chemistry

Ratha (architecture)

Ratha (architecture) is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ratha (architecture) rather than just read about it. In short: In Hindu temple architecture, a ratha (Sanskrit: रथ, lit. 'chariot', IAST: ratha) is a vertical offset projection on the plan of a structure, particularly of the shikhara above the sanctum. The term has the same meaning when applied to the forms of the bases of statues.

Key takeaways

Ratha (architecture) belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ratha (architecture) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ratha (architecture) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In Hindu temple architecture, a ratha (Sanskrit: रथ, lit. 'chariot', IAST: ratha) is a vertical offset projection on the plan of a structure, particularly of the shikhara above the sanctum. The term has the same meaning when applied to the forms of the bases of statues. A ratha is generally carried up from the bottom of the temple to the superstructure. The corners of each ratha touch notional circles on the plan of the temple, centred on the murti or cult image inside the sanctum. The sides are oriented along the main horizontal axis of the temple (normally running east–west) or at right angles to it, generating (except around the entrance to the sanctum) a multi-faceted plan that harmonizes the square and the circle, becoming more circular in overall shape as the number of rathas increases. The rathas may be decorated with geometric figures or statues, such as statues of a gatekeeper watching outside or a niche with a statue of a deity. Sometimes, the facet of the ratha is hollowed to the interior; these are rathas with recesses. If there is only one facet, this is a temple with three rathas (triratha): the wall and the facets on the left and the right. If there is a main facet and a secondary one, the temple has five rathas (pancharatha). There are also temples with seven rathas (saptaratha) and nine rathas (navaratha).

Etymology In Sanskrit, the word "ratha" means "cart" or "chariot", but the link with this meaning is not clear. A ratha, meaning cart, is also the temple chariot used for processing the murti at festivals, and a "ratha temple" is one designed to resemble a cart, with wheels on the sides, and often horses. The most famous example is the Sun Temple, Konarak.

Examples of triratha temples Parasurameswar Temple in Bhubaneswar

Lakhamandal Temple in Jaunsar-Bawar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Examples of pancharatha temples Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar Lakshmana Temple in Khajuraho Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa

Examples of saptaratha temples Chaturbhuja Temple in Khajuraho Shiva Lakhesvara Temple near Bhubaneswar Shikhara of the temple of Swayambhunath in Kathmandu

Examples of navaratha temples Adinath Temple in Khajuraho Vamana temple in Khajuraho Shiva Purvesvara Temple near Bhubaneswar

Notes

References Harle, J.C., The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, 2nd edn. 1994, Yale University Press Pelican History of Art, ISBN 0300062176

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ratha (architecture)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ratha (architecture) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ratha (architecture) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ratha (architecture) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ratha (architecture)

In research: Ratha (architecture) appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ratha (architecture) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ratha (architecture) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Architectural elements, Hindi words and phrases, Hindu temple architecture, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ratha (architecture) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ratha (architecture) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ratha (architecture) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ratha (architecture) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ratha (architecture) in simple terms?

Why does Ratha (architecture) matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ratha (architecture)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ratha (architecture).