vimana

Vimana is a Sanskrit term meaning a vehicle, especially a flying chariot or aircraft. In Hindu, Buddhist and Jain literature, vimanas are celestial or magical vehicles used by gods, kings and sages. The word also appears in Indian temple architecture to denote the tower above the sanctum (garbhagriha) in Dravidian temples.

In epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, vimanas are described as fast, sometimes capable of invisibility or teleportation. The best-known example is the Pushpaka Vimana, a magnificent aerial chariot acquired by Rama and used to return to Ayodhya after his exile. Other texts mention various vimanas and aerial routes across the heavens.

Architectural sense: In South Indian temple design, vimana refers to the towering structure above the sanctum, often elaborately carved, and a distinctive element of Dravidian architecture. These towers differ from the northern shikhara and may take pyramidal or curvilinear forms.

Scholarly view: Vimanas in literature are generally regarded as mythological or symbolic vehicles rather than historical aircraft. No conclusive archaeological or textual evidence shows real ancient flying machines. The term’s architectural usage remains a central term in the description of temple form.