Temples

Temples are buildings or complexes dedicated to religious worship, housing sacred images or symbols and serving as places for rites, offerings, prayers, and community ceremonies. They operate as focal points for devotion and pilgrimage in many religious traditions, though structures and practices vary widely by culture.

In Hinduism, temples are built to house a primary deity image in the sanctum (garbhagrīha) and are surrounded by ritual spaces such as halls (mandapas) and courtyards; towers (shikhara or vimana) are common above the sanctum. Buddhist temples may include prayer halls, meditation rooms, stupas or pagodas, and monastic quarters. Jain temples are known for their ornate sculpture and sanctums dedicated to Tirthankaras. In other traditions, places of worship may be called temples or shrines, while gurdwaras (Sikh) and Shinto shrines serve related spiritual functions but use different terms.

Architectural design often reflects theological ideas and regional stylistic schools. Common elements include a sanctum or inner chamber, a larger assembly hall, processional gateways, courtyards, and extensive sculpture or iconography. Materials range from stone and brick to timber, with decoration that conveys myth, cosmology, and ritual etiquette. Orientation and ritual layout influence daily worship, processions, and festivals.

Temples historically emerged as centers of religious life, learning, art, and economy, and many remain active centers of worship and pilgrimage today. Notable examples include Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu, Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, and Borobudur in Indonesia.