ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGIES USED IN HINDU TEMPLES TO EMPHASIZE SACREDNESS

摘要

This study examines the sense of "sacredness" Hindu temples with respect to their physical attributes and spatial arrangements, which help devotees focus on the sacredness within the temple, in contrast to the "profaneness" of the surrounding world. This is achieved through two main aspects - segregation from the world outside the temple and increasing concentration of thought on the object of worship - which are accomplished using several architectural strategies. Devotees encounter these architectural elements during their pedestrian pilgrimage from the entrance of the temple to their final confrontation with the deity in the innermost sanctum. Thus, the spatial composition of the temples architecture induces certain behaviors and emotions that engender an attitude of contemplation within the worshipper. This article examines the architectural strategies used to influence the devotee's attitude toward worship and support the perception of the Hindu temple as a sacred space.