Since we are talking about sivalingam and there was another mail fewdays ago about the deities and photographing them, let me share what I learnt from my Chemistry lecturer at Anna university, Mr.Balasubramaniam. According to him, the deities, as we know, are covered with a special navapaashaanam, is actually a phonoreceptor material. Similar to photoreceptors which emit electrons when light is incident on them, these phonoreceptors emit electrons when sound is incident on them. It is a scientifically tested facted that when people are surrounded by more electrons, they tend to get excited and become happy and feel good. So when we pray with manthras and shlokams in temple, the deities shower electrons on us and hence people feel good. This is the reason the sanctum sanctorum (Karpa griham) has no other ventilation so as to focus the electron emissions through to the worshippers through the only entrance. Infact the veda-goshams (vedic chants) have special frequency characteristics which get the best effect. ****************************************************************
Certainly an interesting theory and seems logically ok. More reasons to visit temples! comments folks...
wow yagna, thats a cool theory (and sound one too ;) This 'electrons surrounding the body' is the basic concept of reiki and cosmic healing right? Thilak
Yagna, that was an amazing explanation- I too have heard it- though, of course, I didn't grasp the whole meaning then. But it makes perfect sense. I suppose this is what they mean by 'saannidhyam'? Any more facts like this to share?
About the sculptures part of it...isn't it Kalki's point of view that Arulmozhi sees them as devotional objects ? After all, aayirangaal mandapangal in many temples surely must have been sculpted for the sake of art...what do you think?
Talking about fertility...why did they sculpt figurines like in Khajuraaho, anyway? In a temple, too. What's the reason?
Yes, in fact thats why the karpa griham is softly lit I would say. And the vedic chants have special effect. Infatc when more people join the prayers, more powerful is the effect due to unison. but my "Vathiyar" used to say nobody has analysed the navapashanam coating on the deities!
I would say the ancient people were mature enough to accept kajuraho art forms. But they have not glorified fertility in every temple. But highlighted it in few places as one among many things. The devotional aspect had the top priority, I would say!