How is the form of the Hindu Temple related to its ritual function? Discuss with reference to one specific example.

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Naomi Powell

How is the form of the Hindu Temple related to its ritual function? Discuss with reference to one specific example.

        Hinduism was established thousands of years ago in India, and has continued to be practiced until the present day, making it the oldest surviving major religion. Hinduism is believed to have no one founder, and its followers worship several different deities, rather than one single god. Temples built for Hindu worship are almost always dedicated to only one of these deities, though the basic form of the temple remains relatively similar regardless of which deity it is for.

        Ritual plays a very important part in Hindu worship, though unlike other major religions such as Islam or Christianity, which involve many people worshipping in congregations, the ritual act of worshipping a deity in Hinduism is a very individual experience. The rituals involved in Hindu worship are based around the greeting of a specific deity into their dedicated temple, and during these rituals, the images of the deity within the temple are treated as a real presence. Throughout their visit to a Hindu temple, the worshipper is required to walk in a clockwise direction around the space, with their right hand - their clean hand - facing the deity at all times. This is known as Pradakshina, and is one of many specific parts of rituals performed by followers of Hinduism for which there is clear evidence of in the form of the temples themselves.

        As mentioned above, Hindu ritual is approached and treated as a very personal affair, and one worships a deity alone. This means that not a great deal of space is actually required within a Hindu temple, unlike other religions’ buildings, which are designed to hold a congregation of worshippers. The idea that a temple is purely for a particular deity to come and visit within Hinduism means the basic plan of a Hindu temple is simply a cubicle with a door for the deity to visit and a shrine to the specified deity, however the proportions and layout of the temple must be perfectly executed, otherwise the deity will not visit. This basic idea of the temples being small cubicles with doors can be seen when looking at the transformation of Hindu temple design over time, and originally temples would have been small, angular spaces with a door, and although this idea is still at the core of every subsequent Hindu temple, the features surrounding it inevitably became more and more elaborate over time, in order to emphasise ritual.

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        The first clear elaboration found in Hindu temple design is believed to be the addition of towers above the original small building with a door for the deity. This would allow the temple to be seen from a distance, so more people could actually come and worship there, and though these towers were not built for any particular ritual reasons, they mark the advances in temple design at the time, and have come to be known as representing several different ideas within Hinduism. Next, a design feature that would lead to emphasis on the main shrine of the building - ...

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