The Nagara style is found throughout
northern and eastern India. One of its
prominent features is a shikharaor
tower. The shikhara is often surrounded
by smaller towers that lead the eye up to
the highest point, which is directly over
the image of the temple’s primary deity.
Within this general pattern there are two
variants, exemplified by the temples at
Khajurahoand Orissa.
In Khajuraho the series of shikha-
ras are connected, forming a continu-
ous rising swell that draws the eye
upward, similar to a series of hills
leading to a distant peak. This vertical-
ity is accentuated through the use of
turrets (urushringas) on the sides of
the towers, which replicate the shape
of the final peak. The entire temple is
set on a raised base (adhishthana).
Within the temple there are usually
several different zones: an entrance
porch (ardhamandapa), a hall (man-
dapa), an intermediate area (antarala),
and a central shrine (garbhagrha) sur-
rounded by a processional pathNagaraBuilt in the Nagara style, the Triloknath Temple in Mandi consists of a series of towers,
the largest of which contains an image of the presiding deity.