Temple tank
Temple tank in Hampi, Karnataka.
Temple tank in Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple at Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka.
Temple tanks are wells or reservoirs built as part of the temple complex near Indian temples. They are called pushkarini, kalyani, kunda, sarovara, tirtha, talab, pukhuri, etc. in different languages and regions of India. Some tanks are said to cure various diseases and maladies when bathed in.[1] It is possible that these are cultural remnants of structures such as the Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro or Dholavira,[2] which was part of the Indus Valley Civilization. Some are stepwells with many steps at the sides.
Contents
1 Tank design
2 Stepwell
3 Haridra Nadhi
4 Kalyani
5 Sarovar
6 Gallery
7 See also
8 Notes
9 Further reading
10 External links
Tank design
Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India's temple architecture, especially in western India where dry and monsoon seasons alternate. Temple tank design became an art form in itself.[3] An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins of Vijayanagara, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, surrounding the modern town of Hampi. It is lined with green diorite and has no drain. It was filled by aqueduct.[4]
The tanks are used for ritual cleansing and during rites of consecration. The water in the tank is deemed to be sacred water from the Ganges River.[5]
Stepwell
In India, a stepwell is a deep masonry well with steps going down to the water level in the well. It is called a vav in west India and a baoli in north India. Some were built by kings and were richly ornamented.[6] They often were built by nobility, some being for secular use from which anyone could obtain water.[7]
Haridra Nadhi
| Haridra Nadhi |
|---|
|
Haridra Nadhi is the largest temple tank in India, maybe in the world. It is in Mannargudi, Thiruvarur District of Tamil Nadu. It is the temple tank of one of the largest Hindu temples, the Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi.
The area of the temple tank is 23 acres (93,000 m2). It is also called as Daughter of Kaveri river.
Kalyani
Kalyani, also called pushkarni, are ancient Hindu stepped bathing wells.
These wells were typically built near Hindu temples to accommodate bathing and cleansing activities before prayer. They are also used for immersion of Ganesha idols during Ganesha Chaturthi.
Sarovar
In Sikhism temple tanks are called "Sarovar".[8]
Gallery
Sarovar at the Sikh Harmandir Sahib, the "Golden Temple" at Amritsar, Punjab
A temple tank at Chennakesava Temple in Belur, Karnataka.
Kusuma Sarovar Ghat at Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
Hoysala stepped temple tank at Hulikere, Karnataka
Tank at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka
Large kalyani at Mahanandi, Andhra Pradesh
Well at Trikuteshwara temple, Gadag, Karnataka
Pond at Shiva temple near Kottakkal, Kerala
Temple pond on way to Thiruvalllur, Tamil Nadu
Tank at Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu
Pushkarini at Simhachalam
Yaganti Tank in Andhra Pradesh
Temple tank, Andhra Pradesh
Example of a Shiva temple in a tank (Baroli Temples)
See also
- Brahma Sarovar
- Ghat
- Baray
Notes
^ "Sun Temples in India". Retrieved 2007-02-24..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Takezawa, Suichi. "Stepwells -Cosmology of Subterranean Architecture as seen in Adalaj" (pdf). The Diverse Architectural World of The Indian Sub-Continent. Retrieved 2009-11-18.
^ "Architecture - Stepwells". Retrieved 2007-01-09.
^ "Great Tank". art-and-archaeology. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
^ Thapar, Binda (2004). Introduction to Indian Architecture. Singapore: Periplus Editions. p. 43. ISBN 0-7946-0011-5.
^ "Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent - glossary". Retrieved 2006-12-18.
^ "Vav / vavdi / Baoli / Bavadi - Traditional stepwells". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
^ Harban Singh (1998). Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University. p. 71. ISBN 978-81-7380-530-1.
Further reading
- C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre (2002). Sacred tanks of South India. pp. 328.
External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple tanks in India. |
- ENVIS Centre for Conservation of Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India: Sacred Waterbodies of India
