Sanrachna
Mathematical Wonders
S1 • E8 Mar 4, 2015 25m
The self-replicating repetition of a pattern is the characteristic feature of temples at Khajuraho, and the best illustration is provided by the Kanadriya Mahadeo built between 95—1050 CE, during the reign of Chandela kings. A profusion of curvilinear Shikhar creates an impressive illusion of a mountain. The fractal pattern is encountered not only in the elevation but also in abundance of decorative detail. A similar play with fractals is indulged in the Virupaksha temple at Patadakkal in Karnataka. It is interesting that what the Indian builders practiced in early medieval period was articulated and explained by mathematicians only in the middle of the twentieth century.