Our Temples, Our Pride

Bharat has recently witnessed the divine vibrance and magnificence of the Bhagwan Ram Lala Mandir in Ayodhya and the Maha Kumbh. Hence, this is an appropriate occasion to delve deeper into the greatness of our temples and understand the broader purpose behind their establishment in society. As part of our daily practice, we visit temples – either as places of worship, centers of faith, for exploring their ancient legacy, or simply to admire their architectural beauty. But the concept of a temple cannot be confined to just one perspective. Temples were envisioned with a multi-purpose character and a broad societal objective. Through this article, we strive to explore the holistic temple ecosystem set up by our ancestors – beyond its spiritual essence.

Our ancestors conceptualized a temple with four important and inseparable features, which became an integral part of our religion and society –

1. Kshethram (also known as Sthalam) – the geographical location of the temple.
2. Moortham, the principal deity in idol or symbolic form, adorning the temple.
3. Theertham, water bodies such as tanks, rivers, or seas associated with the temple.
4. Vriksham – specific trees identified or associated with the temple.

Why do we need Temples? It has become an increasing trend especially for liberals influenced by the West to question the concept of temples and their role in society. Their arguments often include: why should private belief be displayed publicly? Why should funds be spent on temples instead of civic infrastructure? But temples are powerful illustrations of a greater social responsibility conceptualized by our ancestors. Ironically, the invaders of Bharat understood the importance of temples better than we do today – which is why their projects often included plundering and destroying our temples. Beyond the spiritual dimension, temples served various purposes.

Social Unification: From Jyotirlingas, Vishnu temples, Shakti Peeths, to village and tribal temples across Bharat’s diverse geography, these sacred spaces foster public movement, connection, and integration. Festivals linked to temples of a locality create strong social bonds. The temple ecosystem celebrate gender equality by honoring Gods, Goddesses, and even included Transgender individuals in its cultural framework. Animals and birds depicted as vahanas (mounts) of deities in sculptures and paintings reflect our commitment to biodiversity. Temples help instill social discipline and harmony. The Kashi-Rameshwaram pilgrimage is a brilliant example of national integration, bridging the north-south divide. Temples also discourage mass migrations and demographic shifts by binding communities through shared social responsibility.

Cultural Connect: Temples link us to our glorious history, culture, and heritage. Inscriptions on temple walls serve as authenticated records of historical facts, information about our rulers, dynasties, public lifestyles, and art. Temples use to host cultural performances, classical music and dance, religious discourses, Yoga practices, and Vedic classes in its premises. Their ecosystem had a well-defined structure with designated roles for people entrusted with specific responsibilities. The structure includes the Battars / Archakas (priests who perform pooja rituals), the Parijarakas (who cook prasad), the Sattharars (who make flower garlands), people who make sandal paste for the deity, musicians, dancers, guards, mahouts, cowherds, Palkiwalas (palanquin-bearers) and more. Several ancient musical instruments have been preserved and are still used in temple rituals and music today. These include wind instruments Veena, flute, Nadaswaram, Panchavadyam, etc.,

Protecting Ecology: Temple water bodies and trees always support local ecology. Tanks serve as habitats for fish, turtles, and water birds and help to regulate moisture and temperatures especially during summer. They facilitate daily routines and social gatherings during festivals. The recently concluded Maha Kumbh is one such example in this regard. Temple trees (Sthala Vrikshams) help conserve flora, some of which are rare or endangered species. In case any specific species of trees are on the verge of extinction, there is a possibility to retrieve and regenerate them back from those Sthala Vrikshams. These trees support biodiversity by offering shelter to birds, insects, and reptiles. Leaves and flowers like Bilva, Tulsi, Neem, Betel, Lotus, Jasmine, and Hibiscus, sandal paste, Turmeric powder which are offered to the deity as ‘Prasad’ in the temples are useful as natural herbal medicines.

Relief Camps: Temples acted as relief centers during natural disasters and wars. Centrally located, they were accessible and structurally suited to provide refuge. Magnificent Temples on either side of the Cauvery river were designed to shelter people during floods and storms.  The stone temples with tall towers and large courtyards provided space to accommodate the displaced. Lightning conductors are installed on temple towers to protect the nearby structures. During battles before the foreign invasions, temples were rarely attacked due to ethical considerations, making them safe havens to public.

Granary: While we face storage shortages for our food grain today, our ancestors envisioned long-term solutions. Many rulers donated fertile lands to temples. The grains harvested were stored in temple premises, including within the Kalash of towers. The Temples not only acted as granaries but also as redistribution centers of food during disasters. This ensured food security and helped the poor and needy.

Treasury: Temples also served as local treasuries. Historical records show that donations and offerings were maintained as capital, and interest from them funded the temple maintenance. They also indirectly functioned as banks. In some temples, there are inscriptions of trading bills for interest. An administrative system was in place to govern the immovable assets belonging to the temples. Accounts on money spent on regular maintenance, food to the poor, festivals, disaster management were maintained and safeguarded, even during the olden times.

Community Center and Court of Justice: Temples functioned as social community centers and public courts. They hosted social meetings, both religious and non-religious, where disputes were resolved, responsibilities delegated, and decisions were made. Mandapams within temple premises served as venues for weddings, naming ceremonies, and other social functions. Village panchayats were conducted in temple premises. During ancient times, court proceedings were conducted in front of the deity that deterred any wrong doings thereby helping to resolve the cases.

Architectural Marvel: Bhartiya temples stand as marvels of architecture. Built without modern tools, in challenging terrains, they remain strong and enduring. Stones were transported from distant places. Many temples are aligned with the sun rays falling directly on the deity on specific days. Musical Pillars known as ‘Sapthaswaras’ in some temples produce musical notes. In Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur, the Vimana’s shadow never touches the ground.

Our ancestors adopted Nagara, Dravida and Vesara styles in temple construction. Nagara style is usually in the northern part, have tall towers called Shikaras adorned with Kalasha. The sanctum is located directly under the Shikaras with Mandapams (halls) but no boundary walls. E.g., Ayodhya Ram temple, Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneshwar, Puri Jagannath temple. Dravida styles are common in the southern part during Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava, Vijayanagar regimes. Such temples have stepped towers called Vimanas enclosed with large compound walls with the entrance gateways called Gopurams. These temples comprise of mandapams, tanks, and sanctums. E.g., Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Hampi Virupaksha Temple, Srirangam Temple. Vesara is a mix of both Nagara and Dravida styles. They were built in the Decan region, in the medieval period of Chalukyas and Hoysalas. Such style has a star shaped layout, with a bell-shaped Shikara with more intricate carvings on the walls. E.g., Chennakesava Temple of Somanathapura, Kedareshvara Temple of Balligavi, Virupaksha Temple of Pattadakal.

Conclusion: Our temples are our heritage treasures. They represent our uninterrupted cultural and religious practices, showcase our deep social consciousness, and validate our rich history. It is both our pride and responsibility to safeguard and celebrate our temples and the noble ideals behind their construction.

Courtesy : Mr.T.S.Krishnan, Member, PM’s Museum and Library (PMML) Society;  Dr.Venugopalan, HOD Sanksrit, Sastra University Thanjaur

(The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the organisation)