“All about
Hindu temples” is an attempt to invoke inspiration to aspiring architects or devotees about construction of Hindu
temples to bring about a new revolution in it and at the same time is also a tribute to all the architects who have created history with their conception, whether contemporary or primitive.
It is a quality effort from
Swami Harshananda, to bring out the
architectural styles, their significance and few clandestine of Indian Temples. The author seemingly done extensive research in the architectural fruition of Temples explicate the three styles of classification namely Nagara, Dravida and Vesara.
The historical perspectives in the temple architecture as presented in this work, though diminutive, are genuinely capable of leading the reader to that very age.
The typical steps in the construction of a temple as perceived by the author are enumerated in a lucid manner. There is an insight in to the science of Iconography in this work.
Swami Harshananda demonstrates glimpses of his authority in temple rituals and ceremonies. He also provides a layman’s perspective in Temple art and crafts, significance of a temple to a devotee, to the priest and to the society. The genuine concern for the society and true religious sentiments of Harshananda are evident from the call for a renaissance in the epilogue.
The illustration of the constructional plan, design plan, iconography, and Temple car among other structures are exemplary. In my humble opinion, the baptism of the book is a misnomer, since it is more about Temple architecture alone.