Temples of India

[pradipc2k]

Some more.....

Birla Temple, Kolkata



Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa


Kamakshya Temple, Assam


Dakshineswar temple, Kolkata



ISKCON Temple, Mayapur, W. B.




Belur Math, Howrah


Lingaraj Temple, Orissa

[dcb11]

This thread is fantastic. I've never been to India, but it's definitely at the top of my list of places I want to visit. I think India has perhaps the greatest architectural legacy of any place on Earth.

[Anniyan]

Trichy...

[Anniyan]

Trichy rock fort temple..

[Luckystreak]

Tirumala Tirupati

[cello1974]

Incredible, how these temples are aesthetic without lots and tons of gold, making the temples in other countries often so overload. This is simplicity but with lots of small details, making these sites very attractive and beautiful!

[Anniyan]

ROCK FORT TEMPLE , TRICHY

[centralized pandemonium]

That's the "Ucchu Pillair Koil" rt?

[Anniyan]

yep. have u been there

[centralized pandemonium]

Yeah, I think so, when I was in grade 2 or 3.

[WillyWick]

Sri Ekambaranathar Temple

[IMG]http://i1.************/rrqvls.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1.************/rrqx3q.jpg[/IMG]

[WillyWick]

Devarajaswami Temple

[IMG]http://i1.************/rrqxc4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1.************/rrqxoi.jpg[/IMG]

[WillyWick]

[IMG]http://i1.************/rrt5rp.jpg[/IMG]

[raja_mettu]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...+temples+india

[VaastuShastra]

Thats a fairly good documentary, saw it a while back - but tends to get a few facts wrong.

[vibs89]

Superb. Very Nice.

[Anniyan]

repeat - self deleted

[VaastuShastra]

Some temple complex in Rajastan (Hindu):


Ramanathapuram Mandir gopuram (Hindu):


The Ellora solid-rock-carved temples (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain):


Chattarpur Mandir Delhi (Hindu):


Mahabodhi - site of Buddha's enlightenment (Buddhist):


Akshardham Mandir, Delhi (Hindu):


Jaisalmer Mandir - looks better from other angles (Jain):


Golden Temple (Sikh):


Lotus temple (Baha'i):


Stupa at Sarnath (Buddhist):


Somnath temple (Hindu):


Lingaraj temple, Orissa (Hindu):


Konark temple (Hindu):


Padmanabha temple, Trivandrum (Hindu):
[img]http://i4.************/10ice1s.jpg[/img]

Top of the Meenakshi temple gopuram, Madurai (Hindu):

[Naga_Solidus]

Originally Posted by Jai

The temple has four artistic entrances. In the main chamber or of the temple there are four huge white-marble images of the Jain Trithankar (Revealer of Truth) Adinath. These four images, which are about 72 inches tall, have been installed facing the four different directions.

There are also four Principal Shrines situated in the four directions, seventy-six smaller domed-shrines dedicated to Hindu and Jain deities and saints, four Assembly halls and eighty-four large and small subsidiary shrines in the complex. The four Principal Shrines are famous for their ornate beauty.










This temple is called 'the city of pillars.' The 1444 temple pillars are designed in such a manner that none of them obstructs the view of the pilgrim wishing to have a 'Darshana' (glimpse) of God; from any corner of the temple one can easily view the images of the deities.

The temple is also designed to be open, allowing fresh air and bright in throughout the interior.






Another interesting fact about the pillars is that each one is different. The temple's designers have also created, hidden among the multitude, one horizontal pillar in the temple. This was It was done like this by the builders to teach that only God is perfect; not human works.








The domes and ceilings of this temple are replete with innumerable carvings depicting famous stories from Hindu and Jain scripture. They are renowned for the way the artists have given their sculptures so much life and movement.










This renovated shrine has once again attained its unique fame in the world of art and religion. Every year thousands of pilgrims from all over India and the world come to visit this holy place.

BTW...



Is the woman in one of the pillars undressing by any chance? If so, it's another point in favor of Indian liberalism and a point against Indain prudery.

Man, those Jains really seem to have a talent for intricacy.

BTW, this thread isn't complete without this (it's erotic but it's relevant):



An erotic carving at Khajuraho. This one's pretty softcore, compared to this next ones...




I wonder how that guy can manage to pleasure those three women while standing on his head for an extended period of time.




Yes, that really is a learned sage performing fellatio on a royal prince. Wow.

from Wikipedia:

Many times we find that people often quote the Khajuraho Temples as an excuse to equate Hinduism and Hindu Deities with nudity and sex. What is actually Khajuraho, what does it contain and how many of the quoters have actually visited the Temples ? Here are the facts.
The name Khajuraho may be derived from khajura (date palm), which grows freely in the area and perhaps because there were two golden khajura trees on a carved gate here. The old name was Kharjuravahaka (scorpion bearer), the scorpion symbolizing poisonous lust. The temples were built under the late Chandela kings between 950 and 1050 AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. With the fading of Chandela fortunes, the importance of Khajuraho waned but temple building continued until the 12th century at a much reduced pace. The Chandelas were followers of the Tantric cult which believes that gratification of earthly desires is a step towards attaining the ultimate liberation. Tantrism has been mostly misunderstood and the Philosophical part of Tantras like the Mahanirvana Tantra have been totally forgotten. This was one of the reasons why Tantrics perished. Nevertheless it remains a distinct path of Spiritual Practice though it has very few followers all over the world.
1. It must be emphasized that Khajuraho Temples, do not contain sexual themes inside the Temple premises or near the deity but only on external carvings. They portray that for seeing the deity, one must leave his sexual desires outside the Temple. They also depict that the inner deity of the Temple is pure like the soul (atman) which is unaffected by sexual desires and other gross tendencies, destiny etc, whereas the external curvature and carvings of the Temples depict the bodily changes that occur in us.
2. Only as many as 10% carvings contain sexual themes, not between any deities but between ordinary humans. The rest depict the common man's life of those days. For example ladies applying makeup, musicians, potters, Farmers etc. All these are away from Temple deities. They give the message that one should always have God as the central point in one's life even though one is engaged in worldly activities.
3. It is a misconception that since Khajuraho are Temples, they depict sex between deities!
4. In Khajuraho Temples, the idols of Shiva, Nandi, Goddess Durga, Incarnations of Vishnu etc are fully clothed.
5. All over India, in no Temples have idols of Deities been shown nude and in sexual positions !

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Of course, there is nothing inhernetly wrong with sex, it's actually an essential part of the life cycle, just like respiration.

[VaastuShastra]

Theres a poll for it here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=125826

And I found the name of the Rajasthani temple, heres a new poll:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=365127