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Temple Architecture: Elements of Hindu Temple

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The key elements of a Hindu temple include the vimana, sikhara, and garbhagriha. The vimana is the sanctuary and consists of an upper sikhara and lower garbhagriha. The sikhara is the pyramidal tower, and the garbhagriha is the inner womb chamber where the deity is placed. Other elements include the circumambulatory path, mandapa or assembly hall, vestibule or antarala, front porch or ardhamandapa, and plinth or pitha. Regional elements also exist like the gopurams in South India and toranas in North India.

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Temple Architecture: Elements of Hindu Temple

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prabhas kar
111 views10 pages
The key elements of a Hindu temple include the vimana, sikhara, and garbhagriha. The vimana is the sanctuary and consists of an upper sikhara and lower garbhagriha. The sikhara is the pyramidal tower, and the garbhagriha is the inner womb chamber where the deity is placed. Other elements include the circumambulatory path, mandapa or assembly hall, vestibule or antarala, front porch or ardhamandapa, and plinth or pitha. Regional elements also exist like the gopurams in South India and toranas in North India.

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The key elements of a Hindu temple include the vimana, sikhara, and garbhagriha. The vimana is the sanctuary and consists of an upper sikhara and lower garbhagriha. The sikhara is the pyramidal tower, and the garbhagriha is the inner womb chamber where the deity is placed. Other elements include the circumambulatory path, mandapa or assembly hall, vestibule or antarala, front porch or ardhamandapa, and plinth or pitha. Regional elements also exist like the gopurams in South India and toranas in North India.

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111 views10 pages

Temple Architecture: Elements of Hindu Temple

Uploaded by

prabhas kar
The key elements of a Hindu temple include the vimana, sikhara, and garbhagriha. The vimana is the sanctuary and consists of an upper sikhara and lower garbhagriha. The sikhara is the pyramidal tower, and the garbhagriha is the inner womb chamber where the deity is placed. Other elements include the circumambulatory path, mandapa or assembly hall, vestibule or antarala, front porch or ardhamandapa, and plinth or pitha. Regional elements also exist like the gopurams in South India and toranas in North India.

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TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

ELEMENTS
OF HINDU
TEMPLE
Elements of Hindu temple

 It was the later half of the 7th century that the Hindu
temple structures of India began to acquire a
 definite form (Fletcher,1952). Similar to terminology
used to distinguish the basic components of a
 Gothic Church (for example nave, aisles, chancel,
spire, etc), the common elements of a Hindu
 temple which are known in their original sanskrit
words are as follows:
Elements of Hindu temple

 The sanctuary as whole is known as the

 Vimana that consists of two parts.

 The upper part of the


 Vimana is called as the Sikhara

 the lower portion inside the Vimana is called as the


 Garbhagriha (cella or inner chamber).
Elements of Hindu temple

 1. ‘Sikhara’ meaning the tower or the spire.

 It is the pyramidal or tapering portion of the temple


which represents the mythological ‘Meru’ or the highest
mountain peak.
 The shape and the size of the tower vary from region to
region.

 2. ‘Garbhagriha’ meaning the womb chamber.

 It is nucleus and the innermost chamber of the


temple where the image or idol of the deity is placed.
 The chamber is mostly square in plan and is entered
by a doorway on its eastern side.
 The visitors are not allowed inside the
Elements of Hindu temple
Elements of Hindu temple

 Pradakshina patha’ meaning the ambulatory


passageway for circumambulation.

 It consists of enclosed corridor carried around the


outside of garbhagriha.

 The devotees walk around the deity in clockwise


direction as a worship ritual and symbol of respect to
the temple god or goddess.
Elements of Hindu temple

 ‘Mandapa’, is the pillared hall in front of the


garbhagriha, for the assembly of the devotees.

 It is used by the devotees to sit, pray, chant, meditate and
watch the priests performing the rituals.

 It is also known as ‘Natamandira’ meaning temple


hall of dancing, where in olden days ritual of music and
dance was performed.

 In some of the earlier temples the mandapa was an


isolated and separate structure from the sanctuary
Elements of Hindu temple

 . ‘Antarala’ meaning the vestibule or the


intermediate chamber.

 It unites the main sanctuaryand the pillared hall of


the temple.

 ‘Ardhamandapa’ meaning the front porch or the


main entrance of the temple leading to the
mandapa.
Elements of Hindu temple

 Some other essential elements found in the Hindu temples are

 ‘Gopurams’ meaning the monumental and ornate tower at


the entrance of the temple complex, specially found in south
India.

 ‘Pitha’ , the plinth or the platform of the temple.

 ‘Toranas’, the typical gateway of the temple mostly found in


north Indian temple

 The Amalaka the fluted disc like stone placed at the apex of
the sikhara
Elements of Hindu temple

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