|
|
|
|
|
|
Temple, we stopped briefly to pay our respects to a statue of Ganesha, the elephant-headed god and remover of obstacles. A blur of right hands brushed the granite surface of the stone image of this unusual yet most beloved deity who is invoked at the start of any new undertaking. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We continued up the remaining steps to the porch entrance of the shrine. One by one, worshippers rang the bell that hung in the entrance to announce our arrival to the deity and to ward away any lingering evil spirits. This act also reminds us to turn our thoughts away from the external world and focus on the inner self so that we are prepared to worship the deity honored within. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A young priest in long shirt and dhoti (long wrap around the lower half of the body) was sitting on an elevated platform next to an enormous 81/2-foot-high sandstone linga, which was placed in the direct center of the small shrine. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Shiva linga is situated inside a circular receptacle called the yoni (female sexual organ), thus connecting it to Shakti, or female energy. This connection reinforces the concept of union and the act of creation. The linga represents the male principle and the receptacle is considered female and represents the principle of Shakti. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The platform with the huge linga takes up almost the entire interior of the sanctuary, leaving just enough room for the narrow ambulatory passage that encircles the simple interior with its minimal carvings, three balconies, and pillars. All these architectural details conform to vastu guidelines. |
|
|
|
|
|