A Hindu temple is a house of worship for the followers of Hinduism. The structure is specifically reserved for religious and spiritual activities. In many Indian languages, a Hindu temple is known as a Mandir. It is also known as Devasthana(Kannada : ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ) or Gudi(Kannada: ಗುಡಿ) in Kannada^{[citation needed]} or Kovil (Tamil : கோயில்) or Alayam (Tamil : ஆலயம்) in Tamil. Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated on the Indian Subcontinent. ... // The languages of India Hindi, in Devanagari script, is the primary official language used by the Central Government of the Union of India. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... // A Hindu temple is a house of worship for the followers of Hinduism. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ...

A Hindu temple can be a separate structure or a part of a building. Most practising Hindus maintain a mandir in their homes for daily worship and meditation. An essential feature of all mandirs is the presence of elaborate murtis of the Hindu deity to whom the temple is dedicated. They are usually dedicated to one primary deity, called the presiding deity, and other subordinate deities associated with the main deity. However, some mandirs are dedicated to several deities. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Nataraja is one of the most famous images of Lord Shiva Murtis (singular Murti, also spelled Murthi or Murthy) refers to deities or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ...

Etymology

The word Mandir is derived from an ancient Sanskrit name for the house of the God. Man - symbolizes the inner-self while dir - means dwelling place. In several Hindu texts, the lord is described as one's "inner-self" or in other words the "inner conscience". The Sanskrit language ( , ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Hindu temples are known by different names in different parts of the world, depending upon the native language. For example, temples are known as Alayam or Kovil in Tamil. It is also known as Devasthana/Gudi in Kannada, Gudi/Devalayam/Kovela in Telugu and Puja pandal in Bengali. Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... Telugu (తెలుగు)is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is the official language. ... Bangla (বাংলা, IPA: ) or Bengali is an Indo-Aryan language of East South Asia, evolved from Sanskrit and Prakrit. ...

Architecture

Main article: Temple architecture

The Vishnupad Temple, Gaya an example of Nagara style

The main focus of temple architecture in Vedic India was to blend the temple with its natural surroundings. A major consequence of this style of temple design, was the construction of several cave temples across the Indian subcontinent. The 5th century caves of Ellora are one of the most magnificent cave temples in the world. Most of the early Hindu cave temples were carved out of a single large rock. A prominent feature of these cave temples was the elaborate sculptures of various Hindu deities. Temple architecture in the Hindu tradition is connected to astronomy and sacred geometry. ... Image File history File links Vishnupad. ... Image File history File links Vishnupad. ... The Vishnupad Temple, Gaya The main temple in Gaya, India , dedicated to the Hindu Lord Vishnu. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... Europe in 450 The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... Kailasanatha Temple Ellora is an ancient village 30 km from the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra famous for its magnificent rock cut architecture comprising of Buddhist, Hindu and Jaina cave temples and monasteries built between the 6th and 10th century A.D. These structures were excavated...

Frontal-right view of theBrihadeshwara temple of Dravidian style

By the 10th century, stylized pyramids became a crucial component of Hindu temples. These pyramids represented sacred Himalayan mountain peaks. It was during this period, that two major styles of temple architecture: the Dravidian-style and the Naagra-style developed. While Dravdian-style temples featured stepped pyramids, the Naagra-style temples featured slightly curved pyramids. The Naagra style is mostly prominent in northern India while most of the temples in southern India follow Dravidian style of temple architecture. Most of the major Hindu temples are constructed as per the aagama shastras. The gopuram is a distinctive temple tower and is an integral part of all Dravdian-style temples. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Perspective view of the Himalayas and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a rich, fertile and ancient land encompassing most of northern and eastern India, the most populous parts of Pakistan, and virtually all of Bangladesh. ... South India is a geographic and linguistic-cultural region of India. ... The Agamas are sectarian and monotheistic texts dedicated to worship of Vishnu, Shiva or Devi. ... Shastra is a Sanskrit word used to denote education/knowledge in a general sense. ... Gopuram of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam Gopuram, a prominent feature of the Hindu temple architecture of South India, is the rising tower at the entrance of a temple. ...

Jagannath Temple at Puri an example of Kalinga style

History of Sri Jagannath Temple There was a great rotary king named INDRADUMNYNA ruling from the city of ABANTI in the state of MALAB. It is also believed that he was a great devotee of BHAISNAB DHAMA and 5th son of Lord VISHNU in a temple. ... Puri can mean: Puri, a city in the Indian state of Orissa, which is famous for the Jagannath temple and the serene beaches located there . ...

Elements of worship

Although the devotee is free to worship in any manner as long as it is respectful and not offensive, some common elements of worship in a mandir are darshan, puja, bhajan, pradakshina, and prasad. Darshan is a Sanskrit and Hindu (also used to some extent in Urdu) term meaning sight (in the sense of an instance of seeing something or somebody), vision, apparition, or a glimpse. ... A puja as performed in Ujjain during the Monsoon on the banks of the overflooding river Shipra. ... A bhajan or kirtan is basically a Hindu or Sikh devotional song, often of ancient origin. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Prasad is a word originating from the Vedic (Hindu) religion. ...

Basic norms to be followed in a mandir

Most priests take elaborate measures to maintain mental and physical purity of the temple. While most devotees cannot maintain such regimens, there are some basic rules that must be followed in all Hindu temples:

• Most importantly, footwear is not allowed inside.
• Modest clothing should be worn. Many women and some men cover their heads as a sign of respect.
• Non-vegetarian foods, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and intoxicants should not be brought inside the temple. Garlic and onion and ginger should be avoided, as they were grown in contact with the ground.
• Smoking is not allowed.

Some Hindu temples may follow the norms mentioned below: For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ... In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ... on tobacco usage see Tobacco smoking Species Nicotiana acuminata Nicotiana alata Nicotiana attenuata Nicotiana benthamiana Nicotiana clevelandii Nicotiana excelsior Nicotiana forgetiana Nicotiana glauca Nicotiana glutinosa Nicotiana langsdorffii Nicotiana longiflora Nicotiana obtusifolia Nicotiana paniculata Nicotiana plumbagifolia Nicotiana quadrivalvis Nicotiana repanda Nicotiana rustica Nicotianasuaveolens Nicotiana sylvestris Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana tomentosa Ref: ITIS... A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical that alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness, or behaviour. ... Binomial name Allium sativum L. Percentages are relative to US RDI values for adults. ... Binomial name Allium cepa L. Onion in the general sense can be used for any plant in the genus Allium but used without qualifiers usually means Allium cepa, also called the garden onion. ... Binomial name Zingiber officinale Roscoe Ginger root is used extensively as a spice in many if not all cuisines of the world. ...

• Feet should not be pointed toward the deities. Feet are preferably folded.
• One must not sit with back towards the sanctum sanctorum.
• Women should not enter the mandir in the first four days of their menstrual cycle.
• One must not enter the sanctum sanctorum or touch the murti without permission.
• One must not visit the temple for a period of ten days after the Death of immediate family members

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness The Most Holy Place also known as the Holiest of Holies is a location within the inner tabernacle of Moses. ... The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. ... The Nataraja is one of the most famous images of Lord Shiva Murtis (singular Murti, also spelled Murthi or Murthy) refers to deities or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ...

Prana Pratishta

The world's first Swaminarayan Temple was built in Ahmedabad by the instructions of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Prana Pratishta is the ceremony to invoke the divine spirit-energy into the statue made in the god's form. Once this ceremony has been performed the murti, or 'image,' must be worshipped daily. ImageMetadata File history File links Temple4. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Temple4. ... Ahmedabad (Gujarati: , Hindi: ) or is the largest city in the state of Gujarat and the seventh largest urban agglomeration in India, with a population of almost 51 lakhs (5. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not include all significant viewpoints. ... Prana pratistha is the Hindu theological term for a rite or ceremony (Samskara in Sanskrit) by which the spirit or being of a deity is infused or brought to inhabit a murti or idol of that deity. ... The Nataraja is one of the most famous images of Lord Shiva Murtis (singular Murti, also spelled Murthi or Murthy) refers to deities or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ...

Local village deities and temples

A typical Kerala temple, Killikkurussimangalam.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1187x778, 1071 KB) Summary Killikkurussi Mahadeva Temple. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1187x778, 1071 KB) Summary Killikkurussi Mahadeva Temple. ... Sri Killikkurussi Mahadeva Kshetram ( Shiva temple of Kiillikkurussimangalam ). Killikkurussimangalam (Lakkidi) is a small village around 8 km from nearby town Ottappalam in Palakkad district of Kerala, south India. ...

Management

In the most recent developments, the Archeological Survey of India has taken control of most ancient temples of archeological importance in India.

In India and many countries, each temple is managed by a temple board committee which administrates its finances, management and events. Each committee is headed by a president and can have a number of committee members in relation to the size of the temple.

In some villages in India, the more prominent and respected families are entrusted with leadership and management of the temple. Their families become patrons of the temple.

See also

The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temple's deity.

• Katha, Aarti, Chalisa
• List of Hindu temples
• Wat
• Hinduism
• Hindu deities
• List of Hindu deities
• List of Hinduism-related articles
• History of India
• Hindu scriptures
• Kathia Baba
• Destruction of temples

ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1080x720, 150 KB) A gopuram of a Temple at Bangalore. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1080x720, 150 KB) A gopuram of a Temple at Bangalore. ... A Hindu temple is called Mandir. ... WaT (Wentz and Teppei) is a Japanese pop duo, composed of singer/songwriters Eiji Wentz and Teppei Koike. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit: , , also known as , ) is a religion that originated on the Indian Subcontinent. ... Within Smarta Hinduism, a variety of forms of God are seen as aspects of the one impersonal divine ground, (Brahma) or Aum. ... This is a List of Hindu deities. ... The following is a list of articles on Hindu subjects. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hindu scriptures Hindu scripture is overwhelmingly written in Sanskrit. ... The name Kathia Baba comes from the wooden belt. ... Calendar by Karachi-based Al Rasheed Trust commemorating the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas // Destruction of temples The following is the list of famous Hindu idol temples that were destroyed. ...

External links

• First Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in the World, Ahmedabad
• Great Temples of Sri Vishnu
• About Hindu Temples @ HinduWiki.Com - A collaborated wiki web site covering all aspects of Hinduism.
• Temple Information, Pariharams, Poojas site.
• The construction of a Hindu Temple by Sri Nitin Kumar.
• Stuladarshanam - Hindu Temple Maps
• Hindu Temples outside of India
• Hindu Temples in USA
• Hindu across North America.
• First Online Hindu Mandir
• Website of the Sri Viswaroopa Panchamukha Hanuman Murthi