The History and Science Behind The Architecture of Hindu Temples

Hindu Temples are the homestay offered to the Gods and Goddesses. They are the structures designed to connect human beings to the Divine. Different symbols and structures used in the temples are extracted from the root of the Vedas and Scriptures. Mundeshwari Devi Temple in Bihar is believed to be the oldest Hindu temple in India (that dates back to the 4th century) whereas Changu Narayan Temple (that dates back to the 5th century) is believed to be the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal.

A temple is built combining different aspects and might be dedicated to one or more deity. Hindu Temples in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam and other western countries that have been growing in numbers over the course of the time.

History of Hindu Temples

Going deep into the history of temples, it can be revealed that Hindu Temples did not exist during the Vedic Period. The first appearance of the temple-like structure happened to be found in Surkh Kotal, a place in Afghanistan. It was discovered by a French archaeologist. It was not dedicated to any God but was made for a royal clan of King Kanishka (127 – 151 AD.) The tradition of worshipping idol during Vedic period might have brought the concepts of worshipping gods inside the temple.

The worship of gods and goddess used to happen in community temples made up of clay and thatched roofs made of straws and leaves. In a certain part of Himalayas or mountain region cave temples existed. It was only from 4th or 5th-century the building of temples started. Then the tradition of building the temple significantly happened between 6th to the 16th century. It was believed that building the temple would give an immense bliss and was considered the best deed a person could ever do. Thus, Kings, Saints, and other rich people would build temples to perform various religious activity.

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