(made of bamboo or branches of large palm leaves only) in which a divine
  presence was known to dwell. The tabernacle, seen as an altar, enclosed
  the sacred space by the high shape of four curved branches, with their ends
  gathered to a point in gradual reduction of the three dimensional form in
  one direction or in an ascent. This is still a familiar form in village huts.
  This form gave way to the curvilinear sikhara (superstructure) of the north
  Indian temple, ascending in diminishing units towards a finial, marked by
  the kalasa, a vase or pitcher.
     The fifth and the last type is represented by a lone monument known as
Maniyar Matha (shrine of Mani Naga) at Rajgir, Bihar, which is now in a
dilapidated condition. The fourth type is represented by a temple at Ter
(Sholapur district) and the Kapoteshvara temple at Cezarla (Krishna district),
both belonging to the 4th or 5th century AD. The Durga temple at Aihole,
seemingly allied to the fourth in design, has, however, a flat roof with a
sikhara over the sanctum—evidently an attempt to adapt and remodel an old
and established form to new needs. Neither the fourth nor the fifth type seems
to have had any marked effect on subsequent developments.
     The first three types are seen as the precursors of later Indian temple
styles. Illustrative examples of the first include temple No. XVII at Sanchi,
Kankali Devi temple at Tigawa and Vishnu and Varaha temples at Eran, all in
Madhya Pradesh. Each comprises a simple square sanctum cella, with an
open pillared porch in front. The nucleus of a temple, namely a cubical cella
(garbha-griha) with a single entrance and a porch (mandapa), appears for the
first time as an integrated composition in this type of temples. The second
type is seen in the Parvati temple at Nachna Kuthara, the Siva temple at
Bhumara (both in Madhya Pradesh) and the Lad Khan at Aihole. Each
comprises a flat-roofed square sanctum cella inside a similarly roofed bigger
square hall. The bigger hall, with a covered ambulatory (pradakshina) around
the inner sanctum, is preceded by a slightly smaller rectangular porch of the
open type in front. In both the Parvati temple at Nachna Kuthara and the Lad
Khan at Aihole there is an upper storey (vimana) above the inner chamber.
     The third type is illustrated by the Dasavatara temple at Deogarh (Jhansi
district) and the brick temple at Bhitargaon (Kanpur district). Each has a
square sanctum cella supported