Amalaka

As Amalaka is a ring and cushion-shaped disc with vertical indentations called in Indian architecture at the outer edge, the - usually along with other elements or a vase-shaped attachment ( Kalasha ) - forms the upper end of a North Indian temple pillar or shikhara tower. They are religious buildings ( temples and - in rare cases - even grave monuments ) reserved.

History and distribution

Capitals

According to current knowledge, the earliest ( preserved ) come amalakas Buddhist cave temples, where they sometimes above a bell-shaped Lotoskapitells appear (eg Bedsa, entrance hall). Also on Buddhist reliefs they can be found as a pillar or pillar decoration. At Hindu pillars monuments of the 4th and 5th century, they also appear (eg iron pillar). The Buddhist and early Hindu- Jain stone architecture amalakas know - sometimes in conjunction with kalashas - on pillars, but as essays on the originally flat-roofed temple roofs not.

Temple roofs

Only after the advent of Shikhara towers in 7/8 Century (eg Naresar ) amalakas form the crown. In the high medieval north Indian temple architecture ( Nagara style) you will find these ribbed ring stones everywhere; some larger Shikharas with smaller accompanying towers ( urushringas ) have several amalakas (eg, Lakshmana Temple, Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, on the latter 84 were counted ). The largest amalakas crowning the Shikara towers in the vicinity of temples of Khajuraho and Bhubaneshwar; they have a diameter of four to five meters and are - as well as offer most of the smaller amalakas - composed of several parts. In the Middle Indian Vesara style and the South Indian Dravidian style they are unknown.

Origin and Meaning

The annular structure of amalakas can possibly close to older models from wood or straw, with which the reeds and grass roofs of round huts were held together at the top. Such things are not preserved. Another theory is that such rings should protect the seated kalashas before overturning as a support.

Stone amalakas are somewhat similar to the slightly notched fruits of Indian Gooseberry ( Phyllanthus emblica or Emblica officinalis ), whose common Indian name " Amlabaum " ( Sanskrit: amalaka or amlaki ) reveals a name of equality or similarity to amalaka. The long traditional use as a medicinal plant in folk and Ayurvedic medicine is reflected in the suffix officinalis. Maybe it was the reputed fruits - partly proven - healing effect, which was to go as a kind of protection or auspiciousness to the architecture - Amalakas.

The older research sees in them a lotus or a sun symbol. Stella Kramrich and Adrian Snodgrass mention a variety of other possible origin and significance levels. In any case, from a disastrous defensive ( apotropaic ) Meaning assumed this architectural element.

Amalaka on Islamic mausoleums

Although Islam Hindu (ie ' pagan ') architectural motifs largely suppressed to amalakas find - mostly in connection with the closely with the desire for immortality Linked vases attachment ( Kalasha ) - also on some domed tombs of the Indo-Islamic architecture of Delhi - for example on the mausoleum for Ghiyas -ud -din Tughluq Shah I ( † 1325 ) in Tughlaqabad, the ' Lal Gumbaz ' said dome grave ( 1397 ) in Jahanpanah, the ' Sheesh Gumbad - ' ( 1500) in the Lodi Gardens and on the - also located in Jahanpanah - mogul temporal tomb of Sheikh Alauddin (1541 /2).

Many Muslims were quite superstitious - in any case it is hardly conceivable that such elements without express desire and knowledge of the client by Hindu masons were simply placed onto the grave monuments. It could be, however, that the symbolic meaning of amalakas and kalashas was already lost at that time in whole or in part, and they were primarily understood as purely decorative elements.