How an Ancient Hindu Temple Construction Resist Earthquakes?

Do you know that temples have the power to resist earthquakes? Are there any scientific reasons that earthquakes can’t destroy them? Or is there a hidden spiritual power behind an ancient Hindu temple construction? Many researchers and scientific experts have discussed this. Let’s learn these exciting facts in detail!

The Structure of an Ancient Hindu Temple Construction

We build temples to resist natural calamities, and people design their structures to withstand earthquakes. Their essential elements include Garbagriha ( a private place), Pradakshinapatha ( a narrow passage to enter and exit), Antarala (a chamber), and Mandapa (the Hall of Gathering). Below, let’s learn about the architectural style of old temples.

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Ancient Indian Temple Architecture

We want to know why earthquakes can’t destroy a temple. To understand this, we need to know the architectural style and other elements that help to resist earthquakes.

The temples’ architectural or earthquake-style styles mean they can resist natural disasters. Some styles are the Nagara( Northern Style), Dravidian ( Southern Style), and Vesara (hybrid). The temples have a distinct style. This helps them withstand pressure during earthquakes. They do not collapse easily.

Elements of an Ancient Hindu Temple Construction

The following elements help Ancient Indian temple construction to resist earthquakes. These are:

• We call the temple sanctuary Vimana. It has two parts, the upper and lower, built to provide structural strength.
• The Pradakshina boosts resilience in earthquake strikes.
• A mandapa in the temple prevents falling as it distributes seismic forces.
• The Antarala helps in adding stability to the temple to withstand high pressure.
• Gopurams in a temple help take up the seismic load by protecting the mandir from earthquakes.
• Pitha is the platform in the temple that helps with structural integration. It raises the temple above the ground level.
• Torana, a gateway, helps bring stability to a temple.

The Amalaka, a disc-like stone placed in Shikhara, helps maintain the balance of the ancient Hindu temple construction. 
The direction of building a temple, the measurements, and the layouts play a significant role in resisting earthquakes.

Shilpa Shastras

Shilpa Shastra, or Vastu Shilpa Shastra, is a conventional Hindu system that involves making icons, crafts, jewellery, pottery, etc.  People have made the architecture in medieval India and used it for earthquake resistance. It is helpful as it provides specific guidelines for withstanding earthquakes. In an earthquake strike, the ancient Hindu temple construction materials of Shilpa Shastras often offer good stability.

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Temples That Earthquakes Have Failed To Destroy

There are temples that earthquakes could never hit. Some spiritual reasons exist. The temple building style can mainly sustain them. Let’s know about some temples that are earthquake-proof:

1. The Kankamath Temple, Madhya Pradesh

The people of medieval India were excellent at constructing temples and other structural forms, deities, crafts, etc. Kirttiraja built the Kankamath temple, a sacred temple built in the 11th century. This ancient Hindu Temple construction took place overnight. ‘Ghosts have built the temple,’ some locals say. They protect the temple.

Early invaders attacked this Shiva Temple, and some brick pieces were shattered around it. An interesting fact that surprises every visitor is that earthquakes did not affect this temple. It stands straight even in the 21st century! The Shilpa Shastras and unique architecture make the temple an eye-opener for visitors in this modern era. It is earthquake-proof.

2. Ramappa Temple, Hyderabad

The Ramappa Temple is located in Hyderabad. In 1230 A.D., Kakati Ganapathy Deva built it, which took about 40 years to build. It is magnificent and has Dravidian architectural styles. This temple has a beautiful history behind its earthquake-proof structure.

This famous temple is made of very light bricks that can easily float in water. Few people may think about how these bricks can help resist disaster. These bricks weigh lighter compared to water and can help resist disasters. The people there used sandbox technology, making the temple less earthquake-prone.

They created this technology using granite, Haritaki, sand, and jaggery powder. The Sandbox technique helps this temple control vibration in any direction. People made small holes in the walls, roofs, and pillars. They filled those with melted iron. The lightweight bricks and sandbox technology made the temple earthquake-proof, making an ancient Hindu temple construction withstand earthquakes. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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