IN SEARCH OF THE HIDDEN PLANNING GRID OF TRI-RATHA TEMPLES OF ODISHA

The architecture of India is rooted in its history, culture and religion. Indian temples represent one of the great architectural traditions of the world. The first Hindu temples were built from rock cut caves which were later converted into the free standing structures at the advent of Gupta architecture around 4th & 5th century. Out of the different typology of temples found in India, Kalingan style of temple architecture can be observed in Odisha. The temples found here, shows a homogeneous characteristics with a continuity, from (6th to 16th century A D). Various studies have been carried out on Odishan temples in different areas and many literature also discuss about these temples details but method of construction of these temples is obscure. In the earlier period anthropometric dimensions were used which not relevant to the present day measurement system and the interpretation of the texts is also not possible . So in present paper, an effort has been made to find out the probable grid, of the plan form of the triratha temples existing in Odisha, in the modern system of measurement in relevance to the canons.