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Concept
Vesara
Summary
Vesara is a hybrid form of Indian temple architecture, with South Indian plan and a shape that features North Indian details. This fusion style likely originated in the historic architecture schools of the Dharwad region. It is common in the surviving temples of later Chalukyas and Hoysalas in the Deccan region, particularly Karnataka. According to Indian texts, Vesara was popular in central parts of India such as between the Vindhyas and the river Krishna. It is one of six major types of Indian temple architecture found in historic texts along with Nagara, Dravida, Bhumija, Kalinga, and Varata.
The term was used by ancient writers, but possibly not with the same meaning as in modern usage. For this and other reasons, it is avoided by some writers, such as Adam Hardy. Alternative terms for the whole time span of the tradition, from the 7th to the 13th century CE, include Karnata Dravida (Hardy's choice), 'Central Indian temple architecture style', 'Deccan architecture', or for shorter periods, terms referring to local dynasties, such as "Chalukyan architecture", or more precisely Early Chalukya or Badami Chalukya architecture and Later or Kalyana Chalukya or Western Chalukya architecture, and Hoysala architecture to those built during the Hoysala dynasty rule.
Among those who do use "vesara", there is some disagreement as to what periods to use it for. Such disagreements are very largely restricted to matters of nomenclature: whether the term is useful, and if so, what it should cover, in particular, whether the Early as well as the Later Chalukya is included in "Vesara". There is general agreement about most aspects of the actual surviving buildings.
Vesara means mule, "an issue of heterogeneous parents", states Stella Kramrisch. The south Indian text Kamika-agama explains that this name is derived from its mixed nature, where it is a Dravida architecture in plan, yet its shape is Nagara architecture in the details. The same text says that Vesara is also called Sankara – "hybrid" – for the same reason.
Official source
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