Panchayatan (from Sanskrit: pañcha = five + āyatana = dwelling or shrine) refers to a style of temple architecture in which the main shrine is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines at the four corners of the temple platform.
This layout symbolizes the worship of five deities (Panchadevata), typically:
- Shiva
- Vishnu
- Shakti (Devi)
- Surya (Sun)
- Ganesha or Skanda
It was popularized during the Gupta period and became a hallmark of Nagara-style temple architecture in North India.