Is it customary to install images in the temples? What is the significance of Temples ?
God exists. He is the creator and controller. His grace
gives us happiness and peace. His wrath brings about
sorrow and suffering. Mankind all over the world has
cherished this belief in some form or other.
Once it is conceded that such a God exists, there must be
an easy means of approaching Him and propitiating Him.
That is the temple. The temple is the structure we put
up with devotion for the residence of God when He descends to this world for our sake. It is something like
the camping of the king of a State in a part of his
territory.
The essential parts of a temple are: the Garbhagriha
housing the icon of the deity, the Shukanasi and Antarala which are the adjoining passages, the Navaranga
or Mantapa which serves as a multipurpose hall for
religio cultural activities, the Dhvajastambha or flagpost and the Balipitha or the pedestal for offerings.
Bigger temples have smaller shrines for the minor deities
associated with the chief deity. high walls surrounding
the whole campus, places reserved for performing sacrificial rites and cooking, for housing the deity (taken in
procession), sheds for the temple car, wells and tanks,
as also gardens.
The structure of a temple is highly symbolical. Primarily it indicates God as the Cosmic Person. The Garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum is His head, the Gopura (tower at
the main entrance) is His feet, the Shukanasi His nose,
the Antarala His neck, the Prakaras (the surrounding high
walls) His hands and so on. Alternatively it represents
the body of man, with God residing in his heart. The
temple may also represent the whole creation.
In temples consecrated according to scriptural rites, the
images are considered to be alive. Hence, formal
worship is a must. This worship ranges from one to nine
times per day, depending on the extent and resources of
the temple. On special festival days, celebrations are
conducted. lie biggest of such celebrations is termed
Brahmotsava (brahma=3Dbig). The Rathotsava or temple car
festival is also held during this period. The temple car
is a moving symbol of the temple.
Those who want to visit the temple are expected to enter
it physically clean and with the proper mood of faith and
devotion. Walking silently straight to the sanctorum,
and after offering, they should come out and then circumambulate the shrine. Formal obeisance should be done
from a place outside the flagpost. Then, they should
visit the minor shrines and spend some time in meditation, sitting in a secluded spot on the north eastern
side of the temple. it is incumbent on the visiting
devotees to .maintain the purity and sanctity of the
temple.
Regarding the Idols, please see Question 7
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