09-28-2003, 11:16 AM
Added 11/2/2003 - I just changed the title of the thread, since i wanted to avoid thread proliferation
I thought it would be useful to collate information on the various temples of India, information that may be useful for travellers. I am almost certain that no one Indian is aware of the rich bounty and totality of all temples , that still survives from medieval times. Many of course were rebuilt or restored during the British era or after Independence
I found this site to be fairly comprehensive, one which gives a synopsys of each temple that it covers. Obviously these are only medium to large scale temple complexes and do not include small structures which exist in each neighborhood. These temples are a veritable photographers paradise, especially in this age of digital photography
[url="http://www.templenet.com/"]http://www.templenet.com/[/url]
The site has broken down the temples according to deity, as well as by state.
some excerpts
I thought it would be useful to collate information on the various temples of India, information that may be useful for travellers. I am almost certain that no one Indian is aware of the rich bounty and totality of all temples , that still survives from medieval times. Many of course were rebuilt or restored during the British era or after Independence
I found this site to be fairly comprehensive, one which gives a synopsys of each temple that it covers. Obviously these are only medium to large scale temple complexes and do not include small structures which exist in each neighborhood. These temples are a veritable photographers paradise, especially in this age of digital photography
[url="http://www.templenet.com/"]http://www.templenet.com/[/url]
The site has broken down the temples according to deity, as well as by state.
some excerpts
Quote:Abodes of Shiva , is a mega-presentation describing Shiva temples all over India, with emphasis on the 275 temples glorified by the hymns of the Tamil saints of the 1st millennium CE.
Abodes of Vishnu is a special presentation highlighting the 108 temples of Vishnu all over India glorified by the Tamil saints of the 1st millennium CE.
Templenet presents Abodes of Shakti, a presentation featuring temples dedicated to the worship of Shakti, or the feminine aspect of Divinity.
Abodes of Skanda describes temples and shrines dedicated to Skanda located in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Templenet presents Abodes of Ganesha, a comprehensive presentation featuring shrines dedicated to the worship of Ganapati the elephant faced God..
Templenet is a premier site conceived and published with the objective of showcasing India - The Land of Temples in cyberspace. Indeed, India is rightfully The Land of Temples, as Egypt is The Land of Pyramids. Thousands of temples dot the landscape of the entire sub continent - bringing to focus, a vibrant - live art gallery, showcasing achievements in art and architecture over a two thousand year period, in a manner never seen in any other part of the world. Regional variations lend dramatic contrasts to lifestyles across the subcontinent, and the stunning variations reflective of this diversity - as seen in temple styles across the region can be an enthralling experience even to a mildy interested tourist.
In the arena of cyberspace, Templenet presents to the world a world of temples, reflecting the grandeur and the stunning diversity of temple styles across the nation. At the geographical level, it provides an index to temples by region, where temples are described in detail with approprite illustrations. Sifting legend from history, these descriptions throw complete light on the origin, religious significance, history, architectural and sculptural grandeur, beliefs and legends, worship protocols, festivals and tourism related information. In addition, the various sections on architecture, festivals, beliefs provide a whole range of descriptive articles on related subjects. A glossary of terms acquaints readers with terminology related to temples.
Templenet is an ongoing selective presentation on an extensive research project on Indian temples - sourced, authored and directed by Kanniks Kannikeswaran.