The basic elements that comprise a Hindu Temple are given below:

• Garbhagriha: Literally means womb-house. It is a cave-like sanctum which houses the main icon of the temple. In earlier times, it was a small cubicle with one entrance. In later periods, it grew into a larger chamber.
• Mandapa: The entrance to the temple. It could be a portico or a collonaded hall where worshippers stand.
• Shikhara/Vimana: Noticed from the 5th century CE. It is a mountain-like spire on top. In north India, it is called Shikhara and is curving in shape. In the south, it is like a pyramidal tower and is called Vimana.
• Amalaka: Stone-like disc seen at the top of the temple. Mostly in north Indian temples.
• Kalasha: It is the topmost part of the temple. Mainly seen in north Indian styles.
• Antarala: It is a vestibule between the Garbhagriha and the Mandapa.
• Jagati: This is common in north Indian temples and is a raised platform where devotees can sit and pray.
• Vahana: It is the vehicle of the main deity which along with the standard pillar or Dhvaj which are placed axialy.

Basically there are 3 kinds of temple architecture:

1. Nagara Style
2. Dravida Style
3. Vesara Style

The Nagara or North Indian Temple Architecture

• Nagara is the style of temple architecture which became popular in Northern India.
• It is common here to build an entire temple on a stone platform with steps leading up to it.
• Unlike in south India, it doesn’t usually have elaborate boundary walls or gateways.
• Earliest temples had only one shikhara (tower), but in the later periods, multiple shikharas came.
• The garbhagriha is always located directly under the tallest tower.

The Dravida or South Indian Temple Architecture

• Unlike the nagara temple, the Dravida temple is enclosed within a compound wall.
• The front wall has an entrance gateway in its centre, which is known as Gopura/ Gopuram.
• The shape of the main temple tower is known as Vimana (shikhara in nagara style).

• The vimana is like a stepped pyramid that rises up geometrically rather than the curving shikhara of north India.
• In south India, the word Shikhara is used only for the crowning element at the top of the temple which is usually shaped like a small stupika or an octagonal cupola (this is equivalent to the amalaka or kalasha of north Indian temples).

• In north Indian temples, we can see images such as Mithunas (erotic) and the river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna guarding the temple. But in the Dravida style of temple architecture, instead of these sculptures, we can see the sculptures of fierce dvarapalas or door keepers guarding the temple.
• A large water reservoir or a temple tank enclosed in the complex is general in south Indian temples.

The Vesara or the Deccan Temple Architecture

• A hybridised style mixing elements from both Nagara and Dravida styles emerge as a distinct style during the middle of the 7th century in regions like Karnataka.
• This is referred to as Vesara in some ancient texts.
• Some of the temples are either completely nagara or dravida. Not all temples in the Deccan are in vesara style.

 Durga Temple at Aihole, Karnataka:

• The temple was built in between 7th and 8th century.
• The architecture of the temple is predominantly Dravida with Nagara style also in certain areas.
• The temple is considered as a unique and magnificent temple of the Chalukya period.