Temple Architecture and Iconography of Babour and Panjnara temples in Jammu Region

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2014 in the subject Art - Architecture / History of Construction, , language: English, abstract: In Jammu region ?ikhara temples both of ancient and recent origin are very common. These vary in regard to as they possess only the sanctuary or more parts of a typical ?ikhara temple. Some of the temple consist of a single cella in which the idol is housed and have an enter room or ma?dapa. The ancient temples, however, are entered through an ornamented porch usually supported by two pillars. The early medieval temples in Jammu region are two types. Firstly, ??iratha embellished by a variety of carvings and architectural designs as in the case of temples at Krimachi and most probably the Devi shrine at Babour. The second type to be seen in all other temples at Babour, which are not ??iratha in construction but are equally decorated with carved embellishments and architectural design. The temple of recent origin do not possess such outer formalities except that they have large curvilinear ?ikharas with a small melon-type amalaka or simply a bhumi in some cases on the highest narrow point to serve as base for a metallic kala?a, set of three gh?t?s diminishing upwards, topped by a lotus bud pointed upwards. The lower portion or jangh? is invariably a rectangular construction, all constructed out of bricks, leaving no scope for carved embellishment, but only for architectural designs, embellishing niches, projections like eves, bandhanas, ardha- ?ikharas and the like.

The author is presently working as an assistant professor of history in Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (Punjab, India). He has done Master of Philosophy in history in 2007 and Doctor of Philosophy in 2013 in history from Jammu University. He has worked an academic counsellor of history in IGNOU- Jammu, from 2007 to 2014. He also worked as an assistant professor of history in Chanderprabhu Jain College, Delhi. He has published more than 17 research papers in national and international journals along with three books. He has qualified UGC-NET and JRF-ICHR.