Temples, Hindu
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The construction of temples
Vastu rules for Temple construction
SHRUTI SRIVASTAVA | Agni Purana: Sacred rituals to build temples | AUG 15, 2017 | Speaking Tree
Vastu rules for Temple construction
Anyone who’s ever built or constructed a home would know how important it is to have a sanctioned design for the same. People, who practice Hinduism, know the significance of Vastu Shastra and its importance during the construction of house, any commercial or religious place.
Unlike in present time, the construction of religious edifices and idols was considered of sacred importance and thus followed a set of sanctified set of rules and rituals. Holy Scripture, Agni Purana has several chapters that guide us through the ancient ways on how to construct holy places and idols, and how to pray.
Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh
These chapters comprises of divine mantras and rituals in dedication to worshiping of Lord Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma and many other Gods and Goddesses; including ways to appease them and perform sacred penance towards them.
Lord Vishwakarma
In the ancient times, not anyone or everyone could construct the temple or build an idol; the knowledge was restricted to Lord Vishwakarma and his disciples. In those times, these idols and temples were not constructed to satisfy the whims and fancies of devotees, but to endow them with a chance to get rid off their sins and surrender to the divine lords.
Why were temples built?
According to ancient mythological legend, when someone would accidentally commit a sin, they would perform a penance and build a temple in order to appease the Gods and Goddesses; they would take guidance from Lord Vishwakarma, who would help them build the holy edifice.
Temple construction in ancient times
It is also believed that those, who were incapable of building a shrine, would construct idols of deity. As per Agni Purana, individual who builds one temple would go and serve in heaven, who builds five temples enters the shivaloka and who builds eight gets to enter vishnuloka and who builds 16 temples is freed from the cycle of birth and death.
Punya of constructing a temple
In those times, earning ‘punya’ was considered more valuable than accumulating material wealth. The punya of constructing temple and idols is invaluable than any material possessions. Agni Purana explains that not anyone should build a temple; neither should it be constructed without following the sacred rituals; same in the case of constructing god idols.
Sacred rules/rituals for building temple
The first and foremost rule of building a temple is that it should not be constructed facing away of the city or town; in fact it should be facing the city and its resident. The ‘dwar’ should be build facing the East, from where the sunrays would fall on the sacred entrance. Under no circumstances, a temple’s entrance should be South facing.
The sanctum, where the idol of the chief deity is supposed to be set up must align with the entrance i.e. the idol must face the entrance in the East direction.
The walls of the temple must be built in a regular shape, like a square or a rectangle; oval, triangle and circle are prohibited shapes as per the Vastu scriptures of Vishwakarma.
While the entire ground of the temple must be in level with the earth, only the place chosen for placing the Idol of the deity should be three ‘ungal’ above the ground level.
Temple must always be constructed along a hill, mountain or sea and should not be in the vicinity of a sewer, a slaughter house or liqor-serving place.
The size of the temple should be a multiple of the size of the God’s idol. And, while constructing the temple the ‘nakshatra’ of the city (based on the date of city’s origin) must be taken into consideration and the temple’s name is therefore kept in accordance with it.
The economy: impact of temples on
As in 2021
June 21, 2021: The Times of India
Devdutt Pattanaik writes a fortnightly column that filters the voices on all sides
Vedic gods resided in the sky. They were unbound by geography. Temple gods are firmly bound by geography. Jagannath is firmly linked to Odisha, Tirupati to Andhra Pradesh, Nathdvara to Rajasthan. The temple, as we know it today, is closely linked to land given by kings to village gods via Brahmins - a practice that became widespread 1,500 years ago. Through the temple, the wealth generated from farms was circulated among weavers, garland makers, dancers, and musicians, who contributed to the many rites, rituals and festivals of the temple. It created an economy.
Before entering a temple, therefore, it is important to recognise the bazaars around it, for it is these which indicate the temple is prosperous. The shops provide sweets and cloth and lamps that visiting pilgrims will offer to the deity. The shops also provide food, accommodation, and souvenirs to the travellers. It is around the temple that we discover the local arts and crafts, the local cuisines.
Temples are typically built on a plinth - at a height to protect it from floods. A flight of stairs takes us up the plinth. Older temples such as the one at Khajuraho, Old Bhubaneshwar and Mamallapuram, did not have walls around them. But when invasions and attacks became common, massive walls were built around temples. The enclosure includes water tanks and orchards, that were once the original sacred spaces, before they were eclipsed by manmade structures.
In south Indian temples, there is the unique gateway known as Gopuram. It originated in the times of the Vijayanagara dynasty, to proclaim the splendour of the king. A series of gateways, created by later kings, grew taller in size. They are covered with images of gods and goddesses, and remind us of the statues of Vikramaditya’s throne, telling stories of heroes of yore. In earlier times, before the Gopuram, the gate was indicated by a free-standing torana, marking the entrance, that separates the world of man from the world of gods. The earliest toranas were raised in front of Buddhist stupas.
The walls around the temple are decorated with images that tell you stories of the gods and goddesses. There is usually a circle of nymphs said to usher in prosperity. And there is a circle of ferocious beasts and monsters who offer protection. Entrances are marked by the river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, who make the temple a ‘sangam’ and remind us that all temples in India seek to evoke the auspiciousness linked to Prayag-kshetra, the birthplace of Vedic culture. A pair of doorkeepers, who look like fierce manifestations of the deity inside, ushers in the devotee. If it is a Shiva temple, then the pair is Vetala-Bhootnath. If it is a Vishnu temple the pair is Jay-Vijay. If it is a Shakti temple, the pair is Maya-Laya.
Once you cross the gateway, you can often find free-standing pillars. There is the Dhwaja-stambha for flags. The authority and power of the temple reached as far as the flags could be seen. Atop some pillars, you find images of the Garuda praying to Vishnu, or Aruna praying to Surya. This was probably inspired by the mana-stambha, found in Jain temples, that some contend predate Hindu temples. In Maharashtra, you find the Deepa-stambha - pillars lined by lamps that are lit during celebrations such as Mahashivratri. Temples in Rameshwaram and Madurai are famous for their corridors, which are lined with pillars. They are also famous for their ceilings which are painted with vibrant colours. The main temple usually has pillared halls where devotees gather to see the deity. These are the pavilions known as Mandapas. These are not found in older temples.
In the innermost room is the deity, hidden by curtains, and visible by lamps. Atop this room is the Viman or Shikhara, a pyramidal or conical structure, that grew taller and more elaborate with improving technology and the wealth and power of kings. Around it is a path to circumambulate the deity. Access to the deity is limited. Usually, only priests are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum, especially in Vishnu temples. The more Brahmin control, the less direct access to the deity. But the deity sometimes travels outside, for boat and chariot rides, and on palanquins. This was started for the benefit of those devotees who were not considered ‘pure’ enough to enter the sanctum sanctorum - a reminder of India’s caste system that Hinduism struggles to shake away.
A temple brought prosperity to the vicinity. The presence of the God ensured regular rains and good harvests. The more wishes the deity fulfilled, the more pilgrims came to the temple, further enhancing the prosperity of the temple and the local economy.
