Introduction to Hindu Iconography 3.0

शिल्पं हि परमपूज्यं सर्वदर्शनलक्षणम्' ।
सर्वप्रमाणरूपाय साकारतत्त्वमेव च ॥
- Śilparatnakōśa ॥ ३ ॥

As per Śilparatnakośa, Śilpa is the most venerated of all the darśanas as visual testimony; and the Devālayams are home to sacred śilpa (including art, mūrtis, intricate designs and secular themes). Numerous inscriptions across the country attest that temples not only served as the abodes of divinity, but also patronized different facets of Bhāratīya culture. For over two millennia, various rulers and dynasties erected temples to upkeep Dharma, with many texts enlisting the benefits of temples as harbingers of peace, fame, wealth, grain, progeny and mokṣa.

With a drastic reduction in temple construction activities in the last 200 years, the science and meaning behind their construction and art has vanished from public discourse. Today, a temple remains just a place of worship for Hindus, most of whom are inattentive to the symbolism and meaning of the śilpa on temple walls. Every design and mūrti in a Hindu temple is carved for a purpose, with a codified message to be delivered to the next generations. The temple that helped a Hindu climb the spiritual ladder through śilpa, today remains an objective structure due to a lack of interpretation. With the aim of re-fostering appreciation, this course will aim to instill the values of Svayambodha (knowledge of ourselves), through a complete interpretation of the Hindu temple from spiritual and philosophical perspectives and Saundaryabodha (knowledge of beauty and aesthetics) - the ability to identify all the Gods and Goddesses with their dedicated elements, and know the reason behind the specific placement of a mūrti. 

This course will discuss the śilpakalā on the temple walls, study the techniques of identifying them despite their ransacking and plunder during Islamic invasions, and interpret the hidden message that these sculptures offer.