The Indian Hindu temple architecture is based on the perfect geometrical shapes. To ensure its sacredness, the Hindu ideologies are inscribed in the temples. All the 5 prime elements (fire, water, earth, sky and wind); factors that instigate five sensory organs; implications masculine and feminine; kama & artha; and the eternal stillness can be experienced in the Hindu temples that are built according to the Shilpa or Vastu sastras.

In order to trigger the inner realization and reflection, which paves way to feel the oneness towards the Supreme Parabrahman and every being in the world, the temple architecture is harmonious with the nature.

With the 4 prime directions as key factors, a perfect square at the middle and a surrounding square grid structure is the base for temple construction. These temple grids may be 1,4,9,16,25,36,49,64,81,...1024 squares. Every concentric square is different and implies Paisachika padas, Manusha padas, Deivika padas and Brahma padas.

 A Vimana or Shikara is accurately placed above the innermost square, the Brahma pada. Although the patterns may vary, the ratio and proportion of the structure are precise.

Originally, the structure included 2 buildings. The devotees enter into the first building or a stone platform, which leads to the primary building through steps.

Earlier, Nagara style temples had a single shikara and later, multiple shikaras were built to add grandeur to the temples.

In a convex curve towering with a greater height, the shikaras were built in concentric rotating circles and squares pattern.

The primary deity is inside the tallest Shikara and beneath the idol a metal ShriChakra is placed to attract the divine energy.

The Dashavatara Vishnu temple in UP; Khajuraho temple in MP; Sun temple in Gujarat; Sun temple in Konark; Kamakya temple in Assam;  Puri Jagannatha temple; and many other temples are the examples of Nagara style.

Apart from the Nagara style, the Northern hills include pagoda shape in their temples, depicting the Hindu-Budhdhism cross culture.

Rekha or Latina Prasada; Phamsana; and Valabi are the subdivisions of the Nagara structure.

Unlike the north Indian temples, the Dravidian temples are enclosed by a huge compound wall with gateways (gopuram) in all the 4 directions.

The vimana or the tower of the temple has a pyramid structure with plenty of sculptures depicting the Dwarapalagas or the guards of the temple, while the Nagara style included erotic sculptures and goddess of rivers on their towers.

A temple tank is a must in Dravidian structure. 

There are plenty of subsidiary shrines with many deities, unlike the multiple shikaras rising together as a group in Nagara structure. 

Kuta (square), Shala (rectangle), Vrittayata (elliptic, Ashtasra (octagonal) and Vritta (circular) are the subdivisions of Dravidian type of temples.

Mahabalipuram temples, Meenakshi temple, Brihadeeswarar temple, Aihole Durga temple, Ellora Kailashnath temple, etc, depict the Dravidian architecture.

Apart from the above two chief structures, the Hindu temples are built in a fusion of these structure and various freestyle patterns. The Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Kalingas, Buddhists, Jains, Maru-Gujara style, Indonesian structure, Cambodian Khmer style (Ankhorwat temple), Vietnam Champa architecture, etc., have their unique structure, yet they do not give up the basic structures mentioned here.