Temples In India-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKATriprayar, Thiruvilvamala, Kadavalloor,Chennamangalam, Trikkoor, Venganallur,Kumbalam, Guruvayoor, Mukkola,Vedaranyam, Thirunavaya, Tripprirangod,Chamravatham, Alathoor, Trikandiyoor,Kottiyoor, Thirumandham kunnu, Thirunelli,Sreeporkali, Thiruvangod, Trichambaram,Perinchelloor, Tricherukunnam, Tali inKozhikode, Kachamkurichi, Kallayikulangara,Kongad, Killikkurissi, Trithala, Thiruvegappura,Trikkazhikad, Kodikkunnu, Panniyoor,Karimpuzha, Indianoor, Pandaloor, Venkotta,Keralesapuram, Ponmola, Trikkalavoor,Mannoor, Nalloor, Vettathu VisnuNarunkaita, Vallurkavu, Trikkangote,Neeleswaram and many others.The rituals, the systems of poojas, themaking of idols, purificating rites, things tobe accepted and avoided, the festivals,ere. are so well evolved in Kerala that thereare many distinguishable features. Certainprescribed rituals are almost a daily routinein many temples. From the early morningblowing of the pious sound of the conch,the rituals begin and poojas, Sree BaliPradakshinam, etc. take place at regularintervals till the temple closes in the nightafter the Attazha Seeveli.There is a unique style of templeconstruction in Kerala. Inside the great wallaround, there is a spacious area calledTirumuttam. The gateways to theTirumuttam are called Gopuram whichdistinctively differ from the usual SouthIndian style. Around the central shrine inthe Tirumuttam are the shrines of theParivara Devatas. The Presiding Deity is inthe central shrine.In the central shrine is the Sreekoil, thesanctum sanctorum. The roof of thesanctum sanctorum is mostly conical inTEMPLE INDIAshape. This particular shape is said to havea relevance in the maintenance of powerin temples.There are many unique points ofconstruction and other details based onthe tantric science, which need not bediscussed here. According to thesesciences all these points have a certainrole in the installation and maintenance ofpower in temples.The popular text, Tantrasamuchchayaprescribes in detail the rules about theconstruction of temples, installation ofpower, poojas, maintenance of power, etc.,for seven Deities, Vishnu, Siva,Sankaranarayana, Ganapati, Subramanya,Sastha and Durga. They are throughoutconsidered as different aspects and powersof the all-pervasive Divine Power,Paramatma.The voluminous text of Tantrasamuchchayais divided into three parts. The first parthas four chapters dealing with the laws oftemple construction, making of idols andall the rituals and mantras connected withit. It includes the methods of the selectionof the spot, the places to be avoided, thetypes of stones to be accepted, the typesto be rejected, classification of stones intomale, female and neuter genders,meticulous details of measurements, thethickness of the walls, the method ofconstruction of doors, the decorations, themaking of the idol in minute detail and suchother relevant things including themantras, homas, purificatory rites, poojas,etc.Part two has four chapters on theinstallation of the idol and on the manymantras, homas and poojas connected withit. It includes the methods of purification44