Sacred Landscapes of South Asia and the Hindu Temple

South Asia Background

• rivers considered sacred -> Ganges most sacred of all

• Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives

• Historically: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Sikhism

• Indic: pertaining to oldest organised religions and cultures of South Asia

• Diacritical Marks: Shiva or Siva, Rama or Rama

• many Hindus consider certain locations more sacred than others

• conception of India as Bharat Mata an ‘invented tradition’ from late 19thC Bengal

Hindu Temples

• earliest Hindu temples were cave temples

• early 5thC -> earliest freestanding temples

  • Mandapa -> entrance hall

  • Garbhagriha -> sanctum sanctorum

• first flat roofs, then temple towers began to appear in 6thC

• 10thC -> classical age of temples, fully ‘developed’ architecture

• two major categories of architecture

  • Nagara/North Indian style -> curvilinear spires

  • Dravida/South Indian style -> stepped pyramid roof

  • also outlying styles, e.g. in Kashmir

• symbolic of the caste system

  • venerated vs marginalised castes

  • temple not accessible to the ‘unwanted animals’

• temples typically oriented eastward

Hindu Religion

• polytheistic religion

• major gods and goddesses, different forms and manifestations, families, minor deities, semi-divine attendant figures, mythological creatures

• multi-armed and often wearing little clothing

• very recognisable iconography

• highly ritualistic religion

  • pujal (offerings) and dershana (gaze)

  • statues are deities

    • no semantic gap between symbol and symbolised

  • pradakshina (circumambulation), tirtha (pilgrimage centres)

Temples typically dedicated to one of 3 gods:

• Vishnu (Vaishnavism)

  • attributes: conch, discus, mace, lotus

  • eagle and serpent

  • 2 consorts: Lakshmi and Bhudevi

  • manifestations include Buddha, Rama, Krishna

• Shiva (Shaivism)

  • attributes: trident

  • bull (Nandi)

  • consorts: Parvati and Uma, also Durga and Kali

  • sons: Ganesha and Kartikeya

• Shakti/Devi (Shaktism)

  • Creative energy principle

Doorway as Thresholds

• jambs and lintels highly decorated

• often personification of goddesses Ganga and Yamuna

  • ritual purification in holy water

• dvarapalas (door guardians)