world mountain of the south; world axis; Mount Meru (Sanskrit: मेरु), also known as Sumeru or Mahameru; it is the Gunung Semeru volcano in Indonesia
small, double-ended, hourglass-shaped drum held by Shiva, its sound denoting the primordial creation and destruction of the universe; hand-drum
gift or charitable donation, especially in religious context
stick
hand held straight like a stick (cf. kari-hasta)
vision or visualisation
‘seeing [god]’ – auspicious viewing of deity’s cult image, conferring blessings on the devotee; ritual ‘seeing’ of the enshrined temple deity that involves a dynamic act of awareness
Measurement of images by ten tālas
oil lamp
gift to the gods; gifted temple lands
Niche on walls of shrines and mandapa’s containing sculpture of deities (their occupants are called vimana-devata – parsva-devata in Kalinga); often crowned by torana or shrine motif, kuta sala, panjara, or kudu, or udgama.
a variety of coiffure
a donor
established belief and practice, law or doctrine
hand suggesting the first turning of the wheel of law by Buddha at Sārnāth
a thorn apple with strong narcotic properties; usually the flower represented
a flower with strong narcotic properties
cloth over the waist; male skirt (also lungi or veshti)
meditation or hands in meditation
contemplative hymn to mentally picture the iconography of the deity
guardian of one of the eight directions
auspicious lamp-bearer damsel
hall supported by between 108 and 1008 pillars
peoples of South India
temple flag mast (dvajastambham, Tamil: த்வஜஸ்தம்பம்)
the imposing temple-gateway (cf. gopura) Kinds: sobha-dvara: gopuram with 1 to 2 storeys (nilais; cf. nilai), sala-dvara: gopuram with 2 to 4 storeys (nilais), prasada-dvara: gopuram with 3 to 5 storeys (nilais), harmya-dvara: gopuram with 5 to 7 storeys (nilais),… Continue Reading →
jambs
guardian-deity at the door or gateway; doorkeeper (dvarapala, Tamil: த்வாரபாலர்)
duoflex pose
Measurement of images by two tālas
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