D ) SPACE

Figure 28 Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai water tank

Waterbodies around the temples are in the forms of step wells (baoris), trenches, wells as well as manmade Water Bodies like ponds within temples. Vegetation along with waterbodies were planned to improve the microclimate of temples inside. These designed so that comfort levels are maintained in hot summer Water body in temple premises, keeps the environment cool and improve the microclimatic conditions (Sarswat & Kamal, 2015).At the Meenakshi temple water tank is surrounded by steps and pillared portico on 4 sides, with a brass lamp in middle of tank, on its west is a doorway leading to the inner courtyard of Meenakshi Shrine. Thus, providing cooling effect to the atmosphere, and providing comfort to the devotees.

[ 1 ] Sacred Geometry

"As the pigments are but the vehicle of painting, so is the building but the vehicle of architecture, which is the thought behind form, embodied and realized for the purpose of its manifestation and transmission. Architecture, then, interpenetrates building, not for satisfaction of the simple needs of the body, but the complex ones of the intellect." (Lethaby, 2005).

Figure 29 Use of Sacred geometry in the plan sections of Indian Temple Architecture, based on the geometries of seven chakras.

A Hindu temple is a symbolic structure that represents certain fundamental concepts of Hindu philosophy about the nature of cosmos, and the formal characteristics of the temple are the outcome of this symbolic representation. (Trivedi, 1993).The planning of the temple complexes were based on 7 Chakras System in Human body, where each chakra has specific geometry and that gets reflected in the temple floor plans.

Figure 30 Plans halls from Mukhamandapa to Garbhagriha - a. Shrine alone, b. Shrine with porch, c. Shrine with Antarala and porch, d. Sarvatobhadra shrine with four entrances (Hardy, 2007)

Figure 31 : Evolution in the plan of projection around the halls according to Sacred Geometry - a. Simple square plan, (be). Square plan with simple projections, (f-i). Staggered square plan without recesses, (j-m). Staggered square plan with recesses, (n-o). Stepped diamond plan, (p-q). Stellate plan with orthogonal central projection, (r-s). Special stellate plans, (t-v). Uniform stellate plans based on rotated-square star.

Figure 32 Fractal dimension of front elevation of Kandariya Mahadev Temple (Tanisha Dutta & V. S. Adane, 2018)