Үнді храмдарының шихара мұнарасы

Tower or spire in Indian temple architecture
the type of architecture

Shikhara (IAST: Śikhara), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A shikhara over the garbhagriha chamber where the presiding deity is enshrined is the most prominent and visible part of a Hindu temple of North India. In South India, the equivalent term is vimana; unlike the shikhara, this refers to the whole building, including the sanctum beneath. In the south, shikhara is a term for the top stage of the vimana only, which is usually a dome capped with a finial; this article is concerned with the northern form. The southern vimana is not to be confused with the elaborate gateway towers of south Indian temples, called gopuram, which are often taller and more prominent features in large temples.

Shikharas form an element in the many styles of Hindu temple architecture, of which the three most common are Nagara, Vesara, and Dravidian: Of the many temples in Bhubaneswar, only the Rajarani Temple has significant spirelets. The Vesara style, a synthesis of Nagara and Dravidian, is seen in Karnataka and most commonly in Hoysala and later Chalukya temples. In the vesara style, the tower moves towards a lower conical shape, with highly ornate carving. The Dravidian style is prevalent in southern India, in which the equivalent of the shikhara is the vimana. The superstructure above the sanctum is typically more like a four sided pyramid in overall shape, consisting of progressively smaller storeys of pavilions (talas), with a profile that is normally straight than curved. The Dravidian superstructure is generally highly ornate. In every style of shikhara/vimana, the structure culminates with a "kalasha", or urn for offerings, or water pot, at its peak.