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Hindu Temple Architecture

According to Indian scriptures, a temple is a place for pilgrimage. It is a sacred site which symbolically condenses the ideals of Hindu way of life. The elements which celebrate a Hindu way of life are present in a Hindu temple - from fire to water, from images of nature to deities, from the feminine to the masculine, from duties to wealth, from the fleeting sounds and incense smells to Purusha - the eternal nothingness yet universality is part of a Hindu temple architecture.

The architectural principles of Hindu temples in India are elaborately specified in ShilpaShastras and VastuShastras.Hinduism encourages an aesthetic independence to its temple builders, and its architects have sometimes exercised considerable flexibility in creative expression by adopting other perfect geometries and mathematical principles in the construction of a templeto signify a Hindu way of life.

There are various different types of HinduTemple architecture. They are Nagara, Dravidian, BadamiChalukya, Gadag, Kalinga and Maru-Gurjara. While planning a design of temple, there are a few common aspects to be kept in the mind. A Jagati, is a raised platform upon which the temple is placed. An Antarala is a small anti chamber between the shrine and the platform for rituals. A Mandapa is the platform for the rituals. A Sreekovil is the part where the idol is placed, the most sacred part of the temple. A Shikhara is the pointed tower over the temple. These aspects need to be followed while building a temple.

The temple architecture reflects a beautiful mixture of arts, the ideals of religion, beliefs, values and the way of life cherished under the religion.

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