Continuum of Hindu Worship Culture –Through the Living Temple of Mahakuteshwara
Nitte Institute of Architecture, India
ABSTRACT
In Hinduism, the realization of spiritual fulfillment is achieved through various stages of progression. The movement conceived in the temple is similar, where it is considered as a place of transit, a ford or a crossing place. Also the rituals taking place, plays a vital role in determining the movement of the worshipper. The dynamism associated with the living temple of Mahakuta Complex i.e. the Mahakuteshwara temple is parallel on those terms. The sacred tirtha - Mahakuta temple complex comprises of a walled center nestling in an attractive valley fed by natural spring and shaded trees. Isolated from the other temple conglomerates of Early Western Chalukyas, the Mahakuteshwara stands as one of the few Chalukyan living temples among the landscape of Malaprabha river valley. Mahakuteshwara is an outcome of the combination of the universal space and inner essential space. It is the relationship between the two which is responsible for the manifestation of physical space which is now apprehended as the temple complex. The paper will showcase the dynamics of Hindu worship portrayed in the complex today, which is a legacy of heritage passed over 1400 years. The emphasis will be laid on the worshipping rituals followed, the participation through various cultural fairs and festivals and how the universal architecture of the temple complements it all along.
KEYWORDS
Experiential realm, symbiotic, cultural landscape, multiplicity, conglomerate