The sacred, the mystical and the ritual: exploring the relationship between mysticism and its manifestation in the Hindu temple

Abstract

In this study, we refer to aspects of the Hindu body of knowledge to explore the relationship between mysticism and its manifestation in the Hindu temple. We start by introducing two sets of foundational principles within Hinduism which are found in the multiple volumes of the Vedas and Upanishads. Principle A focuses primarily on the natural, physical dimension (Dvaita/dualism), and encompasses the aspects of the male and female tri-spirit; the male being Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and the female being Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati. Principle B focuses on the non-material, cosmic dimension (Advaita/non-dualism). In order to study the manifestation of said principles through geometry and fractal geometry, and its ability to facilitate ritual, we interpret a case study by referring to the framework of Vastu-Shastra (principles of spatial design and assembly) and of Shilpa-Shastra (principles of ornamentation and detailing). In the case study, we furthermore refer to semiotics - the study of meaning through signs and symbols, hermeneutics - the study of texts, and poiesis - the act of bringing something into being. The case study is focused on the Kailasha Temple in Ellora, central India, which serves as an example of an individual temple that is monolithic and produced through carving and subtraction. Through this case, we show how foundational principles of the Vedas and the Upanishads constitute the underpinning of how temple architecture is conceived and manifested, and how the unseen is being brought into the world of the seen through architecture.