History of Indian and Eastern ArchitectureFergusson, James
History
History of Indian and Eastern Architecture
Fergusson, James
Architecture -- India; Architecture, Asian
confessed this forest of granite pillars, each of a single stone, and
all more or less carved and ornamented, does produce a certain grandeur
of effect, but the want of design in the arrangement, and of
subordination of parts, detract painfully from the effect that might
have been produced. Leaving out the pillars in the centre is the one
redeeming feature, and that could easily have been effected without the
brick vaults, formed of radiating arches, which are employed
here--another certain proof of the modern age of the building. These
vaults are certainly integral, and as certainly could not have been
employed till after the Mahomedans had settled in the south, and taught
the Hindus how to use them.
Although this temple has been aggregated at different ages, and grown by
accident rather than design like those at Tiruvalur and Seringham just
described, it avoids the great defect of these temples, for though like
them it has no tall central object to give dignity to the whole from the
outside, internally the centre of its great court is occupied by a tank,
round which the various objects are grouped without at all interfering
with one another. The temple itself is one important object, to the
eastward of it; the Parvati temple another, on the north, and forms a
pleasing pendant to the 1000-columned choultrie on the south. Alongside
the Parvati another temple was commenced (Woodcut No. 199), with a
portico of square pillars, four in front, and all most elaborately
ornamented, but in such a manner as not to interfere with their outline
or solidity.
From its unfinished and now ruined state, it is not easy to say to whom
this temple was dedicated--most probably Soubramanya--nor to feel sure
of its age. From its position, however, and the character of its
ornamentation, there seems little doubt that it belongs to the end of
the 17th and first half of the 18th century. From its style, I would be
inclined to ascribe it to the earlier date, but in that case it is
difficult to understand its not being finished. When they had money to
erect the great hall, and to commence a new enclosure, they might
certainly have spared enough to complete this solitary shrine.
RAMISSERAM.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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