Cloth folded to form a pleat
Successive inward offsetting or corbelling-in of the roofing slabs or brick courses over walls to reduce the space to be roofed over an ultimate small opening on top that can be covered by a slab overlapping like a banana bunch.
Variant primarily of the rekha-Nagara-style prasada, or temple, in which the superstructural tiers comprise kapata (cornice) and kantha (neck) and are capped by a circular griva or gala (neck), and an amalasara, often without the sukanasika.
the wall (cf. bhitti); part of the pilaster stambham is sometimes square in section, and at other times octagonal (kal, Tamil: கால்)
A measure of weight used in weighing precious things like pearl, coral, perfumes, etc., also unit of bullion weight of gold; ancient weight measure.
(also kalasam or kalasha, Tamil: கலசம்) pot-shaped component of the capital of a pillar (cf. lasuna); wide-mouthed vase; lowermost member of the pillar capital, so-called after its shape. Also the vase-shaped finial over the amalaka of northern temples.
(also kalasa or kalasha, Tamil: கலசம்) pot-shaped component of the capital of a pillar (cf. lasuna); wide-mouthed vase; lowermost member of the pillar capital, so-called after its shape. Also the vase-shaped finial over the amalaka of northern temples.
Mandapa or hall in which the ceremonial wedding of god and goddess in the form of utsava-murti’s or processional bronze icon is celebrated annually in South Indian temples. (kalyana-mandapa, Tamil: கலியாணமண்டபம்)
Pillar (cf. stambha or stambham)
a basement-moulding
golden dance hall (of Natesa at Chidambaram)
Shaivite poet-saint who was a hunter
‘shirt-wearer’, a chamberlain in the royal harem
a basement-moulding, (kandam, Tamil: காந்தம்)
wristlet (cf. valaya)
neck
(also kan dam; Tamil: க்ண்டம்) Tenon of a bulbous capital; Notice: not to be confused with kandam.
a stiff necklace
Sacred ceremony of giving away the bride in marriage
Literally human skull – used as begging bowl; skull-cap
cornice
Pigeon; overhanging cornice, usually flexed, projecting beyond the principal beam to throw off water from the terrace beyond the beam and joist-end or recesses of the adhishthana like kumudam and padma. (cf. kapotam, Tamil: கபோதம்)
(also kabodam, Tamil: கபோதம்) originally a term applied to the kudu (cf. kudu), but later equated with the cornice by some writers (cf. kapota)
a stiff necklace of large round gold beads strung on metal rather than thread
sixth-century female devotee of Shiva, included in canon of poet-saints; famed for renouncing bodily beauty to serve Shiva better
dance pose; classified and codified dance movements
basket-like
a conical crown of hairstyle in tiers bulgingin horizontal sections – the whole resembling a basket in shape; the tiers are called karandas (cf. karanda)
hand held straight like a stick (cf. danda-hasta)
metalworker
major character in the Mahabharata epic
(also karnakudu, Tamil: கர்ணகூடு) Miniatur sama-chaturasra (square) shrine at the corner of each storey of the vimana over the prastara, with a single stupi. It is rarely vritta (circular) or ashtasra (octagonal) on plan.
Miniature ayatasra (oblong) shrine with barrel-vault roof placed at the corner of each tala of a structure, usual in gopura’s.
ear-ornament
(also karna-kuta, Tamil: கர்ணகூடு) Miniatur sama-chaturasra (square) shrine at the corner of each storey of the vimana over the prastara, with a single stupi. It is rarely vritta (circular) or ashtasra (octagonal) on plan.
a holding gesture
the gesture of kartari
fingers of the hand held like a pair of scissors to hold an object
a flower
Vedic sage
a pose of holding between the closed fingers
the pose of hand in kataka
hand in an attitude of holding a lily
waist-band
prismatic section of a pillar; Intervening octagonal or polygonal portion between the bottom ans top squares of a pillar.
pose in which the hand is held straight below the hip
metal covering
Kayotsarga means to give up one’s physical comfort and body movements, thus staying steady, either in a standing or other posture, and concentrating upon the true nature of the soul.
a variety of coiffure; hair-style with a binding of flowers or fillets
an armlet similar to baji-bandha but made of stiff rings
Kerala term used for the nasika (cf. nasika and sukanasika).
bells or tinklers on a thread
chain of bells
crown
a type of tall crown of metal
(also kirtimukha) literally ‘face of glory’; Lion’s head signifying glory usually seen in arches and belt loops and ornaments. A motif consisting of leonine head with bulging eyes and a flat nose, seen in the centre of belts prabhavali and… Continue Reading →
(also kiriti-mukha) literally ‘face of glory’; Lion’s head signifying glory usually seen in arches and belt loops and ornaments. A motif consisting of leonine head with bulging eyes and a flat nose, seen in the centre of belts prabhavali and… Continue Reading →
name of the bow held by Rama
foliage-decoration (especially over the edges of the sikhara or kodungai)
cornice, moulded projection over a tala (kodungai, Tamil: கொடுங்கை)
a wristlet or anklet of woven pattern
(also goshta) a cell or niche for the deity (cf. sala)
a niche decorated with a curved cage-motif (cf. kumbha-panjara)
literally ‘abode of the lord/king’; Koil or Kovil or Koyil (Tamil: கோயில்), (meaning: residence of God) is the Tamil term for a distinct style of Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture.
deer skin
one of four castes in Hindu society, kshatriyas are the military and ruling classes
hall resting on between 4 and 28 pillars
short nasika; projected front end of a miniature apsidal (one or two-storeyed) shrine with arch over pilasters functioning as a small opening, usually found in the harantara.
a breast band
(kudam, Tamil: குடம்) part of the capital of a pillar (cf. stambham)
a measure of weight (unknown today) referred to in Chola inscriptions
‘Nest’; The arched-window motif (chaitya-window motif) on roof-line with a shovel- or lion-head top (horse-shoe-shaped decorative element on the facade of a monument) out of a flexed cornice (kapota), originally perhaps intended for entry of roosting birds (kapota) but in… Continue Reading →
pilaster shown as relief on wall surface
(kulam, Tamil: குளம்) a sacred tank or pond
(also kumbham, Tamil: கும்பம்) Member of the pillar capital coming above the kalasa, and tadi, and bulbous in form. Originally a flattened carinate vase with a short, narrow mouth.
(also kumbha-panjaram, Tamil: கும்பபஞ்சரம்) a vase of foliage crowned by a curved, cage-like pattern, a motif alternating with koshtha-panjara niches
(also kumbha, Tamil: கும்பம்) Member of the pillar capital coming above the kalasa, and tadi, and bulbous in form. Originally a flattened carinate vase with a short, narrow mouth.
(also kumuda, Tamil: குமுதம்) the rounded or angular base moulding of a temple, above the jagati
a graceful bend or tilt
an ear ring; ear-ornament (of various kinds such as makara-, preta-, patra-, ratna-, simha- and naga-)
(also kutam) square ornamental pavilion on the storeys of the vimana (cf. sala, salai and nasi); Shrine of square plan (sama-chaturasra) with four-sided converging roof and single finial, or circular or octagonal with domical roof and single finial, or stupi.
(also kuta) square ornamental pavilion on the storeys of the vimana (cf. sala, salai and nasi); Shrine of square plan (sama-chaturasra) with four-sided converging roof and single finial, or circular or octagonal with domical roof and single finial, or stupi.
dance
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