Nachna Parvati temple
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Parvati temple at Nachna, in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, is a stone temple of the Gupta period, c. 5th century CE. It marks a step forward from the simplest flat-roofed shrines. Its sanctum is surrounded by a covered ambulatory, a roofed passage for walking around the deity. It also has a small upper chamber above the sanctum. The doorway is richly carved.
Example
At Nachna, c. 5th century CE, devotees could perform pradakshina (walking around the deity clockwise) under a roof. The decorated door frame carries carvings of river goddesses and other figures.
Don't confuse with
- Gupta temple at Sanchi (Temple 17): a single flat-roofed room with a porch. It has no covered passage around the shrine and no upper storey.
Related concepts
- Gupta art
- Sarnath school of art
- Mudras
- Abhaya mudra
- Bhumisparsha mudra
- Dharmachakra mudra
- Dhyana mudra
- Varada mudra
- Vitarka mudra
- Anjali mudra