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The fusion of the northern and southern styles of temple architecture, found especially in the Deccan, is called the:
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Answer: Option B — Vesara style
Detailed Solution
The fusion (mixture) of the northern and southern styles of temple architecture is called the "Vesara" style.
About the Vesara style:
- It developed mainly in the Deccan (Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh), the region between the north and the south.
- It combines features of the northern style (such as the curved tower and some decorative elements) with features of the southern Dravida style (such as the stepped, pyramidal tower and the arrangement of the plan).
- The towers (shikharas or vimanas) are often shorter and more compact than those of either style.
- The term "Vesara" is believed to mean "mule" (a cross between a horse and a donkey), or "mixed".
Development:
- It began under the Chalukyas of Badami (6th-8th centuries), whose temples at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal show both northern and southern styles side by side.
- It continued under the Rashtrakutas.
- It developed further under the later Chalukyas of Kalyani (Western Chalukyas) in the 11th-12th centuries, at places such as Lakkundi, Gadag and Dambal.
- It reached its peak under the Hoysalas of Karnataka (12th-13th centuries), whose temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura are known for their intricate carvings.
Famous examples:
- The Durga Temple at Aihole.
- The temples at Pattadakal (Virupaksha in the southern style and Papanatha in the northern style).
- The Kashivishveshvara Temple at Lakkundi.
- The Doddabasappa Temple at Dambal.
- The Hoysala temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura.
Other styles:
- "Dravida": the southern style, with a pyramidal vimana and gopurams.
- "Kalinga": a regional style of Odisha.
- "Bhumija": a variety of the northern style found in central India (Malwa), with miniature shikharas arranged in rows, as in the Udayeshvara temple at Udaipur (Madhya Pradesh).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Dravida is the southern style.
- ✗Kalinga is the style of Odisha.
- ✗Bhumija is a variety of the northern style.
Quick tip
Remember: Vesara = mixed style of the Deccan (Chalukyas of Badami and Kalyani, Hoysalas); "vesara" = mule/mixed; Pattadakal has both styles; Bhumija = Malwa variant.
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