Over the course of history, Indian temple architecture underwent significant evolution, reflecting the subcontinent’s varied political, cultural, and religious influences. The early historical period saw the display of elaborate carvings and stone monoliths in the rock-cut cave shrines of the Mauryan as well as post-Mauryan periods, such as the Ajanta and Barabar caves. The development of the Nagara style in the north, with its beehive-shaped shikhara, and the Dravidian architectural tradition in the south, with  a pyramidal vimana along with elaborate gopurams, as observed in temples like the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh, signaled the beginning of structural temple architecture during the Gupta period. Large temples like the Brihadeeswarar Temple, which feature magnificent sculptures and a monumental scale, are examples of how the Chola dynasty further refined the Dravidian architectural style. The Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu is an example of how the Vesara style, which combined Nagara and Dravidian components, spread throughout the Deccan during the mediaeval era. The Krishna Temple at Hampi is an example of the syncretic styles that resulted from the impact of Islamic architecture while on the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods. These styles integrated domes and arches into temple designs. Regional styles flourished in the late mediaeval and early modern eras, as seen in the elaborate marble work found in Rajasthan’s Jain temples and Tamil Nadu’s towering gopurams. This resulted in an elaborate architectural tapestries which illustrates India’s pluralistic heritage.