Birla Mandirs – The contemporary Hindu temple complexes as anexample of modernization by going back to tradition – 2015 fieldworkreport (original) (raw)
Related papers
Studia Religiologica
The fundraising activity initiated by the Birla family in India resulted in the construction of more than 20 Hindu temples, commonly referred to as the Birla Mandirs. Although they vary in terms of architectural forms and iconographic programs it seems, that one basic and common theme remains - to show reformed Hinduism as a religion that is the pillar of the identity of the people of New India. It is understood at the same time as separate but also higher than other great religions, yet assuring a place within its confines for all of them. It is – as the authors argue in this paper - the practical realization of the thought expressed in the Ṛgveda(I 164.46) and repeatedly referred to in the Birla temples as ‘ekam sad viprā bahudhā vadanti’, which seems to be the motto of all foundations of the Birla family.
Politeja, 2016
The paper aims at tracing the idea of the revival of Indian society and nation in the undertaking of G.D. Birla (1894‑1983) – the most influential representative of the Birla family which members, known as industrial magnates and corporate leaders, contribute since the turn of the 20th century to medicine, education and technological development of India. G.D. Birla’s overall goal, seems to have been the revitalisation and strengthening of Hinduism as “Arya dharma” and interpret it in such a way as to make this the religion as inclusive and universal as possible. One of the Birlas’ activities fully demonstrating these religious ideas is the temple foundation. Thus considering the wide range of areas in which G.D. Birla was involved, the authors have focused on one such project – the Saraswati temple in Pilani and its ideological background. The temple is located in the Birla Institute of Technology & Science campus and dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wisdom and learning. The autho...
Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. Studia Religiologica, 2021
Fundraising activity initiated by the Birla family in India resulted in the construction of more than 20 Hindu temples, commonly referred to as the Birla Mandirs. Although they vary in terms of architectural forms and iconographic programs, it seems that one basic, common theme remains: to show reformed Hinduism as the religion that is the pillar of the identity of the people of New India. It is understood as being separate from, but at the same time higher than, the other great religions, while assuring a place within its confines for all of them. It is-as the authors argue in this paperthe practical realization of the thought expressed in the Ṛgveda (I 164.46) and repeatedly referred to in the Birla temples as 'ekam sad viprā bahudhā vadanti', which seems to be the motto of all the foundations of the Birla family.
Temples as Icons of India’s Heritage
Purvodaya, 2022
India can be called as a "Land of Temples" where innumerable temples dotting the landscape. Many of these are ancient and some of which are massive in size and grand in appearances. These were designed, constructed and maintained based on sound spiritual principles, as enunciated in the ancient texts including Vedas and Upanishads. The Hindu temples stand as a very principle of value, and beliefs steeped in the Indian culture and ethos of the past thousand years. Patronized generously by the rulers in the olden times, these temples stood as the sign of their regal power and might apart from being an embodiment of art and architecture. Though held equally sacred, temples in different regions have their own distinct structural style. As through the BiMonthly ISCS attempts to represent distinct characteristics and attributes of Eastern India. Therefore in this edition the article on "Temples an Icon of Indian Heritage" is a tour to the magnificent temples of Eastern India, deliberating how the temples of the region with multi-layered prisms covering the top for as an institution-appealing one's spiritual, religious and aesthetic senses. Strengthening bonds of connection and complimenting the livelihood of many. The proceeding articles also reflect certain essential compounds and variations of Indian Culture. Giving an insight to how bonding over culture and language enabling neighbors India-Bangladesh to harbor multi-dimensional growth. The Bulletin ends up proving a glimpse of the interesting seminar on "Evolving Riverine Connectivity in Eastern Hinterland" organized by the members of ISCS's Study group on Purvodaya.
THE ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF HINDU TEMPLES
Routledge Handbook of Hindu Temples
This handbook is a comprehensive study of the archaeology, social history and the cultural landscape of the Hindu temple. Perhaps the most recognizable of the material forms of Hinduism, temples are lived, dynamic spaces. They are significant sites for the creation of cultural heritage, both in the past and in the present. Drawing on historiographical surveys and in-depth case studies, the volume centres the material form of the Hindu temple as an entry point to study its many adaptations and transformations from the early centuries ce to the 20th century. It highlights the vibrancy and dynamism of the shrine in different locales and studies the active participation of the community for its establishment, maintenance and survival. The illustrated handbook takes a unique approach by focusing on the social base of the temple rather than its aesthetics or chronological linear development. It fills a significant gap in the study of Hinduism and will be an indispensable resource for scholars of archaeology, Hinduism, Indian history, religious studies, museum studies, South Asian history and Southeast Asian history.
Introduction to The Making of a Modern Temple: Kalighat and Kolkata.pdf
The following is the introduction to my recently published book The Making of a Modern Temple and a Hindu City: Kālīghāṭ and Kolkata (Oxford University Press, 2018). This book is about what temples do for Hindus in the modern era, particularly those who belong to India’s diverse and evolving middle classes. While many excoriate these sites as emblematic of all that is backward about Hinduism and India, many others work to modernize them so that they might become emblems of a proud heritage and of the nation’s future. I take Kālīghāṭ Temple, a powerful pilgrimage site dedicated to the dark goddess Kālī, in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) as a case study in the phenomenon by which middle-class Hindus work to modernize temples. At the height of the colonial era in the 1890s, they wrote books and articles attaching this temple to both rationalist and spiritual forms of Hinduism. In the middle decades of the twentieth century, they filed and adjudicated lawsuits to secularize and democratize its management structure. Today, in the wake of India’s economic liberalization, they work to gentrify Kālīghāṭ’s physical spaces. The conceptual, institutional, and physical forms of this religious site are thus facets through which middle-class Hindus produce and publicize their modernity, as well as their cities’ and their nation’s. The use of Kālīghāṭ as a means to modernization is by no means uncontested. The temple plays a very different role in the lives and livelihoods of individuals from across the class spectrum. The future of this and other temples across India thus relies on complex negotiations between actors of multiple class backgrounds who read their various needs onto these sites.
ON THE ROAD TO GREAT INDIA – A PROGRAM OF NATIONAL REVIVAL
The paper aims at tracing the idea of the revival of Indian society and nation in the undertaking of G.D. Birla (1894 -1983) – the most influential representative of the Birla family which members, known as industrial magnates and corporate leaders, contribute since the turn of the 20th century to medicine, education and technological development of India. G.D. Birla’s overall goal, seems to have been the revitalisation and strengthening of Hinduism as “Arya dharma” and interpret it in such a way as to make this the religion as inclusive and universal as possible. One of the Birlas’ activities fully demonstrating these religious ideas is the temple foundation. Thus considering the wide range of areas in which G.D. Birla was involved, the authors have focused on one such project – the Saraswati temple in Pilani and its ideological background. The temple is located in the Birla Institute of Technology & Science campus and dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wisdom and learning. The authors hope that this analysis will succeed in showing how the individual worldview of the founder left its mark on the idea of the whole family’s endeavours, and at the same time give voice to the range of ideas which, although already expressed at the turn of the nineteenth century, are still alive and influential in India today
Hindu Temples and Development of Localities in Tamil Nadu (South India)
Trouillet, Pierre-Yves, 2017, « Hindu Temples and Development of Localities in Tamil Nadu (South India) ». In Subaltern Urbanization in India: An Introduction to the Dynamics of Ordinary Towns, Denis É. & M.-H. Zérah (eds.), New Delhi, Springer, pp. 311-334.
Based on six case studies taken into the regional context of Tamil Nadu (the “Tamil country” in South India), the article demonstrates that Hindu temples take part actively to the development of their settlements in many ways, and that they locally produce some centrality which is able to trigger phenomena of local development. The case of the old temples shows that these places of worship can structure urban morphologies and that economic activities are often set up on temple lands. The study of new temples confirms these observations and sheds light on several strategies of actors associated with local development processes, such as commercial or real estate development around temples, or the purchase of lands and the creation of medical and educational establishments by the trusts managing the places of worship.
REMINISCENT OF HINDUISM: AN INSIGHT OF KATAS RAJ MANDIR
Katas Raj Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Choa Saidan Shah, Chakwal. Most of the Hindu pilgrims visit this temple to worship and pay pilgrimage. The research paper is an attempt to study the historical significance of the temple and its current stature in Hinduism. The study aimed to inquire why people visit this ancient temple. The nature of the study was qualitative while the data was collected using two key informants and in-depth interview from Hindu visitors and local people who live near katas raj mandir.