Proportion and measure interacted in the evolution and construction of the Hindu temple from the 5th through the 15th century AD, but, throughout this history, proportion dominated as the tool to give the monument both validity and form. This review analyzes the ritual force of proportion and its function in the planning of temples by architects. The diagrams that accompany the article are the result of field research and the analysis of built structures.

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, elevation. (After B. L. Dhama, A Guide to Khajuraho, pl. IV)
Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, elevation. (After B. L. Dhama, A Guide to Khajuraho, pl. IV)
Figure 12. Khajuraho, Madhaya Pradesh. Visvanatha Temple, dated AD 1002. View from the south. The temple stands on a large platform which originally had subsidiary shrines on the four corners.
Figure 12. Khajuraho, Madhaya Pradesh. Visvanatha Temple, dated AD 1002. View from the south. The temple stands on a large platform which originally had subsidiary shrines on the four corners.