Toshali Sands

The vision of a Temple in India evokes among Hindus feelings of reverence, sanctity and spirituality as it symbolises an abode of God and a place of worship. Its origin goes back to the pre-christian era, and its evolution in to a monument of great architectural merit is marked by conscious efforts on the part of several ruling dynasties from the 4th to 17th centuries to make it an institution of enduring importance in the social, economic and political integration of the sub-continent. Religion in India, has been a powerful ideological force, and hence the Temple as the scared and organised space for worship of the divine, served as the superordinated institution of social organisation. As a centre of worship, the Temple is mainly a product and instrument of the Puranic tradition. Hindu myths, legends and beliefs are compiled in texts collectively called the Puranas, the Hindu pantheon of Gods originated from the texts of two Brahaminical sects, the Vaishnava and the Saiva, which with other minor religious systems, are part of the Puranic tradition under what is now known as Hinduism.

Here, the deity dwelling in the Temple symbolises the King of Kings and is consequently offered regal honour, consistent with the concept of God as the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. Significantly enough, prasada means both a Palace and a Temple. The deity is provided with the royal paraphernalia of a throne umbrella and fly-whisk and the worship of the deity is attended by regal pageantry, together with music, dance and lighting of lamps. Just as the Royal Palace has a throne-room, a private audience hall and a public audience hall, the temple has a sanctum, an inner hall and at times an outer-hall. In course of time, the Temple came to possess many subsidiary structures for the various Temples rites and ceremonies. In Orissa, we find the addition of a hall of dance (Nata Mandira) and a hall of offering (Bhoga Mandapa), while in south India the enclosures of the larger Temples teeming with necessary structures like festivities and thus resemble a fortified Palace. The Hindu shrine is primarily a place for individual self-realisation. The sanctum is customarily a dark chamber enclosed by massive flames of lamps. This suggests the mystery that envelpess the universe and the divine spirit that shines behind the veil of mystery and pervades and illuminates the universe.

Just as the sanctum is a microcosm, the whole Temple symbolises the universe inhabited by Gods, Demi-gods, Human beings and Animals, which are figurally represented on the Temple facades. The same idea is expresses by the representation on the Temple walls of the eight Regants (dikapals) of the cardinal points. Like wise an ambulation around the temple symbolically means a perambulation of the Universe itself. Now in this back ground let us visit Sri Jagannath Temple. The huge Temple (214 ft) high is designed like a medieval fortress. The whole temple complex encompasses and area of over ten acres and is enclosed by two protective walls. The outer rectangular enclosure is called Meghanada Prachira and the inner wall is the Kurumabedha. There are four gate ways and the main entrance is called Simhadwara,( the lions gate) and is guarded by two stone lions with Aruna Pillar infront. The gate way is having a Gumuta (Temple like entrance gate) which huses “Patitapavan” that can be viewed by all those who are also not allowed to enter the Temple.