The Indian Hindu temple is a reflection of millennia of cultural development, deep religiosity and mysticism, art that captivates with its beauty, and science that reveals a profound understanding of natural laws. Tens of thousands of temples on the Indian subcontinent convey scenes from the great epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the fables of the Panchatantra, as well as stories related to the lives of mythological beings, and others.
Hindu temples in the Indian subcontinent can generally be divided into three basic types: Nagara or North Indian type, Dravida or South Indian type, and rock-cut temples. The basic types of temples differ in their floor plans, the placement of deities on the outer walls, as well as the richness of decorative elements. However, in addition to the basic types, there are also numerous subtypes, as well as interminglings of centuries-old Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious influences. Architectural schools during the rule of different dynasties also nurtured their own distinctive features, so we are also talking about Pallava, Chola, Hoysala, Gupta, Chalukya, and Chandella temples.
The image depicts the nagara or North Indian style temple (left) and the dravida or South Indian style temple (right).
The North Indian or nagara style temple developed in the 5th century and is characterized by a tower in the shape of a beehive. Typical nagara temples can be found in Orissa, Khajuraho, and Modhera.
The dravida style temple, which is limited to a narrower area in South India, developed from the 7th century. Temples of this type, with their main tower shaped like a pyramid, can be found in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Thanjavur.
From the 8th century onwards, mandapas, open or covered temple halls with pillars, began to be used for public gatherings and festivals, during which a large number of people gather within the temple complex to sing sacred songs, perform dances in honor of a particular deity, and participate in a procession through the city. The most famous festivals include Holi, celebrated in spring, Pancha Ganapati, to It begins on the winter solstice and lasts for five days, Rama Navami in April, which venerates the birth of the god Rama, Onam or the harvest festival, Krishna Janmashtami dedicated to the birth of Krishna in August, Diwali, the festival of lights, in which the light of lamps symbolizes the victory of good over evil in every person and their renewal, and many others.
Vastupurusha mandala, the cosmic man depicted on the mandala of the temple according to the ancient Indian manual of architecture.
In Hindu temples, four basic rituals are performed: at dawn, at noon, at sunset, and at midnight. The rituals usually begin with the opening of the sanctuary door in which the statue or symbol of the god is located. The forces guarding the sanctuary are greeted, and unwanted forces are dispelled and divine attention is attracted by the sound of bells or applause. The priest pays homage to the deity, then recites hymns, pronounces mantras and holy syllables, bijas. After that, there is the washing, dressing of the statue of the god, and the offering of sacrificial gifts in the form of oil, milk, camphor, sandalwood. century. U njemu se nalaze brojne kamenice, stupovi i skulpture, koje su svjedočanstvo bogate indijske umjetnosti i arhitekture. Hramovi Elephante su jedno od najpoznatijih svjetskih arhitektonskih čuda i važno svetište za hinduiste. The 3rd century, while Brahmins date their cultural heritage back to 374,000 years.
Sarasvati, or “She who gives essence to our true beings,” is the goddess of knowledge, science, and art, the mother of the Vedas and the companion of the god Brahma. She bestowed upon humans the Sanskrit language and the Devanagari script. Together with Lakshmi and Durga, she forms the Tridevi, the “Three Goddesses,” the feminine complements of the great Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. She is often depicted playing the vina.
Shiva (Sanskrit: gentle, merciful) is the deity that embodies destruction and renewal of dead and worn-out forms. He is the protector of ascetics, the fearsome destroyer of human passions and bodily senses. He is often depicted with a third eye, a crescent moon, a necklace of snakes or human skulls, a trident, drums, and other attributes. He is most commonly worshipped in the form of lingam in the sanctuary of the temple, in deep meditation or in his manifestation as Shiva Nataraja, dancing on the demon of ignorance in the middle of a fiery wheel representing the cosmos. Nowadays, the meaning of the lingam is often degraded. Originally, however, it stems from the Sanskrit word linga, a term that denotes a symbol for creative, active divine power. Lingam is a symbol of the universe’s embryo emanating from the unknowable supreme deity Brahman (or Brahma) into the womb of the world. In one of its mystical aspects, Shiva is equivalent to Rudra. Rudra (Sanskrit for terrifying, wild prince of demons) is a symbol of the ego trapped in matter, the “inner hurricane” of the soul burdened with suffering and pain. Rudra, or Maruta, is the father of the gods of stormy winds.
BHUBANESWAR TEMPLES: Bhubaneswar is called the city of temples because there are over 7000 in this northern Indian region. It is believed that they were built between the 8th and 13th centuries. The largest of the temples is Lingaraj, where about twenty rituals are still performed daily. The sanctuary of the temple is unique as it is dedicated to both Vishnu and Shiva. The Lingaraja tower is 55 meters high. Much smaller, called “A Dream Realized in Stone,” is the Mukteshvara Temple, which represents a typical example of the Nagara style. actions. The name of the temple, translated, means “Lord who liberates through yoga,” which explains the depiction of ascetics in a meditative position. It is dedicated to Shiva, and at the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Kethu is depicted, who is associated with spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of life and death in Vedic astrology. On the outer walls, we encounter lions and monkeys from the ancient Indian fables of Panchatantra, as well as the deities Saraswati, Ganesha with his companion mouse, and others.
SUN TEMPLE KONARK: The temple is dedicated to the Sun god Surya. Surya is considered the giver of life and the “eye of the world,” which daily reports to the god Varuna about what is happening with beings on Earth, thus serving as a witness to human karma. The other name of this temple in the city of Konark on the coast of the Bay of Bengal is the Black Pagoda because it is built of black granite and red sandstone. The entire temple complex is shaped like a massive chariot of the Sun god with twelve pairs of wheels drawn by seven horses. Tagore wrote about Konark: Here, the language of stone The language surpasses the man. The temple symbolizes the journey of the sun in the sky and is known for its depictions of planets, deities, celestial dancers, scenes from battles, plant and animal motifs, as well as geometric decorations. Like most temples, Konark is also oriented in the east-west direction. The main tower is 70m high and legends say that there used to be a magnetite on its top. It dates back to the 13th century and was restored and cleaned in 1904 after being abandoned for centuries.
SRI KALAHASTHI TEMPLE is one of the five temples that celebrate Shiva as the embodiment of the primary elements. They are Tiruvannamalai (Fire), Chidambaram (Space), Thiruvanikkaval (Water), Kanchipuram (Earth), and Sri Kalahasthi (Air). Despite the lack of air, as the room has no windows, a ghee lamp flickers in the sanctum of the Sri Kalahasthi temple. The lingam in the center of the sanctuary is ritually bathed with a mixture of water, milk, and camphor. The Sri Kalahasthi temple is named after the devoted worshippers of Shiva – spider (sri), snake (kala), and elephant (h). legend has it that the elephant, by carrying water in its trunk from the nearby river, cleansed the divine statue, while the spider protected it with its web, and the snake would place its jewel on the lingam.
The Kanchipuram temples are located in the eponymous city of temples in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the southern part of the Indian peninsula. The city was named after King Kanchi, a great scholar and musician from the Pallava family in the 7th century. Kanchipuram was an important Tamil school and a destination for pilgrims from all over India. It is said that Bodhidharma set off from here in 520 AD to spread Buddhism in China. One of the most impressive temples in Kanchipuram is Ekambarešvara, dedicated to Shiva as the protector of ascetics, dating back to the 16th century. On top of the tower, gopuram, there is a depiction of Kartikeya, Shiva’s son, riding a peacock. In Hinduism, Kartikeya was the god of war, raised by the Krittikas (six Pleiades). He was the leader of the celestial armies that defend the world from terrifying asuras. In the center of the temple, there is a pavilion surrounded by the water of the holy temple tank, and the “The center of the universe is surrounded by the waters of the primordial ocean.
Apsaras, female spirits of clouds, water, and forests. They are compared to Greek nymphs and sirens. They are celestial dancers who entertain the gods, assist heroes like Arjuna, or are sent to earth by Indra to test yogis and ordinary mortals.
SRIRANGAM TEMPLE: The majority of today’s temple complex dedicated to the god Vishnu was built between the 14th and 17th centuries. It has 21 gopurams, with the Rajagopuram being the largest. The temple complex is surrounded by seven rectangular walls, with the outer one having a circumference of 3 km. Vishnu is the second member of the trinity: Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, and his statue is enshrined in Srirangam temple, where it is surrounded by a serpent. Srirangam is one of the Navagraha Sthalas – temples representing the planets. The South Indian temples in this group are: Suryanarcoil (Sun), Tirupati (Moon), Palani (Mars), Madurai (Mercury), Tiruchendur (Jupiter), Srirangam (Venus), and Tirunallar (Saturn).
Lakshmi, (Sanskrit for happiness, prosperity).” Božica is the embodiment of happiness, healing love, and sacrifice. She is the wife of the god Vishnu and the mother of the god of love, Kamadeva. She was born during the churning of the milk ocean, emerging from the sea foam with a white lotus in her hand. She is often depicted standing or sitting on a lotus, adorned in silver and gold garments, often with four arms, and the lotus symbolizes her presence even when she is not depicted.
BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE IN THANJAVUR: According to the inscriptions on the temple, we know that this South Indian temple was completed in 985 AD, exactly 25 years and 275 days after King Rajaraja from the Chola dynasty ascended to the throne. The temple showcases the splendor of the architecture and the wealth of the Chola kings. It was constructed for royal ceremonies such as the proclamation of rulers and their connection with the god Shiva, to whom the temple is dedicated. The temple was constantly inhabited by around 600 Brahmins, musicians, dancers, scholars, and craftsmen who maintained it. The temple’s dome is made of a single piece of granite weighing a staggering 81 tons and is a puzzle as to how it was raised. The deity Shiva is located in the space of the garbhagriha, the inner sanctum of the temple. The Sanskrit word garbhagriha literally translates to “chamber of the embryo.” Only the Brahmins have access to this space. Brihadeeswarar is one of the few temples that has statues of the astadiggpalakas (Lords of the Eight Directions): Indra, Varuna, Agni, Eesha, Vayu, Nirruthi, Yama, and Kubera.
Indra is the supreme Vedic deity who is praised in the largest number of hymns, the king of gods. He drinks soma, the drink of the gods that signifies the fulfillment of the highest spirituality. He is the god of oaths and vows, the prototype of bravery and perseverance of warriors who fight against the demonic asuras of lower realms.
Mamallapuram (or Mahabalipuram): Mamallapuram was a port city from the 7th century named after King Mahamalla of the Pallava dynasty. The monuments in the Mamallapuram area consist of cave temples, monolithic “chariots,” rathas, relief sculptures on rocks, and temples. Scholars believe it was a school of art, as some sculptures were not completed. Each of the five Pancha rathas (Sanskrit for “Five Chariots”) is crafted in a unique style. They are named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishthira, Nakula, Sahadeva) and Draupadi from the epic Mahabharata. These structures are made from a single block of stone. Among the other UNESCO-protected monuments, the most famous is the Descent of the Ganges – a large basalt relief depicting the divine origin of this holy Indian river.
Madurai, the capital of the Pandya kings in South India, was an important trading center until the 6th century. According to legend, the original city was destroyed by a devastating tsunami on the continent of Lemuria. The historical ancient city is built in the shape of a lotus, with the central Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. The temple complex features 12 magnificent, richly adorned, and colorful towers. At its center lies a sacred pond, translated as “Lake with a Thousand Lotuses.” Today, it is considered a symbol of Tamil culture. copper