The Evolution of Hindu Temples

     The history of the growth of Hindu temples is indeed very vibrant—the roots are found somewhere in the Stone Age. In the Megalithic period, people buried their dead by constructing monuments of stone over them and worshipping the departed. The transition from worshipping ancestral spirits to revering a personal God was marked by the creation of icons of deities with specific attributes. The terra cotta seals found in the ancient Indus Valley gives evidence of this trait. There is mention of copper and bronze work in the Rig Veda, and the discovery of the bronze figures and carvings of goddesses in the same period, with tremendous sophistication and artistry, would become the precursor of many presentations of excellent pieces of sculptures in Hindu temples.

       In the Vedic period, worship was conducted in open air. A platform was raised, a holy fire lighted, and the priest performed the chanting and oblations. These rituals of worship were called agni havan, where the devotees offered sacrifices of different materials into the sacred fire, with one or more priests conducting the ceremonies.142 It was in the period of great emperor Ashoka (270–232 BCE), that the earliest Indian architecture could be traced. Some of the earliest Buddhist stupas (a pillared mound-like structure) of this ancient period are still visible. The inscriptions of spiritual sermons on the pillars add to the evidence of religious activity of this period. The Gandhara School of Art, in existence from 50 BCE through CE 500 and extending from the northern state of Punjab to bordering Afghanistan, became famous for Mahayana Buddhism. A new school of sculpture, markedly showing the combined influence of Persian, Greek, Roman, Saka, and Kushan regions, defined this period. The energetic and vigorous nature of Indian culture became more noticeable. The rich carvings of the Buddha idols of this time became famous all over the world. The Mathura School of Art, which contributed heavily in the creation of most refined Buddhist figures (and later, seductive feminine idols),  also became established around this time.

       The cave temples, with their unique styles (created between the second century BCE and the CE second century) became highlights of Buddhist-Hindu architecture of this era.143 The Gupta era (320–600) is considered the zenith of Indian culture. Many temples of Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, the sun god, and Durga, with beautiful sculptured idols, evolved in this period. This dynasty of rulers supported the Buddhist and Jain religions as well. Starting from the sixth century, the southern Hindu architecture flourished under the patronage of Chalukyas, Pallavas, Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, Pandyas, and the rulers of the Vijaynagara Empire.144 Away from the repeated invasions of the Muslim rulers, the Hindu temples flourished unhindered in the South, due in part to the large patronage of the Hindu kings, who built new cities around the grand temples, which then became appropriately popular as the temple cities. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the Chandella rulers of the Madhya Pradesh in central India built the most notable temples of Khajurao, which today attract tourists from all parts of the globe. These temples are decorated with elaborate sculptures.

      The passion for building temples has only intensified in the modern era. Not only in India but also in almost all countries where a substantial number of Hindus live, some of the most beautiful worship centers have been built to serve their spiritual and cultural needs. Jain temple art is unrivalled; Jains built beautiful marble temples in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. The major Sikh shrines, or Gurudwaras, were built toward the end of eighteenth century, when Sikh rulers came to the power. The growth of these Sikh temples has been phenomenal. There are Sikh temples in almost all parts of the world. Considering that it is the youngest religion with the fewest followers, this is indeed a tribute. Hindu temples throughout history present a feast of art and subtlety that remains unsurpassed.

      The conical dome, called shikhara, characterizes the Northern Indian temples, whereas the decorated gate tower, the gopuram, distinguishes the Southern temples.
     Hindu temples are often built on hilltops to mark the place of God, high up toward heaven. A devotee may reach the place after a long and steep walk, suggestive of the effort for the purpose. When the temples are built on the plains, the height of the shikhara or the gopuram compensates for the hilly situation. The dome or steeple inner chamber is where one or more images (murtis) of the deities are installed. In Shiva temples, dome-shaped stone or marble (Shiva lingam) is invariably erected at the entrance of the inner chamber, the garbha-griha, where the deities are placed. In some of the Vishnu temples, a similar stone image, shaligrama, is installed.

       For Hindus, the temple is pivotal to all spiritual and religious activity. It is said that the Hindu temple is built on the design of human body. The feet represent the main gateway, and the inner mind is placed in the sanctum sanctorum. It is often constructed with great care and planned in accordance with the codes mentioned in the Shilpa Shastra, the ancient Hindu book of architecture. The Agamas contain several references for temple construction. Even the site of the temple is chosen carefully, which must be auspicious, or shubha. The idols of deities are made with special instructions.

        The whole process is started with worship rituals in which the artisan, or shilpi, offers prayers and undergoes a process of purification before embarking on this sacred task. Vedic rites are performed to install the idols (vigrahas or murtis) in the temple. During these rites, the deities are given a ceremonial bath (abhisheka). After the murtis are made, they are installed with a touching ceremony of Nyasa. Finally, by elaborate mantra recitations, the breath of life, or prana, is infused in the deity.145 The grand inaugural ceremony is often called the Kumbhabhisheka, when the water for bathing the murtis is collected in a special receptacle, preferably drawn from a holy river or other pious source. The mud or brass receptacle, the kalasha, is considered auspicious in Hindu rituals, representing a divine force, and is often used with decorative thread patterns at many ceremonies. Only after these rituals are over can the worship ceremonies (puja) be performed. The devotees must have the darshan (vision) of the murtis. Hindus have abiding faith in the murtis of God. These are not merely symbols; rather, they are regarded and respected as the living divine entities.

       In many Hindu temples, the idols of the nine planets (nav grah) are also installed: Surya—sun, Chandra—moon, Sevvai—Mars, Bhutan—Mercury, Viyalan—Jupiter, Sukran—Venus, Sani—Saturn, Rahu, and Kethu. Hindus have an abiding faith in the planet gods. The Vedic rituals are mainly directed toward these gods of nature.

       There has been undue harsh criticism of idol worship in Hindu theology. Ancient Hindu sages propounded both the God without form, Nirguna, and the God with form, Saguna. The Saguna concept became more easily acceptable for the vast majority of people. Saguna became the tangible manifestation of the Divine.
     For a Hindu, a temple is not just a worship place; it is a shrine infused with holy vibrations. A devotee goes there, in faith, to meet the Divine, and he prays for both material and spiritual benefits. The Hindu temple, or mandir, as it is known in the vernacular, is a place where one realizes the inner dimension of one’s mind (Ma =mind; andir = inner). Even though there are no rigid parameters set for Hindus regarding visits to the temple, they are advised to visit and worship on a regular basis, preferably once a week and also on auspicious occasions. Hindus are also exhorted to seek their home near a good temple, or alternatively, to help the community to build  a temple in the vicinity of their new place of residence. For Hindus, visiting the places of pilgrimage is considered very auspicious. Most Hindus undertake these visits (tirth yatras) to the holy places with utmost faith and sincerity. Often in these pilgrimages, one gets the golden opportunity to hear the spiritual discourses of various saints and seers. The Hindu pantheon attributes high importance to such a method of attaining spiritual knowledge. Hindus believe that the sacred places where saints and sages performed meditations and austerities are filled with spiritual vibrations. Visiting such places and offering prayers there is considered as highly auspicious and full of blessings. For many Hindus, these pilgrimages offer the best possible way to spend their holidays, rather than visiting so-called “get-a ways” to entertainment centers. Hindu temples are generally located in very scenic, natural surroundings for this purpose.

       Certain temples have become famous for special boons and activities, such as financial and material aid, finding the right mate for marriage, health problems, education, and raising good children. Devotees often flock to these places of worship and pray for help and blessings. Although there are many deities in these temples, which present enormous diversity, there is great amount of unity also. Hindus usually visit and even worship in temples of deities other than their chosen ones. They would have no inhibition to praying at places of worship of other religions, especially those, that have a strong affiliation with Hinduism, such as the Jain, Buddhist, or Sikh temples. Worship is essentially an esoteric experience. Through prayers, rituals, visiting temples and places of pilgrimage, singing hymns, and many other practices, the Hindu awakens himself spiritually. A Hindu never outgrows the temple service; whatever may be his spiritual advancement. As long as he lives, he must visit and pray in the temple.

     A prominent Swaminarayan monk (sadhu) thus explained the importance of Hindu temple: “It’s like a teaching university, where one learns in the company of true persons (satsanga) the spiritual knowledge (Brahmvidya) and gets rid of illusion (maya). Hindu culture (sanskruti) is based on the individual’s interaction with sages (sant), holy scriptures (shastra), worship (puja), and temple (mandir), with virtuous discipline (niyama).”

NOTE: This chapter is adapted from Kolapen Mahalingum. Hindu Temples in North America. Winter Park, Fla.: Titan Graphics and Publications, 2002.

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