File:7th century Svarga Brahma Hindu temple plan, Alampur Telangana India.svg

English: The Svarga Brahma temple is one of nine 7th century Shiva temples in Alampur at the sangam of rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna in Telangana, near Andhra Pradesh border. The temple is a simple square plan. The east entrance is main and has a porch. The sanctum has a circumambulation path which is provided with large door like perforated screens on south, west and north sides for natural light. Both outside and inside have intricately carved pillars. Outside walls have niches flanked by pilasters (not shown in the plan above): 4 each on north and south walls, two on east and west. In addition are more reliefs on the walls. Inside walls also have niches which are not shown in the plan above. All these niches have (or had) sculptures. The temple also has reliefs and friezes narrating scenes from Hindu epics and other texts such as the Pancharatra fables. The plan follows a mandala defined by squares and circles. Along the lines of mandala "energy" and "junctions" are the sculptures of deities, dikpalas, river goddesses, etc. Above the sanctum towers a Nagara style shikhara. For more information, see George Michell, The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, University of Chicago Press. Note: The drawing is approximate, not to scale and incomplete.