The grand temple at Rama Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya will follow the Nagara style of temple architecture.
What is Nagara style of temple architecture?
The basic form of a Hindu temple contains the following architectural elements:
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Garbhagriha – the small room where the principal deity/deities of the temple reside
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Mandapa – the portico or hall at the entrance of the temple generally designed to house a large number of people
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Shikhara – the mountain like spire which can have different shapes from pyramidal to curvilinear
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Vahana – the mount of the main deity placed generally in line of sight from Garbhagriha
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In this style, the temple is generally constructed on an upraised platform called Jagati.
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Mandapas are present in front of the These are adorned with the Shikhara, the tallest one being above the Garbhagriha.
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The shikhara over the mandapas in the pictures of the Ayodhya Ram temple can be seen having a square base, and a rectilinear outline.
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This is called the phamsana-style shikhara. Note that the mandapa shikhara right at the entrance has an octagonal base.
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There are different types of Shikhara found in Indian temples
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A comparison with Khajuraho Vishwanath temple, also built in Nagara style, shows the similarity between the two.
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Note that the main shikhara of the two are remarkably similar.
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They rise upward in a curved pyramidal fashion, ending in a horizontal fluted disc called an Amalaka topped with a Kalasha. This is called the Latina-style shikhara.
