Glossary

Vesara Architecture

Vesara Architecture

A term for an architectural style primarily associated with medieval-era temples in the Deccan region, especially north Karnataka. Derived from a Sanskrit word for “mule,” it has been used by scholars to describe a hybrid architectural style that includes influences from the Dravida (southern Indian) and Nagara (northern Indian) styles of temple architecture. Vesara temples are known for their use of miniature roof forms for decoration and complex floor plans, similar to a layered square or a star. The term is predominantly used to describe temples dating to the Later Western Chalukya and Hoysala periods, from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries.

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