Tin Thal

Built Environments & Structures Architecture

A three-storeyed Mahayana cave temple in Ellora dating to the eighth century CE. Marked as Cave 12, it houses a sculpture of a squating Buddha and his seven previous incarnations. There are also a number of relief-carved images of the Buddha accompanied by chauri bearers and bodhisattvas.

More Definitions

Roll Bracket

Also known as taranga potika, it is a corbel-bracket with a roll-like pattern or moulding.

Monolith

A structure that is excavated or carved out of a single block of rock. Monoliths are usually not moved from…

Shikhara

A superstructure, tower or spire characteristic of North Indian temple architecture, it usually rises above the innermost sanctuary or the…

Cornice Moulding

A horizontal decorative moulding applied to the edges at the top of an interior wall, ceiling or pedestal. They date…

Uttaranga

In Indian temple architecture, it is the term for the lintel located above a doorway. It is often a carved…

Double-Voluted

An architectural or design element consisting of two scroll-shaped ornamental figures mounted on pillar capitals. The curving shape is believed…

Chaitya

Meaning ‘shrine’ or ’sanctuary’ in Sanskrit, chaitya or chaitya griha (‘chaitya hall’) refers to a pillared hall in Buddhist architecture,…

Apsidal

A term referring to the shape of an apse, an architectural element that serves as a semi-circular end for a…