Māru-Gurjara Architecture (Rajasthani architecture)

Māru-Gurjara Architecture (Rajasthani architecture) originated somewhere in sixth century in and around areas of Rajasthan.

Etymology


The name Maru Gurjara has its genesis in the fact that during ancient times, Rajasthan and Gujarat had similarities in ethnic, cultural and political aspects of the society. Ancient name of Rajasthan was Marudesh while Gujarat was called Gurjaratra.

"Maru Gurjara art" literally means "art of Rajasthan and Gujarat".

Development

Carved elephants on the walls of Jagdish Temple that was built by Maharana Jagat Singh Ist in 1651 A.D

Māru-Gurjara Architecture show the deep understanding of structures and refined skills of Rajasthani craftmen of bygone era. Māru-Gurjara Architecture has two prominent styles Maha-Maruand Maru-Gurjara. According to M. A. Dhaky, Maha-Maru style developed primarily in Marudesa, Sapadalaksa, Surasena and parts of Uparamala whereas Maru-Gurjara originated in Medapata, Gurjaradesa-Arbuda, Gurjaradesa-Anarta and some areas of Gujarat.Scholars such as George Michell, M.A. Dhaky, Michael W. Meister and U.S. Moorti believe that Māru-Gurjara Temple Architecture is entirely Western Indian architecture and is quite different from the North Indian Temple architecture. There is a connecting link between Māru-Gurjara Architecture and HoysalaTemple Architecture. In both of these styles architecture is treated sculpturally.

Styles of Rajasthani architecture include:

Jharokha
Chhatri
Haveli
Stepwell (baoli or bawdi)
Johad
Jaali
Char Bagh or Charbagh

Architecture in Rajasthan represents many different types of buildings, which may broadly be classed either as secular or religious. The secular buildings are of various scales. They include towns, villages, wells, gardens, houses, and palaces. All these kinds of buildings were meant for public and civic purposes. The forts are also included in secular buildings, though they were also used for defense and military purposes. The typology of the buildings of religious nature consists of three different kinds: temples, mosques, and tombs. The typology of the buildings of secular nature is more varied.

The Prathiharas (647- 1200 AD)Temples of Osian, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Harihara Temple at Osian

Sun Temple at Osian

Teli-ka-mandir at Gwalior

The temples of Osian, near modern Jodhpur in Rajasthan are among the earliest medieval temples built by the Pratiharas in the eighth century. There are fifteen Hindu temples and shrines, and a cluster of Jain temples (11th century), built during the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty between the 8th and the 12th. The temples are built in red sandstone have intricate carvings on their walls, pillars and shikhars. The are dedicated to Harihara - the symbolic union of Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva, to the Sun God and Shakti (mother goddess).

The temples built during the early 8th century had smaller shrines, about eight feet tall. The shikhara had become a crowning feature of the temples and Hindu architecture at this time. The builders of Osians are credited for adding the mandapa (open assembly hall supported on column) to the temples.

Teli-ka-Mandir at Gwalior

Teli-ka-mandir is said to be a last attempt at adopting the Buddhist Chailtya hall roof over a rectangular plain as a model for Hindu shrine. It is similar to one of the forms of the rathas of Mahabalipuram in the South.The Teli-ka-mandir has finely sculptured horizontal friezes. The 24 meter high tower, is rectangular at the base and become pyramidical halfway up. This form of architecture was discarded by the North Indian Hindu architects later but could be seen in the architecture of the Southern India