garbhagrha

Garbhagrha, or garbhagriha, from Sanskrit garbha (womb) and griha (house), is the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple. It houses the temple’s principal deity in a murti (idol) or symbol, and is regarded as the temple’s spiritual core where the divine presence is believed to reside after consecration.

Architecturally, the garbhagriha is a small, dark chamber situated beneath the temple’s superstructure (shikhara) and accessed from a surrounding mandapa through a single doorway. The sanctum is typically closed to the public; priests perform rites there. Inside, the main idol or symbol is kept, often accompanied by ritual implements and, in some temples, minor adjunct figures or subsidiary shrines nearby.

Ritual activity centers on daily worship, including abhisheka (ritual bathing), alankara (adornment), archana (chanting), and lamp offerings, as well as larger ceremonies during festivals. The garbhagriha is regarded as the temple’s most sacred space, where devotees seek the deity’s blessing through temple rites and darshan from accessible approaches or apertures.

Symbolically, the garbhagriha represents the cosmic womb, the source of creation, and the deity’s living presence within the temple. Its exact form, size, and orientation vary by regional architectural schools and tradition, but its function as the temple’s sacred core remains constant.