Shikhara (IAST: Śikhara), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples.

shikhara, in North Indian temple architecture, the superstructure, tower, or spire above the sanctuary and also above the pillared mandapa s (porches or halls); it is the most dominant and characteristic feature of the Hindu temple in the north.

North Indian temples are generally classified according to the style of the shikhara: the phamsana style is rectilinear, and the latina is curvilinear and itself has two variations, the shekhari and the bhumija.

Nov 24, 2024 · It is a significant architectural feature that not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the temple but also carries profound spiritual meanings. The Shikhara represents the temple’s connection to the divine, symbolizing the ascent of the soul towards the heavens.

Nov 6, 2024 · Śikhara (शिखर, “peak”) refers to a gesture (āṅgika) made with a ‘single hand’ (asaṃyuta), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 8. The hands (hasta) form a part of the human body which represents one of the six major limbs (aṅga) used in dramatic performance.

Sep 9, 2023 · Did we always have magnificent and beautifully carved wonders of architecture where their Shikaras touched the skies? Were the temples and their Shikharas always so ordained with spellbinding sculptures? Let us explore …

The meaning of SHIKARA is the tower or spire of a medieval Indian temple; especially : a curvilinear spire in the northern style surmounted by an amalaka.

Leaving aside the Buddhist cave temples where architecture or architectonics, properly speaking, can find no place—the oldest example of the shikhara is to be met at Bodh-Gaya—in the spire of the Mahabodhi temple (Fig. 1).

A shikhara is the towering spire or peak found on Hindu temples, particularly in North Indian temple architecture. It symbolizes the mythical Mount Meru, which is considered the axis of the universe in Hindu cosmology, and serves to draw the …

The North Indian vimana or Sikhara is crowned by a large circular (Wheel shaped) capstone block known as 'amalaka' (ribbed disc resembling an amalaka fruit, Emblic Myrobalan), while its South Indian counterpart ends in a cupola (Srnga) or Wagon roof (khakra).