Panchayatana (temple)

Hindu temples are built in the Panchayatana layout: the main shrine is surrounded by four subsidiary shrines.[1] The origin of the name are the Sanskrit words Pancha (five) et ayatana (containing).

Example with the plan of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Khajuraho with the subsidiary sanctuaries : see numbers 9.

Generally, Hindu temples are built along a west-east axis. So the four subsidiary shrines are at the north-east, south-east, south-west, north-west.

Examples of Panchayatana temples

Notes

  1. "Khajuraho, India | World Heritage Site". The-world-heritage-sites.com. 1986-11-28. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
  2. "Suryanarayana Temple at Arasavalli". Templenet.com. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
  3. http://www.msc-sahc.org/upload/docs/new.docs/2008_SVardia.pdf
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