This course offers a scholarly examination of the architectural traditions that have shaped India's sacred spaces across centuries. It provides a structured introduction to temple architecture, tracing the evolution from early structural forms to the sophisticated building programmes of medieval India.

The course begins with an exploration of early temple forms, establishing the foundational typologies from which later traditions emerged. Participants will examine the two principal architectural idioms—the Nagara style characteristic of northern India, with its curvilinear shikhara, and the Dravida tradition of the south, distinguished by its pyramidal vimana.

The study extends to regional variations that developed across the subcontinent, reflecting local materials, patronage patterns, and devotional practices. Attention is given to the processes of temple construction and the systems of royal and mercantile patronage that enabled these monumental undertakings.