Structural Temples of Gujarat

SR No.: 006728
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kantilal F Sompura
Publisher: Gujarat University Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 868
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

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THE SHRINE AND THE TEMPLE EARLY PHASE
CHAPTER-III
(i) Early Traces of the Indian Shrine
In India, as elsewhere, the temple is evolved from simple structures, though these as well as intermediate stages cannot always be traced in archaeological sequence or from historical evidence. However, a survey of the various data supplied by the archaeological and literary sources throws some light on the early stages of the Indian temples.
(a) The Indus Civilization (c. 3000-2000 B. C.)
The buildings discovered at different strata in the excavation at Mohenjo daro may be classified under the following heads : (1) dwelling-houses (2) public baths of relegious or secular character (3) Temples of some kind, and (4) raised platforms, possibly tombs. Now with regards to the existence temples, private or public, and of emblems or worship, Sir John Marshall assumes some of the massive and well-built structures as temples. He says, Whether these spacious and elaborate edifices were private houses or not are yet to be determined. Quite conceivably some of them were temples. In Mesopotamia the temples of gods were to all intents and purposes copies of royal palacesdwellings where a god could eat, drink, and make merry like any mortal prince, and even be wedded on occassion to his priestess. It may be, therefore, that the same idea held good at Mohenjo-daro, and that some of these exceptionally large buildings were erected as homes for the gods. In some such buildings the excavators found series of those peculiar ringstones
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