Religion+-+Hindu+Temples

=Religion - Hindu Temples= Post your photographs and videos here. Be sure to include link back to original site.



[|Umananda Temple Video] [|Hindu Temples in America Video] Questions to answer after you have found your photos and videos.
 * 1) **What is the specific function of the structure or parts of the structure?** A Hindu temple is a house of worship for Hindus. It can be a separate structure or a part of a building. A feature of most temples is the presence 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 temples are dedicated to several deities. There are 6 basic parts of a Hindu temple, which all must have.    1) The Dome and Steeple:   The steeple of the dome is called ‘shikhara’ (summit) that represents the mythological ‘Meru’ or the highest mountain peak. The shape of the dome varies from region to region and the steeple is often in the form of the trident of Shiva. 2) The Inner Chamber: The inner chamber of the temple called ‘garbhagriha’ or ‘womb-chamber’ is where the image or idol of the deity (‘murti’) is placed. In most temples, the visitors cannot enter the garbhagriha, and only the temple priests are allowed inside. 3) The Temple Hall: Most large temples have a hall meant for the audience to sit. This is also called the ‘nata-mandira’ (hall for temple-dancing) where, in days of yore, women dancers or ‘devadasis’ used to perform dance rituals. Devotees use the hall to sit, meditate, pray, chant or watch the priests perform the rituals. The hall is usually decorated with paintings of gods and goddesses. 4) The Front Porch: This area of the temples usually has a big metallic bell that hangs from the ceiling. Devotees entering and leaving the porch ring this bell to declare their arrival and departure. 5) The Reservoir: If the temple is not in the vicinity of a natural water body, a reservoir of fresh water is built on the temple premises. The water is used for rituals as well as to keep the temple floor clean or even for a ritual bath before entering the holy abode. 6) The Walkway: Most temples have a walkway around the walls of the inner chamber for circumambulation by devotees around the deity as a mark of respect to the temples god or goddess.
 * 2) **Are there certain people (women or people of other faiths) who are not allowed in the structure, in certain areas of the structure, or to partake in any part of the religious practice that takes place there?** Men and women sit separately from each other in a Hindu temple. Also, women are not allowed to visit a temple under certain circumstances. Some of them are: d uring menstruation from day 1 to day 5 or 7, from the 6th month of pregnancy to six months after the child is born, death in the family for about 12-16 days (this is applicable to men as well), and birth in the family for about 14-16 days (this is applicable to men as well). The reason for the first two situations must be that in olden times, the only place where there would be a largegathering of people would be in the temples. When a women is menstruating, she is losing a lot of blood and could be vulnerable to infections. When she is expecting, it is important that the to-be mother doesn't contract any infection or contagious deseases. And when the baby is born again it is important that both the child and mother doesn't fall ill as the mother could pass on the illness through the milk.
 * 3) **What makes this structure different from other places of worship?** In the Vedic period there were no temples. The main object of worship was fire that stood for God. This holy fire was lit on a platform in the open air under the sky, and oblations were offered to the fire. It is not certain when exactly the Indo-Aryans first started building temples for worship. The scheme of building temples was perhaps a concomitant of the idea of idol worship. As the race progressed, temples became important because they served as a sacred meeting place for the community to congregate and revitalize their spiritual energies.
 * 4) **Is there a reason for the location of the structure? Large temples were usually built at picturesque places, especially on river banks, on top of hills, and on the sea shore. Smaller temples or open-air shrines can crop up just about anywhere - by the roadside or even under the tree. **
 * 5) **Find the absolute location (latitude/longitude) of an example of the structure.** The Umananda Temple location is 26°11'48.07"N, 91°44'41.62"E