Chambers's encyclopædia; a dictionary of universal knowledge . ges. The cells are also surmountedAvith spires, and the arcades with domes are oftenrepeated to a considerable number within oneenclosure. The most striking feature of this styleis the dome, which is constructed by horizontaljointuig, not with regular arches. The domes, withthe pillars, bracket capitals, &c., are all elaboratelydecorated. Hindu architecture is divided into two styles—northern and southern. All the finest examples aresouthern, and are found south of Madras. Thetemples consist of the temple or vimana, in front ofwhic
Chambers's encyclopædia; a dictionary of universal knowledge . ges. The cells are also surmountedAvith spires, and the arcades with domes are oftenrepeated to a considerable number within oneenclosure. The most striking feature of this styleis the dome, which is constructed by horizontaljointuig, not with regular arches. The domes, withthe pillars, bracket capitals, &c., are all elaboratelydecorated. Hindu architecture is divided into two styles—northern and southern. All the finest examples aresouthern, and are found south of Madras. Thetemples consist of the temple or vimana, in front ofwhich is the pillared porch or mantopa, the gatepyramids or gopuras, forming the entrances to theenclosure, antl the pillared halls or choultries. In thesouth, the temple is always pyramidal, and in manystories ; in the north, the outline is curved, and inone story. The finest example is the pagoda of652 Tanjore. It is S2 feet square at base, and 14 stories,or about 200 feet, in height. The gojjuras arc sunilar to the pagodas, but oblongin place of Gopura, or Gate :Leading into the enclosure of the temiile at Seringham. The pillared halls are very wonderful structmes,containing sometimes as many as 1000 columns, andas these are all elaborately carved, and all different,the labour of their construction must have beenenormous. They are used for many purposes con-nected with Hinduism, theu most important usebeing as nuptial halls, in which the mystic union ofthe divinities is celebrated. The general arrange-ment of these halls sometimes produces a goodeffect; but from their flat roofs, they cannot equalthe beauty of the domed arcades of the buddings are of various dates, from the coni-mencement of the Christian era to the last century,and it is remarkable that the oldest examples arethe finest—the style groAV-ing gradually more andmore debased, till, at the present day, it has become,like the religion, a mass of absiu-dity and celebrated rock-cu
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1868
