Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/112

 BOOK VI. NORTHERN OR INDO-ARYAN STYLE. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. CONTENTS.

Introductory Dravidian and Indo-Aryan Temples at Pattadakal Modern Temple at Benares.

OF the three styles into which Hindu architecture naturally divides itself, the northern is found spread over a far larger portion of the country than either of the other two. It wants, however, the compactness and strongly-marked individuality of the Dravidian, and never was developed with that exuberance which characterised the southern style from the i5th to the 1 8th century. In many respects it resembles more the Chalukyan style, the examples being small and elegant, and found dispersed over the face of the country, where wanted, without any apparent massing together in particular spots.

Unfortunately, we have no name which would describe the style in its ethnographical and geographical relations without being open to the objection of expressing either too much or too little. In this respect the southern style is singularly fortunate : Dravidian correctly limits it to people speaking Tamil, Telugu, or some cognate dialect ; and the country where the people speaking those tongues are to be found is generally and correctly known as Dravida - de^a, or country of the Dravidians.

The term Chalukyan, applied to the second style, is not so expressive ; but it is unobjectionable, as it cannot mislead any one. It is only a conventional term, derived from the principal known dynasty ruling in that country, applied to a style occupying a borderland between the other two, but a