A tier or storey in a shikhara, vimana or gopuram, found primarily in Dravida temple architecture.
Tala
Link copied!
More Definitions
Zenana
A Persian term for private quarters in a house reserved exclusively for women. Originally an extension of the Islamic concept…
Jaali
Latticed screen windows often found in Islamic architecture, typically made of stone, metal, and in rare cases, also wood. Apart…
prakara
Straight enclosure wall surrounding the shrine and other structures, and demarcating pathways around them, in Dravida-style temples of South India.…
Vesara Architecture
A term for an architectural style primarily associated with medieval-era temples in the Deccan region, especially north Karnataka. Derived from…
Apsidal
A term referring to the shape of an apse, an architectural element that serves as a semi-circular end for a…
Mihrab
A niche in the wall of a mosque which indicates the qibla (direction of the Kaaba in Mecca) and is…
Shaft
The portion of a column or pier located between the base and the capital to support the structure. It is…
Chaitya
Meaning ‘shrine’ or ’sanctuary’ in Sanskrit, chaitya or chaitya griha (‘chaitya hall’) refers to a pillared hall in Buddhist architecture,…