SSC
In South Indian (Dravidian) temples, the pyramidal tower over the main shrine is known as the:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — Vimana
Detailed Solution
In Dravidian (South Indian) temple architecture, the pyramidal tower that rises above the main shrine (sanctum) is called the "vimana".
About the vimana:
- It rises in a series of storeys (tiers), becoming smaller towards the top, giving it a pyramid shape.
- It is crowned by a dome-shaped or octagonal capstone called the "shikhara" in the South Indian sense (also called "stupi").
In early and great Chola temples, the vimana was the tallest and most impressive part of the temple. For example, the vimana of the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur (completed in 1010 CE) is about 66 metres (216 feet) high.
In later South Indian temples, the gateway towers became taller than the vimana.
Parts of a Hindu temple:
- Garbhagriha: the sanctum ("womb-house"), a small room where the main deity is kept.
- Antarala: a vestibule connecting the sanctum and the hall.
- Mandapa: the pillared hall where devotees gather.
- Pradakshina patha: the path for walking around the sanctum (circumambulation).
- Jagati: a raised platform on which some temples are built.
Main styles of Indian temple architecture:
- The northern style: the tower over the sanctum is curvilinear and is called the "shikhara" (or "rekha-prasada" in Odisha).
- The Dravidian (southern) style: the tower over the sanctum is the pyramidal vimana; temples are usually enclosed by high walls with gateway towers.
- The Vesara style: a mixture of the two, found in Karnataka under the later Chalukyas and the Hoysalas (for example, at Belur and Halebidu).
Other features of Dravidian temples:
- A water tank (temple tank) within the complex.
- "Dwarapalas" (door guardians) at the entrance.
- Large temple complexes with many enclosures (prakaras), such as at Srirangam and Madurai.
The term "vimana" in other uses:
In ancient Indian literature, "vimana" also means a flying chariot, such as the "Pushpaka Vimana" of the Ramayana.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mandapa is the pillared hall in front of the sanctum.
- ✗Garbhagriha is the sanctum itself, not the tower.
- ✗Antarala is the vestibule between the sanctum and the hall.
Quick tip
Remember: Vimana = pyramidal tower over the sanctum in Dravidian temples (e.g. Thanjavur's 66-metre vimana); garbhagriha = sanctum; mandapa = pillared hall; antarala = vestibule; Vesara = mixed style (Hoysalas).
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Monuments & Religious Places Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Somnath Jyotirlinga temple is located in which state?
- Q2.The Kamakhya Temple is located in:
- Q3.The brick temple of Bhitargaon, one of the oldest surviving brick temples of India, is situated in:
- Q4.The Mahabodhi Temple is situated at:
- Q5.The famous Brihadeeswara Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I, is situated in:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Monuments & Religious Places, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.