of the gateway follow. The last gopuram was built in the 1980s, estimated to be 25,000 tons.

Sirius grants the main features of the Dravidian Hindu architectural style: it is a remarkable repetition in the application of external editing and rhythmic elements, and in its millennial development reflects the tendency of designers to form large compositions based on smaller models.

Forced or Decan style
The devastation is an intermediate trend between the style of Dravida’s and Nagawa’s church-building, often seen as a mixture of the two. Its foundation is not the square, the geometric shape with smaller divisions, but mostly a star or jantra . The Sikhara rising above the shrines thus follows the outline of the foundation, gradually decreasing in size, forming a steep conical shape, with a multiple split amber on top. Many of the wars of Hindu architecture are not regarded as a distinct style, but rather into the eclectic mixture of northern and southern architecture, with a certain Buddhist effect.

At one time , with the reign of the Csola dynasty (1100-1300), the hooligans who ruled in the Indianan Kannada , built on-fancy ornate temples in many places of Karnátaka . The vimans, ie the shrines, are characterized by a large number of sculptures placed on the outer walls, with columnar elements recessed into the wall. The most famous churches in southern Karnataka are in Belur , Halebid and Szomnáthpur .

It is not uncommon for the northern and southern styles to be found on a pedestal in a unit with a burial-style Sikhara, dravida mandapha, and a hooked columned sanctuary (for example, the Gondésvara Temple in Sinnar ). Built during the hojszalák komplexumnál Some, such as the 13th century, Krishna dedicated Somanathapura Grace Keshava Temple for vészara style forms a separate unit so that art historians have been talking hojszala-style. The decoration of the Dravidian church in its branch, but in its mass, is extremely detailed and abundant.

Impact on dzsaina architecture
Hindu temple architecture in India, during the great medieval church-building wave – leaving the architecture of Buddhism with its own building culture, which has been gradually underdeveloped, leaving behind intact – is Jainismreligious architecture. In Rajasthan, in the ancient pilgrimage of Jama’ah, on the Mount Áb- The Temple Complex built in the centuries follows the Hindu traditions, but in its interior, in contrast to the Hindu temples, it contains abundantly decorative elements. Here you can find the dance hall (nátamandír), then two columned lounges, and finally the small shrine. Its building materials differ from the Hindu temples, built entirely of white marble, which were brought to the scene about a thousand kilometers away. Three temples were built on the hilltop, which were then devoted to Vimala, Tenaxpala and Ádináth. The tirthankara depictions, that is, the sculptures of “gas-makers”, indicate that it is a jones temple. The exuberant richness of the extremely delicate, already transparently lacquered ornamentation, however, does not break the uniform structure, the sense of proportion of architects and stonemasons limits the self-styled decoration.

Middle Eastern Hindu Architecture outside India
Hinduism is not a rewarding religion, though modern bhakti trends such as ISCKON , which are evolving from it, can now be considered as explicitly rewarding. It is no surprise, then, that Vedic Brahmanism or Hinduism in the Middle Ages was conquered almost exclusively in the Indian subcontinent and its surrounding areas, where rulers with broad trade relations extended their influence. Figures 8-12. century church building wave reached Sri Lanka in addition to Southeast Asia , Indonesia , Java , which has been built in the 9th century trimúrtinak dedicated Prambanan temple, and to Bali, and North Sumatera , where settled Hindus not only extended literacy, but incorporated local features into their culture and created independent works.

It was of outstanding importance to the trade relations of the South Korea’s Chulas dynasty , and from India it exported the basic elements of Hindu culture and Vedic architecture to quite distant areas. For example, in Cambodia , the early Khmer Empire , where the Hindus have established a unique religious center in Angkorvat . The building complex that has changed hands and religions today is a part of the world heritage. Due to its advanced agricultural activity, the Kingdom of the Khmer , which grew rich in the empire, carried out large-scale constructions of the Mekong and the River Tonilapsplains. The majority of the temples built here were based on Hindu ordinances and ancient texts, and then complemented the tapestry of the Khmer people’s stone carvers and architects. The distinctive, burning mountains of the Meru Hill (Sighs) , which were erected above the shrines, remained in the later buildings, although during the Buddhist period their interior was rebuilt and their decorations were removed in many places.

Decoration and ornamentation
After the fall of the Gupta Empire , initially simple geometric decorations gradually became more complicated, sculptures and life paintings appeared on the walls of the churches. In the prayers’ field of vision, reliefs on the outside of the churches, on the pedestals and in the columned halls, were gilded with delicate and very elaborate reliefs. As the believer moves to the sanctuary, he finds fewer carvings, or even paintings, indicating that the purity and nobility of the souls of the believer must be ruled by his sensual joys. The interior walls of the inner sanctuary are almost bare.

Statues and reliefs depict deities, mythological creatures, or members of the royal family in the pillars of the pillars, embedded in wall slides. This is why smaller sculpture groups located in vertical bands (pessaries) formed in multilayered roofs.

Many of the Western art historians who are often seen on the outer walls of the churches, which are openly depicting comic-book scenes, are interpreted as the pictorial representation of mystical tantrism , that is, it can be seen as the formative formation of a kind of human-union association, which is the theology of certain Hindu sects. With the flowering of the tantric sects and the growth of the bhakti cult, necklaces and cabbages grew into more and more open forms of erotic sculpture. Individual sculptures are relatively rare, and are particularly characteristic of medieval ornamental patterns. Portbrushing did not exist, even the works representing significant rulers were evenly schematic, the persons depicted could be identified on the basis of at most some characteristic object. The proportions of the body are to the same extent determined by ancient texts as other features of the church.

Already in the initial hard-granite works, the technique was used to fine-tune the shapes with thin stucco plastered stuccos and then paint them in color as if they were woodcuts. Especially in the wickedly-styled churches, the area of Dekkán is characterized by relief relief, which, from the basement, crosses the building in every area of the church, giving the reliefs depicting the gods with a busy background.

In the construction of temples, up to the modern times, they used almost the same stone-cutting tools as were found in the excavation of a cave built around 650 , at the time when a large number of remarkable churches were excavated from the granite in Mahabalipuram . The church-building guilds had passed their knowledge of father to son. The principal, the brahmin-builder, was more important than the artist himself, who specializes in a certain form or shape, even the masters of outstanding works rarely have their name.

Source From Wikipedia