Other temples of India

it is fascinating to see how such a large number of Hindu temples have survived here. Uprooted from place to place, the presiding deities were preserved and worshipped, at times, even in the houses of pujaris (priests), till they were ultimately ensconced in their present-day abodes.

Some such old temples of Goa, which are noted for their natural beauty and simple architecture, have certain basic features, as in the days of yore, of being surrounded by betel nut trees, coconut groves and lakes of pure water. When you enter any of these temples you are welcomed by the sentinels-the great pillars of light.

Among the oldest temples in Goa are the ones built by the Saraswat Brahmins of Bihar-the Mangeshi Temple of Priol, the Shanta Durga Temple at Kavele, the Ganapati Temple at Khandole, the Mahalaxmi Temple at Bhandiwade and the Sri Nagesh Maharudra Temple at Bandora. Of these, unlike all other ancient deities of Goa, the Sri Nagesh Maharudra did not move from Bandora (Bhandiwade) even during the period of the Portuguese inquisition.

The Mangesh Linga is said to have been consecrated on the mountain of Mangireesh (Mongir) on the banks of river Bhagirathi by Lord Brahma himself, from where the Saraswat Brahmins brought it to Trihotrapuri in Bihar. They carried the linga on to Gomantaka and settled at Mathagrama, the present-day Madgoa, establishing their most sacred and ancient temple of Mangesh on the banks of the river Gomati or Zuari as it is called today. Lord Mangesh is worshipped here in the shape of a Shiva linga.

The small town of Jageshwar in the Kumaon hills of Uttaranchal has a complex of about 200 ancient and medieval temples. Most of these temples are dedicated to the various manifestations of Lord Shiva. Most of these temples belong to, and reflect the early period of the north Indian style of temple architecture. The idol at Jageshwar is considered to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas (the most sacred shrines of Lord Shiva) in India, where thousands of Shiva devotees come to offer prayers during various Hindu festivals held in honor of Lord Shiva.

The temple complex in the small town of Jageshwar is located in a tranquil valley, amidst lush green alpine trees. Jageshwar witnessed a great deal of temple building activity at different time periods and the earliest temples in Jageshwar date back to the fourth century AD, while the latest ones date back to the 16th century AD. During the fourth and fifth centuries AD, when the Gupta emperors held sway over vast tracts of northern and central India, the Kumaon hills were governed by an independent dynasty of Katyuri kings. They are credited with having selected this site for building temples. The temples originally constructed during the Gupta period were renovated by the rulers of the Ghand dynasty who overthrew the Katyuris in the seventh century AD. Numerous temples were constructed and restored during the Gujarat Pratihara dynasty (AD 9th-10th century) and also in the 15th and 16th centuries AD.

Temples Of Mahabalipuram

South Indian temple architecture has its origins on the sandy beaches of Mahabalipuram. The style, which started here, went on to reach incredible heights in the temples in Kanchipuram, Thanjavur (Tanjore), and Madurai. The sculptural extravaganza of Mahabalipuram is a living testament of the artistic temperament of the Pallavas who were the trendsetters in South Indian art.

Mahabalipuram is supposed to be the handiwork of three monarchs: Mahendravarman I (AD 600-630), Narasimhavarman I (AD 630-666), and Narasimhavarman II (AD 700-728). Hence, there are three distinctly discernible styles of sculpture reflecting progressive degrees of refinement. One school of thought attributes this wonderland in stone entirely to the multi-faceted artistic genius of Rajasthan, though the coastal village itself derives its name from Narasimhavarman I, hailed as Mamallan or Mahamalla (great wrestler).

The story behind the foundation of Tughlaqabad is an interesting one. Ghazi Malik, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty, was once a slave of Mubarak Khilji, the last Khilji sultan. One day, while walking by the area where the Tughlaqabad Fort is now located, Ghazi Malik suggested to his master that the rocky prominence would be an ideal site for building a fort. The Khilji sultan laughed at his slave and suggested that the slave build a fort there when he became a sultan. When Ghazi Malik, as Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321, he did just that-Tughlaqabad is Delhi's most colossal and awesome fort, even in its ruined state.

Temples of Dilwara

temples in Dilwara: the Vimal Vashi temple, the Luna Vashi temple, the Adinath temple and the Parshvanath temple. Among all these the Vimal Vashi and the Luna Vashi are the most notable.

Vimal Shah, the minister of Raja Bhimdeo (a local Rajput ruler), built the Vimal Vashi temple in AD 1021. The temple is 98 feet long and 42 feet wide and is surrounded by a high wall with 52 cells, or devkulikas, each of which is surrounded by an arcade of carved pillars. In the main shrine is a majestic image of Adinath cast in gold-brass alloy. The temple consists of an open portico and a vestibule formed by a single grouping of pillars. The octagonal dome of the shrine is formed by eleven concentric rings containing patterns of endless variety and is upheld by eight carved columns. The richly carved corridors, pillars, arches, and mandaps or porticoes are bewildering. On the ceiling are engraved rich and elaborate designs of lotus-buds, petals, flowers, geometrical designs and scenes illustrating incidents from the Jain and Hindu mythologies. Though initially attention may be directed to the carvings, it is the control of space, level and light that make this an even more interesting structure. Of interest here are the corridors, the courtyard, the Rangmandap, the Nowchoki, the Gudhamandap and the Hasti-Shala or Hall of Elephants.

The other important temple here is the Luna Vashi temple dedicated to the twenty-second tirthankar Shri Neminathji. This magnificent temple was built in AD 1230 by two brothers-Vastupal and and Tejpal, both ministers of Viradhawala (a local ruler). The design and pattern of this temple was adopted from the Vimal Vashi temple, which was built earlier. Here too, the walls, doors, pillars, mandaps, and ceilings are adorned with ornamental relief carvings of a variety of subjects, from flowers and animals to royal processions and battle scenes. The dome of the Rangamandap is outstanding - it is divided into concentric compartments by richly sculptured cordons, each intervening space being filled with elaborate and elegant designs. The Hasthi-Shala or Elephant Halls here are ten in number and each contains a white marble elephant, beautifully and proportionately carved and polished to a shine. Marble has been chiseled and shaped to such beauty and perfection that it does not surprise one to know that the workmen who gave shape to these extraordinary monuments were rewarded in the silver and gold equivalent of the amount of marble brought in.