The Temple's Journey Through the Ages

Historians say Hindu Temples   did not exist during the Vedic period (1500 - 500 BC). The remains of the earliest   temple structure were discovered in Surkh Kotal, a place in Afghanistan by a   French archeologist in 1951. It was not dedicated to a god but to the imperial   cult of King Kanishka (127 - 151 AD). The ritual of idol worship which became   popular at the end of the Vedic age may have given rise to the concept of temples   as a place of worship.

The Earliest Hindu Temples

The earliest temple structures were not made   of stones or bricks, which came much later. In ancient times, public or community   temples were possibly made of clay with thatched roofs made of straw or leaves.   Cave-temples were prevalent in remote places and mountainous terrains.
According to historian, Nirad C Chaudhuri, the earliest structures that indicate   idol worship date back to the 4th or 5th century AD. There was a seminal development   in temple architecture between the 6th and the 16th century. This growth phase   of Hindu temples charts its rise and fall alongside the fate of the various   dynasties that reigned India during the period majorly contributing and influencing   the building of temples, especially in South India. Hindus consider the building   of temples an extremely pious act, bringing great religious merit. Hence kings   and wealthy men were eager to sponsor the construction of temples, notes Swami   Harshananda, and the various steps of building the shrines were performed as   religious rites.

Temples of South India (6th - 18th Century AD)

The Pallavas (600 - 900   AD) sponsored the building of the rock-cut chariot-shaped temples of Mahabalipuram,   including the famous shore temple, the Kailashnath and Vaikuntha Perumal temples   in Kanchipuram in southern India. The Pallavas style further flourished - with   the structures growing in stature and sculptures becoming more ornate and intricate   - during the rule of the dynasties that followed, particularly the Cholas (900   - 1200 AD), the Pandyas temples (1216 - 1345 AD), the Vijayanagar kings (1350   - 1565 AD) and the Nayaks (1600 - 1750 AD).
The Chalukyas (543 - 753 AD) and the Rastrakutas (753 - 982 AD) also made major   contributions to the development of temple architecture in Southern India. The   Cave Temples of Badami, the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal, the Durga Temple   at Aihole and the Kailasanatha temple at Ellora are standing examples of the   grandeur of this era. Other important architectural marvels of this period are   the sculptures of Elephanta Caves and the Kashivishvanatha temple.
During the Chola period the South Indian style of building temples reached   its pinnacle, as exhibited by the imposing structures of the Tanjore temples.   The Pandyas followed in the footsteps the Cholas and further improved on their   Dravidian style as evident in the elaborate temple complexes of Madurai and   Srirangam. After the Pandyas, the Vijayanagar kings continued the Dravidian   tradition, as evident in the marvelous temples of Hampi. The Nayaks of Madurai,   who followed the Vijayanagar kings, hugely contributed to architectural style   of their temples, bringing in elaborate hundred or thousand-pillared corridors,   and tall and ornate 'gopurams' or monumental structures that formed the gateway   to the temples as evident in the temples of Madurai and Rameswaram.

Temples of East, West and Central India (8th - 13th Century AD)

In Eastern   India, particularly in Orissa between 750-1250 AD and in Central India between   950-1050 AD many gorgeous temples were built. The temples of Lingaraja in Bhubaneswar,   the Jagannath temple in Puri and the Surya temple in Konarak bear the stamp   of Orissa's proud ancient heritage. The Khajuraho temples, known for its erotic   sculptures, the temples of Modhera and Mt. Abu have their own style belonging   to Central India. The terracotta architectural style of Bengal also lent itself   to its temples, also notable for its gabled roof and eight-sided pyramid structure   called the 'aath-chala'.

Temples of Southeast Asia (7th - 14th century AD)

Southeast Asian countries,   many of which were ruled by Indian monarchs saw the construction of many marvelous   temples in the region between 7th and 14th century AD that are popular tourist   attractions till his day, the most famous amongst them being the Angkor Vat   temples built by King Surya Varman II in the 12th century. Some of the major   Hindu temples in Southeast Asia that are still extant include the Chen La temples   of Cambodia (7th - 8th century), the Shiva temples at Dieng and Gdong Songo   in Java (8th - 9th century), the Pranbanan temples of Java (9th - 10th century),   the Banteay Srei temple at Angkor (10th century), the Gunung Kawi temples of   Tampaksiring in Bali (11th century), and Panataran (Java) (14th century), and   the Mother Temple of Besakih in Bali (14th century).

Hindu Temples of Today

Today, Hindu temples across the globe form the   cynosure of India's cultural tradition and spiritual succor. There are Hindu   temples in all almost countries of the world, and contemporary India is bristled   with beautiful temples, which hugely contribute to her cultural heritage. In   2005, arguably the largest temple complex was inaugurated in New Delhi on the   banks of river Yamuna. The mammoth effort of 11,000 artisans and volunteers   made the majestic grandeur of Akshardham temple a reality, an astounding feat which the proposed world's tallest   Hindu temple of Mayapur in West Bengal is aiming accomplish.