SSC
In Odishan temple architecture, the large ribbed stone disc on top of the temple tower is called the:
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Answer: Option B — Amalaka
Detailed Solution
The "amalaka" (or "amla") is a large, segmented (ribbed) stone disc placed on top of the tower (shikhara) of North Indian and Odishan temples.
About the amalaka:
- Its name comes from the "amalaka" fruit (Indian gooseberry, amla), whose ridged shape it resembles.
- It sits at the top of the curved tower, just below the final pot-shaped finial.
In Odishan temples, the crown of the tower includes the "beki" (a narrow neck), the amalaka, the "khapuri" (skull-like cap), the "kalasha" (pot) and the "ayudha" (the weapon of the deity, such as Vishnu's wheel or Shiva's trident), sometimes with a flag ("dhvaja").
Symbolically, it is believed to represent the sun, or a lotus, and the heavenly realm; it marks the transition between the earthly and the divine.
It is a key feature of the northern temple style, and it is found in the temples of Odisha, Khajuraho, and other parts of northern and central India.
Other parts of a northern-style temple:
- Shikhara: the curvilinear tower over the sanctum.
- Kalasha: the pot-shaped crowning element at the very top, above the amalaka.
- Gavaksha: a horseshoe-shaped window motif used as decoration on towers.
- Mandapa: the hall for devotees.
- Garbhagriha: the sanctum.
- Urushringa: smaller towers attached to the sides of the main tower (as at Khajuraho).
Examples of temples with prominent amalakas:
- Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar (11th century).
- Jagannath Temple, Puri.
- Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneswar.
Related terms in Odishan architecture:
- Deula: the temple or its tower.
- Jagamohana: the assembly hall in front of the sanctum.
- Nata mandira: the dance hall.
- Bhoga mandapa: the hall of offerings.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kalasha is the pot-shaped finial at the very top, above the amalaka.
- ✗Gavaksha is a horseshoe-shaped window motif.
- ✗Torana is an ornamental gateway, such as those at Sanchi.
Quick tip
Remember: Amalaka = ribbed stone disc on top of the temple tower (named after the amla fruit; below the kalasha); Kalasha = topmost pot; Gavaksha = horseshoe window motif; Torana = gateway.
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