QUESTION

Medium

Art & Culture

Prelims 2014

With reference to the cultural history of India, the term ‘Panchayatan’ refers to

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Explanation

Panchayatan (from Sanskrit: pañcha = five + āyatana = dwelling or shrine) refers to a style of temple architecture in which the main shrine is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines at the four corners of the temple platform. This layout symbolizes the worship of five deities (Panchadevata), typically:

Shiva
Vishnu
Shakti (Devi)
Surya (Sun)
Ganesha or Skanda It was popularized during the Gupta period and became a hallmark of Nagara-style temple architecture in North India.

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