The Ayodhya Ram Mandir: History | Architecture | Features

March 6, 2024

11 Minutes

Introduction

• Situated in the sacred city of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, officially known as the Shri Ram Mandir, stands as a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Rama.
• Positioned at the esteemed Ram Janmabhoomi, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, this temple holds deep cultural and spiritual significance. 
• It symbolizes a profound connection and devotion to Lord Rama, radiating a spiritual ambiance that resonates with the hearts of the Hindu community. 
• The Ayodhya Ram Mandir stands as a testament to the enduring cultural pride that unifies people through their shared faith and tradition.

Background

• In 2010, the Allahabad High Court addressed a case regarding the land in Ayodhya, opting to divide the 2.77-acre site in a 2:1 ratio. Two-thirds of the land, including the sacred garbha griha, was assigned to those intending to construct a Ram temple, specifically Shri Ram Lala Virajman and Nirmohi Akhara. The remaining one-third was granted to the Sunni Central Waqf Board.

• In a landmark decision in 2019, the Supreme Court awarded the entire disputed land to the Hindu petitioners for the construction of the Ram temple. Concurrently, the Court allocated another piece of land for the construction of a mosque.

• A historic moment transpired on August 5, 2020, when the Indian Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Ram temple, leading to the establishment of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. This marked a pivotal step in realizing the long-cherished vision of constructing a grand temple dedicated to Lord Rama at his revered birthplace.

What Is the Places of Worship Act?

• The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act aims to protect the religious identity of places of worship, preserving them in their original state as of August 15, 1947. It is important to note that the Act does not apply to the disputed site in Ayodhya. This exclusion has allowed the legal proceedings in the Ayodhya case to continue despite the enforcement of the Act.

Provisions of the Places of Worship Act

• Section 3: Prohibition of Conversion: Stops any change, whether complete or partial, of a place of worship from one religious group to another or within the same group.
• Section 4(1): Maintenance of Religious Character: Says that the religious identity of a place of worship must stay the same as it was on August 15, 1947.
• Section 4(2): Abatement of Pending Cases: Declares that any ongoing legal case about changing a place of worship's religious identity before August 15, 1947, will be stopped. Also, no new cases can start. However, existing cases on the Act's start date about changing a place of worship's religious identity after the cut-off date are an exception.
• Section 5: Exceptions to the Act: Points out that the Act doesn't apply to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case and any legal cases or appeals related to it.

Features of Ram Temple

Credits: Indian Express

• This 3-storey temple follows the traditional Nagara style, using pink sandstone from Mirzapur and the Bansi-Paharpur hills in Rajasthan. Covering a vast 71 acres, the temple is an architectural marvel.

• With a width of 250 feet and a height of 161 feet, the main temple area spans 2.67 acres, featuring 390 pillars, 46 doorways, and 5 mandaps.

• The main Garbh Griha houses the idols of Ram Lalla, surrounded by various mandaps like Rang Mandap & Nritya Mandap.

• On each Ram Navami at noon, mirrors and lenses focus sunlight on Ram Lalla’s idol, a unique anointment that requires no electricity, using brass instead of iron or steel.

• No iron was used in the temple's construction, designed to endure for at least millennia.

• The 51-inch idol of the five-year-old Ram Lalla, sculpted by Mysuru artist Arun Yogiraj, was consecrated in a special ceremony.

Indian Temple Architecture

• The surviving architectural remnants from Ancient and Medieval India predominantly comprise religious structures, underscoring the historical importance of spirituality in the region.
• Distinct temple architectural styles emerged nationwide, influenced by geographical, ethnic, and historical factors.
• Two major temple orders, Nagara in the north and Dravida in the south exemplify the regional diversity in architectural expression.
• The Vesara style, an independent fusion of Nagara and Dravida elements, reflects the synthesis of architectural traditions during specific periods.
• Over time, temple complexity increased, with the addition of rhythmically projecting, symmetrical walls and niches. This enhanced surfaces for intricate sculptures without deviating from the fundamental shrine plan.

Nagara Style of Architecture

Credits: The Indian Express

• The Nagara style of temple architecture, prevalent in northern India, boasts distinctive features.
• Typically, Nagara temples are built on elevated stone platforms with access provided by a series of steps, setting them apart from their southern counterparts. 
• Unlike southern temples, Nagara structures often lack elaborate boundary walls or gateways. 
• A key characteristic of Nagara architecture is the placement of the ‘garbhagriha’ directly beneath the tallest tower.
•  The shikhara, or tower, varies in shape, leading to different Nagara temple subdivisions. Another distinctive feature is the Amalaka or Kalash, situated atop the shikhara, enhancing the uniqueness of this architectural style. 
• The Kandariya Mahadev Temple in Madhya Pradesh serves as a noteworthy example, displaying the intricacies and elegance synonymous with Nagara architecture.

• India hosts several iconic Nagara-style temples, including the Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha, and the Sun Temple in Modhera, Gujarat, showcasing the style's striking characteristics.

• The Ossian Temple in Gujarat further exemplifies Nagara features, contributing to the diverse and artistically brilliant tapestry of India's cultural heritage.

Famous Nagara Temples in India

Central India

• The ancient temples of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan share a common feature – their construction material, sandstone, which shapes the architectural landscape of Central India.
• In Madhya Pradesh, surviving temples from the Gupta Period, predominantly crafted from sandstone, showcase characteristic elements like the amalak and Kalash, typical of Nagara temples during that era.
• Notable examples include Udaigiri, located on the outskirts of Vidisha, and another site near the stupa in Sanchi. These temples, modest in appearance, feature a small mandapa with four pillars, leading to a ‘garbhagriha’
• Moving to Deogarh in Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh, a temple from the early sixth century CE exemplifies the late Gupta Period style. Following the panchayatana architecture, it includes a main shrine on a rectangular plinth with four smaller subsidiary shrines at the corners, displaying a curving latina or rekha-prasada type of shikhara – an early representation of the nagara style.
• The Chausath Yogini temple, predating the tenth century, reveals small, square shrines dedicated to goddesses associated with the rise of Tantric worship. Spread across Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, these temples emerged between the 7th and 10th centuries, contributing to the diverse cultural landscape.
• Khajuraho, a renowned Central Indian site, houses numerous temples devoted to Hindu and Jain deities. The Lakshmana Temple, built in 954 by Chandela king Dhanga, stands as a testament to Nagara architecture. Elevated on a platform accessed by stairs, it showcases the region's architectural prowess.
• Khajuraho's temples are renowned not just for their religious significance but also for their intricate erotic sculptures. Here, the depiction of human experience, both spiritual and sensual, is viewed as part of a larger cosmic whole, adding a unique dimension to Central India's temple heritage.

Kandariya Mahadev Temple

West India

• The north-western parts of India, encompassing Gujarat and Rajasthan, along with western Madhya Pradesh, boast a plethora of temples, showcasing the region's rich architectural heritage.

• Diversity is a hallmark of these temples, not only in their architectural styles but also in the variety of stones employed for construction. While sandstone is the most common, 10th to 12th-century temple sculptures reveal the use of a grey-to-black basalt. Particularly noteworthy is the manipulation of soft white marble, seen in Jain temples in Mount Abu dating from the 10th to 12th century and the 15th-century temple at Ranakpur.

• One standout example is the Sun Temple at Modhera, dating back to the early eleventh century and constructed by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026. 
• This temple exemplifies the Nagara style prevalent in the region, and its architectural finesse is enhanced by the evident influence of Gujarat's woodcarving tradition.

• These temples not only stand as architectural marvels but also serve as testaments to the cultural diversity and historical richness of West India.

East India

• East India has a rich architectural heritage with diverse temple styles found in the North-East, Bengal, and Odisha regions. Terracotta was a common medium used in Bengal to portray Buddhist and Hindu deities until the seventh century.

• Ancient artifacts found in Tezpur and Tinsukia in Assam reveal that the Gupta style had an influence on the region during the sixth century.

• The fusion of Tais from Upper Burma with Bengal's Pala style led to the birth of the unique Ahom style around Guwahati. The seventeenth-century Kamakhya Temple is an excellent example of this style.

Kamakhya Devi Temple in Guwahati

• The Pala style, which was influenced by Buddhist patrons, played a significant role in the temple architecture of Vanga. The Siddheshvara Mahadeva Temple in Burdwan District is a reflection of the early Pala style, which is similar to the temples found in Odisha.

• The temples in Odisha, which belong to the Nagara order, feature a distinct shikhara style that stands vertical until there is a sudden inward curve at the top.

• The majestic ruins of the Surya Temple in Konark, built around 1240, stand on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. Its colossal shikhara reaches a height of 70 meters.

• Some of the notable Nagara temples in the region include Muktesvara, Rajarani, and Lingaraja Temples, all of which contribute to East India's rich architectural heritage.

The Hill States of India

• In the picturesque hills of Kumaon, Garhwal, Himachal, and Kashmir, a distinctive form of architecture has emerged, shaped by the unique confluence of cultural and historical influences. 
• This architectural fusion gave rise to a harmonious intermingling of both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, creating a rich and diverse heritage that permeates the hills. The indigenous hill regions, known for their tradition of wooden buildings with pitched roofs, added another layer of character to the architectural tapestry.
• Exploring these hills reveals a fascinating juxtaposition of styles within the temples. While the main garbhagriha and shikhara showcase the elegance of rekha-prasada or Latina architecture, the mandapa often retains an older form, rooted in the traditional wooden structures of the region.

Among the temples in Kumaon, Jageshwar near Almora and Champavat near Pithoragarh stand as exemplary embodiments of Nagara architecture, showcasing the region's rich cultural and artistic legacy.

The Dravidian Style

Introduction

• The Pallavas, an ancient dynasty that governed regions of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Tamil Nadu until the ninth century, played a pivotal role in shaping South Indian temple architecture. 
• Their legacy includes the introduction of the Dravidian style of temple architecture, which predominantly featured Shaivite influences while also incorporating Vaishnava elements. 
• This architectural tradition flourished under the patronage of notable rulers like Mahendravarman I, who reigned concurrently with Chalukyan king Pulakesin II, and Narasimhavarman I, also known as Mamalla, who ascended the Pallava throne circa 640 CE and left a lasting mark with his innovative architectural endeavors.

The Main Features 

Dravidian temple architecture, well-known in South India, has unique features.

• Enclosed by ornate compound walls, these temples showcase intricate sculptures and are marked by a grand entrance with a towering Gopuram. 

• The main temple tower, Vimana, stands out with its unique stepped pyramid design, contrasting with the curved shikhara seen in North Indian temples. Fierce guardians, Dvarapalas, protect the entrance to the inner sanctum. Temple tanks within the complexes serve both ritualistic and practical purposes. 

• Subsidiary shrines, integrated or nearby, add depth to these architectural marvels. The Kailashnath temple at Ellora stands as an exemplary masterpiece, capturing the essence of the Dravidian style with its detailed craftsmanship and grand architectural elements.

Classification of Dravidian Temples

• These temples can be categorized into five distinct shapes: square, often referred to as kuta or chaturanga; rectangular, known as shala or ayatasra; elliptical, identified as Gaja-Prishta or elephant-backed, and also referred to as vrittayata, influenced by the wagon-vaulted shapes of apsidal chaityas with a horse-shoe shaped entrance facade commonly known as a nasi; circular, denoted as vritta; and octagonal, recognized as ashtasra.

• While this classification provides a basic framework, it's essential to note that various shapes may be combined in specific periods and locations, giving rise to unique and distinctive styles.

Famous Dravidian Temples in India

• Among the renowned Dravidian temples in India, the Brihadeshwara temple, also known as the Rajarajeswara temple in Thanjavur, stands out. Completed around 1009 by Rajaraja Chola, this Shiva temple is a masterpiece in the Dravidian style, distinguished as the largest and tallest among all Indian temples.
• Other notable Dravidian temples in the southern region include the Annamalaiyar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, the Meenakshi Temple in Tamil Nadu, and the Airavatesvara Temple, among others. 
• These temples not only showcase the architectural prowess of the Dravidian style but also hold cultural and historical significance.

The Contribution of Pallavas to Dravidian Architecture

• The Pallavas, in the 7th century CE, significantly shaped Dravidian architecture in southern India. Notable patrons like Mahendravarman and Narasimhavarman left their mark, with the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, likely built during Narasimhavarman II's reign, exemplifying their architectural prowess. 
• The temple includes shrines dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, showcasing the Pallavas' impactful contribution to the region's architectural heritage.

Brihadiswara Temple with Dravidian Architecture

The Contribution of Cholas to Dravidian Architecture

• The Cholas significantly advanced Dravidian architecture by refining temple styles inherited from the Pallavas. 
• They introduced intricate stone constructions, emphasized grand Gopurams adorned with Puranic carvings, and elevated the Vimanas, exemplified by the towering 66-meter temple tower of Brihadeshwara. 
• Notably, the Cholas enhanced temple aesthetics by giving increased importance to sculptures in their construction