Sacred Architecture was our focus in the Tamil Nadu cities of Srirangam, Chidambaram,Thanjavar, and Madurai. We saw many of the major Hindu Temples but only a tiny fraction of the 30,000 located in the state of Tamil Nadu alone. The temples were part of huge complexes with elaborate towers and are immediately recognizable by the distinct difference from the ones we had seen before. In the North, the soaring tower above the inner sanctum is in the form of a circular mountain. In the South, there are multi-staged pyramidal spires with a barrel-vaulted roof. Worship for Hindus is in the small dark central sanctuary or womb chamber. The elaborate decoration of the Southern temple towers is stucco figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colors. (Today, instead of water soluble natural colors used in ancient times, oil based paint is applied to the towers on a twelve year schedule.) Each temple complex enclosure has major halls conceived for a specific purpose. Some early kings were crowned in the temple. There is a hall for dancing, offering of sacrifice, a tank for bathing, and several have a one thousand column hall for festivals and rituals.
My thoughts in all of these complexes were that I have been transported to a temple in Biblical times, though none were constructed as early as Solomon’s Temple. The temple in Jerusalem would not have had the graven images prevalent in Indian temples. We saw huge statues of bulls, themes of fertility, and sacrifices of grain, flowers and fruit. People were milling around, goats were eating the grass poking up through the stones, the walls were high and made from blocks of granite, people were selling religious and non-religious wares, making offerings, standing in line to go into the innermost places, and sleeping in the shade of the huge columns. Some were sitting around the tanks of cleansing water, though no one was waiting to be cured by a dip in the holy water as recounted in the New Testament. I could imagine much of this activity as well as the bells ringing and the continuous chanting taking place in Jerusalem and other ancient places of worship. I also could imagine Christ angrily clearing out the money changers and non-prayerful worshipers from “His Father’s house of prayer”. People were taking short cuts through the temple complexes, carrying their shoes to go about their business at the gate on the other side. These complexes were the center of the ancient cities.
As we walked barefooted through the complexes truly having our senses assaulted , David commented that we were witnessing what we might have prevalent worship today if Greece and Italy had not given up their pantheon of gods and become monotheistic in their acceptance of Christianity.
Nameste…….T I I
TalesAlongTheWay 
I love the photos.
LikeLike
Even as poor a photographer as I am, the incredible beauty shines through!
LikeLike
Hello, you used to write magnificent, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
LikeLike
Thank you for your honest criticism as well as the compliment about my writing…before. I have been trying to write on various topics and some are more successful than others. I will certainly try to do better…boring is bad! Please keep in touch on future posts. Nameste……Anne
LikeLike
hi Anne
not sure if you are aware, Romans and Greeks had a huge trade with South INdia in the ancient days. may be some of the ideas of temple complex/gods were a Greek influence or the other way around ! at one point in time Roman garrisons were present to protect their trade
regards
Kannan
LikeLike
You know , I didn’t though of course my architect did! Very interesting . Loved Goa and the Portuguese churches were amazing…Is there Roman and Greek influence down there? Namaste. . .. Anne
Are you an architect or historian?
LikeLike
Hi Anne, i am no historian/architect. I am basically from the state of Tamilnadu and am fascinated like you by the architecture of our temples and literature. The place i come from people still find greek and roman coins when they plough the fields. That is how my interest started in this !
LikeLike
some picture for your followers
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150089246054589.281138.554279588&type=1&l=bc82759ea3
LikeLike
Beautiful photos. Though I can name where or what your images are, I remember my architect taking us to see them. Amazing art and architecture! Thanks…..namaste…Anne
LikeLike
Thank you !
LikeLike
The images are from Thanjavur, gangai konda cholapuram and kadaram kondaan. Basicaly there are three main temples build by successive kings. Rajaraja build the thanjavur temple, his son build gain komda cholapuram( the man who won till ganges in north) and his son and grandson of rajaraja built gadaram kondaan( the man/king who conquered indonesia/bali). Amazing temples. Glad you enjoyed them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangaikonda_Cholapuram
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Temple
LikeLike
Fascinating and beautiful!
LikeLike
Thanks so much for going back to my earlier posts! Namaste
LikeLike
Pingback: Temple Towns in the South of India | TalesAlongTheWay