Temple Astronomy-2

Temple Astronomy 2

As we have seen, a temple is a place for a devotee to meet and pray to the representation of the Lord. It gives a sense of a direct connection with the lord to seek his blessings. Though this can be done anywhere also, a temple provides just the right environment for a perfect connection with the lord.

As the aim is to build an environment which can harmonise the natural forces, along with the cosmos, which supposedly affects the individuals on earth. The idea is that the temple is in tune with the cosmic rhythm to create a perfect environment for a devotee to connect with his lord.

East-Facing Temples and Astronomically Aligned Temples

East is considered the most auspicious direction in Vastu shastra. After all, the Sun is life. A rising sun symbolises a new beginning and spiritual enlightenment.

Cultural, ritual and agricultural requirements required an accurate time marker in the form of a calendar. Celestial events like Equinoxes and solstices were time markers indicating a change in the season and the completion of a year. The best way to convey it to the general public was through the temples.

Most astronomical phenomena were incorporated into rituals, festivals, and traditions through allegorical stories. Temples formed part of these stories and acted as proof to show the celestial events mentioned in those allegorical stories.

Sun Temples

Sun temples are the abode of the Sun god and are always associated with light. The main deity is the idol of the Sun god. The construction is such that the sun’s rays fall directly onto the deity. These temples capture unique solar events, equinoxes, and solstices. By capturing these events, they also act as a time marker

There are numerous Sun temples all over India, but not all are astronomically aligned.

Sun Temple at Modhera, Gujarat

The temple was built in the 11^th century, during the Solanki ruler Bhimadeva-1. Built on 23.6⁰ latitude near the tropic of Cancer. It is oriented in East west direction, and it faces in the Eastern direction.

The temple has three different types of spaces, thereby creating different light effects.  The foremost space is a Surya Kund or waterbody. It is a stepwell with varied-sized steps. Steps are arranged like an inverted pyramid and are decorated with numerous designs. When light falls on these steps, it casts a beautiful shadow pattern.

 In the other semi-open spaces of the mandap, the intensity of the falling light is higher than at other places of the temple.

The prasad is an enclosed space, surrounded by thick stone walls. As a result, the only light entering the area comes through two small openings in the walls. This limited illumination creates a dramatic contrast of light and shadow, highlighting the texture of the stone walls.

The ambulatory path, or pradakshina path, surrounding the sanctum is well-lit, benefiting from three windows in the side walls. This provides adequate light surrounding the closely placed deity in the sanctum, which would otherwise is dark.

Astronomical peculiarities

     During an Equinox the sun's rays illuminate the inner sanctum. The Garbhagriha remains largely in darkness except during the equinox.

2    During the summer solstice, the Sun is overhead and casts no shadow on the ground.

3.   Sabha Mandap has sculpted renderings of twelve ‘Adityas’ (another name for the sun god). The twelve representations carved on the pillars represent the sun according to the twelve months.

4.     The Surya Kund (stepped tank) contains 108 miniature shrines.

5.      The Sabha mandap has 52 pillars, but it is doubtful whether they represent 52 weeks. The Gregorian/ Julian calendar was not in vogue

 Research was carried out by Mansi Chapla, Foram Bhavsar and Supriya G. Pal to study the patterns of solar penetration that occur only during equinoxes. The results demonstrate a deliberate spatial strategy that filters sunlight to illuminate the sanctum on specific celestial dates. Their research confirms that the ancient people had advanced astronomical knowledge, which was embedded in temple design. See Reference 2

The digital simulations have proved that elevated plinth, irregular column spacing, and architectural design work together to modulate light with temporal precision. The Garbhagriha illuminates only during the equinox. See photo below

Light falling on the gate of the garbhagriha during the equinox

मार्तण्ड Temple at Anantnag

 Martand is one of the Aditiyas and is identified with the Sun, Surya. He is the 8^th son of Aditi. This temple is dedicated to the Sun god, hence its name. This temple is situated 8-10 km from Anantnag. The temple was built by King Lalitaditya in the middle of the eighth century CE. It is one of the earliest Sun temples.

 It was destroyed by Sikandar Shah Miri in the 15^th century.

The temple is located on high ground, with a clear view of the horizon. It is on the East-West axis. The sun’s rays illuminate the deity during sunrise in the main temple. 

The temple is NOT astronomically aligned to any celestial event

Temple as in 1870 CE

Temple as of date

Arasavalli Sun Temple (Andhra Pradesh)

 Also called Sri Surya Narayana Swamy Devalayam, located in Asravalli village near Srikakulam. It is a 7th-century Kalinga-style temple where the sun god is depicted as a "Padma Pani Murty" (holding lotus buds)

The temple is designed so that the sun's rays touch the feet of the deity and move upward to the face of the idol, Surya Narayana Swamy. This phenomenon occurs twice a year, around March 9–11 and October 1–3.

At the temple's latitude, the total angular distance of the sun is 50 degrees, which translates to approximately 4 degrees of movement per day.

While the typical dates for the equinoxes are March 21 and September 22, the specific dates of March 9–11 and October 1–3 suggest that the temple's sanctum sanctorum (grabhagriha) is not aligned exactly along the East-West axis, but rather along an axis of 088/272 degrees. This can be confirmed using the SunCalc app, which shows the sun's movement and the phases of sunlight for any given location.

Decorated Idol of Sun God

Idol Illuminated during sunrise, rays entering through the window 

Deo Surya Mandir, Deo, Bihar

The temple is dedicated to the Sun god. It is located 82 km southwest of Gaya. It was built around the 7^th or 8^th CE. The architectural style does not conform to any particular style.  Inside the sanctum, the idols represent three forms of the Sun God: Udayachal (the rising sun), Madhyachal (the midday sun), and Astachal (the setting sun).

This is a peculiar Sun temple which faces West, unlike other east-facing temples

The temple has immense significance for  its annual Chhath festival celebration

The temple is NOT astronomically aligned to any celestial event

Suryanar Kovil/Temple Tamil Nadu

Suryanar Temple, or Suryanar Kovil, is in Suryanar Kovil village, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Navgrah temples, built in the 11th century CE. It is constructed in the Dravidian architectural style. 

This temple is NOT astronomically aligned. However, its design incorporates astrological and cosmic symbolism. 

The hall leading to the sanctum features carvings of all twelve zodiac signs, representing the Sun’s movement through the celestial belt.

It is the only temple where the Sun is the central deity, with separate shrines for the other eight planets arranged to face him, mirroring an astrological mandala.

A unique feature of the Suryanar Kovil is that it has two sanctums dedicated to Surya. One east-facing and the other west-facing.

Suryanar Kovil Temple

NOTE

Astronomical peculiarities of the following temples will be covered in the continuation blogs

Konark Sun Temple

Vidyāśaṅkara temple in Śṛṅgerī

Gavi Gaṅgādhareśvara temple in Bengaluru 

The Angkor Wat in Cambodia 

West-facing Sun Temples

Khajuraho Temples

Sun temples cluster at Varanasi

 Trivia

1. Temples facing East, West, North, or South do not automatically mean they are astronomically aligned.

2. Meenakshi temple of Madurai is not exactly aligned with any cardinal direction nor with the full moon on Budha Poornima or the corresponding sunrise at the zenith.

3. Sun temples Konark, Modhera, Arasavalli, Suryanar Kovil and Deo have a different regional expression of solar worship, yet all converge on the same cosmic symbolism. 

4. The architecture of our glorious past for centuries and millennia has been rendered with spatial qualities, making us feel awe in our historic architecture.

5. Suryanar Kovil/Temple is the only temple in Tamil Nadu which has shrines for all the planetary deities and is one of the Navagrah Temples.

6. Almost all the temples were destroyed by the invading Mughals. They were rebuilt later 

7. Most Sun temples have an image of Surya, the Sun god, and his consorts Usha and Chhaya, in some form.

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 References

1.  Ancient Monuments of Kashmir by Ram Chandra Kak
2.  https://doi.org/10.1051/itmconf/20257901014. Research Paper on Light Path in Modhera Sun Temples by Mansi Chapla, Bhavsar and Supriya G. Pal
3. Ar. Swarna Junghare (2021); The Architectural Study of Sun Temples in India:  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.11.01.2021.p10935.
4. Technology of Hindu Temples by Dr Uday Dokras.
5. The Hindu Temple, 1977 by George Michell.
6. Temple Astronomy and other research papers on the subject by Dr BS Shylaja.
7. The Temple Architecture of India, Adam Hardy.
8. Vastu Shastra and Cosmic Alignment in Temple Architecture, Research paper by      Sachin Paliwal and Aaditya Verma.
9. The Hindu Temple, Stella Krimisch.
10. Online articles and pictures