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=== देवालयस्य मुख्य - अङ्गानि  || Essential Components of a Temple ===

=== देवालयस्य मुख्य - अङ्गानि  || Essential Components of a Temple ===

==== Garbhagriha ====

==== गर्भगृम् || Garbhagriha ====

The most integral and core part of a temple is the sanctum or garbhagriha which houses the image of the deity. It is generally square in shape and has no openings in the form of doors and windows except for its entrance door in the front. The garbhagriha is a dark chamber except for the light that trickles through the front door and the light of lamp lit near the image of the deity. The principal and loftiest shikhara of the temple is constructed above the garbhagriha.  

The most integral and core part of a temple is the sanctum or garbhagriha which houses the image of the deity. It is generally square in shape and has no openings in the form of doors and windows except for its entrance door in the front. The garbhagriha is a dark chamber except for the light that trickles through the front door and the light of lamp lit near the image of the deity. The principal and loftiest shikhara of the temple is constructed above the garbhagriha.  

==== Pradakshinapatha ====

==== प्रदक्षिणापथ:|| Pradakshinapatha ====

This is the circumambulatory path around the garbhagriha. Not all temples have the pradakshinapatha. A temple with a pradakshinapatha is called a 'sandhara' type of a temple and a temple where the pradakshinapatha is absent is known as a 'nirandhara' type of a temple. A temple could also have an outer circumambulatory path.  

This is the circumambulatory path around the garbhagriha. Not all temples have the pradakshinapatha. A temple with a pradakshinapatha is called a 'sandhara' type of a temple and a temple where the pradakshinapatha is absent is known as a 'nirandhara' type of a temple. A temple could also have an outer circumambulatory path.  

==== Antarala ====

==== अन्तराल:|| Antarala ====

The Antarala is a passage between the mukhamandapa and garbhagriha. The older temples generally are devoid of the anatarala.  

The Antarala is a passage between the mukhamandapa and garbhagriha. The older temples generally are devoid of the anatarala.  

==== Mandapas ====

==== मण्डपः || Mandapas ====

The Mukhamandapa is a mandapa or hall which is closest to the garbhagriha. It is also known as the ardha-mandapa. After the mukhamandapa comes the mandapa which is a large hall. The mandapa at times is also referred to as the Navaranga or Nritta- Mandapa where musical and dance performances are held as a part of the devotional service to the deity enshrined in the temple. The mandapa is also the place where religious discourses and recitation of texts like the two Itihasas and Puranas are conducted. In the Kalinga Style of Temples belonging to the land of Odisha the mandapas are known as 'Jagamohana' or 'Pidha Deulas' which have pyramidal roofs.  In the case of North Indian Temples which are also known by the nomenclature 'Nagara Prasadas' the roofs over the mandapas are totally distinct from the shikhara over the garbhagriha. This applies well to the Kalinga Style of Temples of Odisha as well.  

The Mukhamandapa is a mandapa or hall which is closest to the garbhagriha. It is also known as the ardha-mandapa. After the mukhamandapa comes the mandapa which is a large hall. The mandapa at times is also referred to as the Navaranga or Nritta- Mandapa where musical and dance performances are held as a part of the devotional service to the deity enshrined in the temple. The mandapa is also the place where religious discourses and recitation of texts like the two Itihasas and Puranas are conducted. In the Kalinga Style of Temples belonging to the land of Odisha the mandapas are known as 'Jagamohana' or 'Pidha Deulas' which have pyramidal roofs.  In the case of North Indian Temples which are also known by the nomenclature 'Nagara Prasadas' the roofs over the mandapas are totally distinct from the shikhara over the garbhagriha. This applies well to the Kalinga Style of Temples of Odisha as well.  

==== Dhvaja Stambha ====

==== ध्वजस्तंभः || Dhvaja Stambha ====

The practice of erecting Dhvaja Stambhas before the temple has an antiquity of at least 2200 years before present. One of the earliest Dhvaja Stambhas in India was erected at Besnagar (ancient Vidisha) in Madhya Pradesh by a Greek ambassador named Heliodorus who declared himself to be a Bhagavata or a devotee of Bhagavat Vasudeva-Krishna and erected the Garuda Dhvaja Stambha in the honour of the God. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva will have a dhvaja stambha or flag post with the image of  his mount Nandi at the pinnacle whereas a dhavaja stambha surmounted with an image of Garuda would be placed before a Vaishnava temple. A Shakta or Devi shrine would be considered complete after a dhavaja stambha with an image of a lion at its peak would be constructed in its precincts. A dhvaja stambha is a part of the paraphernalia associated with a king and the deity enshrined in the temple is perceived as the 'King of kings'. The general practice is that the image of the mount of the deity who is worshipped in a given temple is place atop the dhvaja stambha. The dhvaja stambhas could be made out of stone or metals like copper.

The practice of erecting Dhvaja Stambhas before the temple has an antiquity of at least 2200 years before present. One of the earliest Dhvaja Stambhas in India was erected at Besnagar (ancient Vidisha) in Madhya Pradesh by a Greek ambassador named Heliodorus who declared himself to be a Bhagavata or a devotee of Bhagavat Vasudeva-Krishna and erected the Garuda Dhvaja Stambha in the honour of the God. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva will have a dhvaja stambha or flag post with the image of  his mount Nandi at the pinnacle whereas a dhavaja stambha surmounted with an image of Garuda would be placed before a Vaishnava temple. A Shakta or Devi shrine would be considered complete after a dhavaja stambha with an image of a lion at its peak would be constructed in its precincts. A dhvaja stambha is a part of the paraphernalia associated with a king and the deity enshrined in the temple is perceived as the 'King of kings'. The general practice is that the image of the mount of the deity who is worshipped in a given temple is place atop the dhvaja stambha. The dhvaja stambhas could be made out of stone or metals like copper.

==== The Prakara Wall ====

==== प्राकार: || The Prakara Wall ====

Temples usually have a high wall enclosing its precincts. This wall is known has 'prakara' and it almost resembles a fortification wall. Sometimes a temple, depending upon its area and significance may have more than one prakara wall.The prakara wall is intercepted by gateways or gopurams (in the case of South Indian Temples) in the cardinal directions and in most cases there will be one gateway which would serve as the principal one. In the ancient times, shrines would be generally surrounded by a stone or wooden railing. In South Indian Shaiva temples,  the prakara wall would be embellished will images of Nandi.  

Temples usually have a high wall enclosing its precincts. This wall is known has 'prakara' and it almost resembles a fortification wall. Sometimes a temple, depending upon its area and significance may have more than one prakara wall.The prakara wall is intercepted by gateways or gopurams (in the case of South Indian Temples) in the cardinal directions and in most cases there will be one gateway which would serve as the principal one. In the ancient times, shrines would be generally surrounded by a stone or wooden railing. In South Indian Shaiva temples,  the prakara wall would be embellished will images of Nandi.  

==== Pushkarni ====

==== पुष्करणि || Pushkarni ====

The word 'Pushkarni' is used to signify a water tank within the premises of a temple. Inscriptions dating from the Kushana Period (1st century CE-3rd century CE) from Mathura allude to the construction of tanks near shrines. It became a common practice from the early medieval period to build tanks or pushkarnis within the area of the temple. The water from the temple tanks would be used in various kinds of rituals associated with the temples. The Pushkarnis in temples of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram and Goddess Meenakshi in Madurai are specially renowned. Canonical texts pertaining to temple give clear injunctions about the requirement of water bodies -natural or artificial in the vicinity of temples.

The word 'Pushkarni' is used to signify a water tank within the premises of a temple. Inscriptions dating from the Kushana Period (1st century CE-3rd century CE) from Mathura allude to the construction of tanks near shrines. It became a common practice from the early medieval period to build tanks or pushkarnis within the area of the temple. The water from the temple tanks would be used in various kinds of rituals associated with the temples. The Pushkarnis in temples of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram and Goddess Meenakshi in Madurai are specially renowned. Canonical texts pertaining to temple give clear injunctions about the requirement of water bodies -natural or artificial in the vicinity of temples.

== References ==

== References ==