A central courtyard was encircled by a number of tiny apartments in an early architectural type known as a vihara.
Individual cells in the little rooms and a shared area in the
vast middle space—this was originally a Buddhist architectural design meant to
provide a living place for the monks.
The pattern was included into the oldest Hindu temples, such
as those in Aihole.
Discover more about Hindu Art, Architecture, and Iconography here.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
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