Trilokinath Temple is located in Purani (old) Mandi. It is almost a kilometer
away from the main bus stand of Mandi. The temple is situated on the bank of
the Beas River on the old Victoria Bridge at Mandi - Pathankot National
Highway.
The Trilokinath Temple in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, is dedicated to the Hindu
god Shiva. It contains a three-faced murti (image) of Shiva, which is the
origin of the name Trilokinath, "Lord of Three Worlds".
It is one of the oldest temples in the town, and features images of Narada,
Sharda and many Hindu deities.
The Shikhara or the dome of the temple originally had Chaitya dormers in
relief as is evident from some parts still showing the design. There are
detailed carvings on the walls of the temple.
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Two small colorful sanctuaries at the entrance to Trilokinath
Temple.
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Panchvaktra Temple.
On the other bank of the Beas River we can see Panchvaktra Temple.
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Panchvaktra Temple is located at the confluence of the Beas River and
the Suketi Khad River.
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Entrance gate to Trilokinath Temple.
The entrance gate is located in the northeast of the temple.
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Information plaque about Trilokinath Temple.
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Approaching the temple.
The sun has just risen and is in front of us.
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Small attached sanctuary.
On the left side of the path that leads to the temple we can see this
small sanctuary.
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Sculptures next to the temple.
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More sculptures next to the temple.
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Another small sanctuary next to the temple.
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Hindu priest performing the salute to the rising sun.
The ritual of Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), performed by
Hindus, is an elaborate set of hand gestures and body movements,
designed to greet and revere the Sun.
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Hymns to the Sun can be found in the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of
Hinduism.
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Practiced in different parts of India, the worship of the Sun has been
described in the Rigveda.
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See more at
Solar deity, Worship of Surya - Wikipedia.
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Larger temple (left) and smaller temple (right).
The larger temple is located in the southeast and the smaller temple is
located in the northwest.
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Smaller temple (left) and larger temple (right).
The smaller temple has an entrance facing southwest. The largest temple
has an entrance facing northeast.
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So in these photos, we are seeing the front of the smaller temple
(left) and the back of the larger temple (right).
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Facade of the smaller temple.
Shiva's bull Nandi is in front of the smaller temple.
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Nandi, also known as Nandikeshvara or Nandideva, is the bull mount
(vahana) of the Hindu god Shiva. He is also the guardian deity
of Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Almost all Shiva temples display
stone-images of a seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine.
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See more at
Nandi (Hinduism) - Wikipedia.
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Interior of the smaller temple.
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Lingam inside the smaller temple.
A lingam (lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga
or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu
god Shiva in Shaivism.
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It is typically the primary murti or devotional image in Hindu temples
dedicated to Shiva, also found in smaller shrines, or as
self-manifested natural objects.
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It is often represented within a disc-shaped platform, the yoni – its
feminine counterpart, consisting of a flat element, horizontal
compared to the vertical lingam, and designed to allow liquid
offerings to drain away for collection.
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Together, they symbolize the merging of microcosmos and macrocosmos,
the divine eternal process of creation and regeneration, and the union
of the feminine and the masculine that recreates all of existence.
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See more at
Lingam - Wikipedia.
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Space between the smaller temple (left) and the larger temple
(right).
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Shikhara at the rear of the larger temple.
Shikhara, a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak",
refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North
India.
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A shikhara over the garbhagriha chamber where the presiding
deity is enshrined is the most prominent and visible part of a Hindu
temple of North India.
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See more at
Shikhara - Wikipedia.
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Top of the shikhara.
The "latina shikhara" has four faces, which may include projections or
ratha within each face.
- All the elements run smoothly up the face in a curve.
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They are also sometimes called "homogeneous" shikhara, as opposed to
the other two types, which may be called "heterogeneous".
- It is the most common form of a shikara.
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See more at
Shikhara, Forms - Wikipedia.
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Base of the shikhara where there are niches to receive statues.
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Detail of the niches at the base of the shikhara.
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One of the shikhara's niches still has a statue.
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The second level of the shikhara is filled with sculptures of
dakinis.
Dakinis (lit. 'heaven-going mother') are a type of female spirits,
goddesses, or demons in Hinduism and Buddhism.
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The concept of the dakini somewhat differs depending on the context
and the tradition. For instance, in earlier Hindu texts and East Asian
esoteric Buddhism, the term denotes a race of demonesses who ate the
flesh and/or vital essence of humans.
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Other texts meanwhile apparently use 'Dakini' as the name of a
goddess. They were experts in deluding, slaying, paralysing
(stupefying), striking, swallowing, and exterminating the wicked
Daityas. In regard to those who are habitually devout, they were
competent to annihilate all adversities.
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See more at
Dakini - Wikipedia.
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Shikhara seen from the southeast.
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Shikhara seen from the east.
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Gathering hall (Mandapa).
The gathering hall (Mandapa) is the hall that is located immediately
before the shikhara.
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Architectural details of the southeast wall of the gathering hall
(Mandapa).
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Gathering hall (Mandapa) seen from the east.
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Gathering hall (Mandapa) seen from the northeast.
This is the facade of the larger temple.
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The door to the larger temple can be seen in the center of the facade.
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In front of the door is a basin for ablutions.
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The entrance door to the larger temple.
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Detail of the door header.
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Shiva footprint by the door.
The veneration of the feet of gurus or deities was commonplace in
ancient India, placing one's head at or under their feet being a ritual
gesture signifying a hierarchy.
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Entering inside the larger temple after ringing the bell (Ghanta).
Ghanta is the Sanskrit term for a ritual bell used in Hindu religious
practices. The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as an
auspicious sound. Hindu temples generally have one metal bell hanging at
the entrance and devotees ring the bell while entering the temple which
is an essential part in preparation of having a darshan.
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Generally, devotees ring the bell while entering into the sanctum. It
is said that by ringing the bell, the devotee informs the deity of
his/her arrival.
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The sound of the bell is considered auspicious which welcomes divinity
and dispels evil. The sound of the bell is said to disengage mind from
ongoing thoughts thus making the mind more receptive.
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See more at
Ghanta - Wikipedia.
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Interior of the gathering hall (Mandapa).
A mandapa or mantapa is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals
in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple
architecture.
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In the Hindu temple the mandapa is a porch-like structure through the
ornate gateway (gopuram) and leading to the temple.
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It is used for religious dancing and music and is part of the basic
temple compound.
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This prayer hall was generally built in front of the temple's holy of
holies (garbhagriha).
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See more at
Mandapa - Wikipedia.
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In the center of the gathering hall (Mandapa) is Nandi, Shiva's
bull.
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Statues inside the gathering hall (Mandapa).
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Gateway to the holy of holies (Garbhagriha).
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Hindu temple priest (Pujari).
The primary responsibility of members of the priesthood class is to
conduct daily prayers (puja) at the local temple and officiate Hindu
rituals and ceremonies.
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A pujari assumes that all visitors to their temple wish to bear
witness to a darshana, an auspicious vision of the temple idol
(murti) that serves as a representation of a given deity within
the holy of holies (garbhagriha).
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They perform daily pujas for the veneration of the deity, as well as
for bestowing the deity's blessings upon the gathered devotees, where
they prominently present an arti (lighted camphor upon a plate)
that is ritually circled, facing the temple idol (murti).
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After performing the puja by chanting the sacred mantrams,
ringing the prayer bell, and sometimes by reciting the
sthala purana (a regional Hindu legend that explains the
significance of the temple), the pujari blesses the devotees by
offering them prasadam (consecrated offerings of food),
charanamritam or tirtham (water that was previously used
to wash the feet of the murti), satari (a golden or
silver crown that is placed upon the devotees' head, bearing an
imprint of the murti's feet), and tilakam (sandalwood paste,
kumkumam, vibhuti that is worn on the devotees' forehead).
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See more at
Hindu priest, Functions - Wikipedia.
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Architrave of the entrance to the holy of holies.
In silpasastra, the Hindu texts on architecture, the architrave
is commonly referred to by its Sanskrit name uttara.
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In Hindu temple architecture it is placed above the bracket
(potika) of a pillar (stambha), which gives it extra
support.
- The Indian entablature is called prastara.
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See more at
Architrave, Indian architecture - Wikipedia.
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Holy of holies (Garbhagriha).
A garbhagriha is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu temples, what may be
called the "holy of holies" or "sanctum sanctorum".
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The purpose of every Hindu temple is to be a house for a deity whose
image or symbol is installed and whose presence is concentrated at the
heart and focus of the building.
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As a house for the deity, the function of the shrine is not just to
offer shelter but also to manifest the presence within, to be a
concrete realisation, and a coming into the world of the deity.
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See more at
Garbhagriha - Wikipedia.
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Temple devotional image (Murti).
In the Hindu tradition, a murti (lit. 'form, embodiment, or solid
object') is a devotional image, such as a statue or icon, of a deity or
saint used during puja and/or in other customary forms of actively
expressing devotion or reverence - whether at Hindu temples or shrines.
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A murti is a symbolic icon representing Divinity for the
purpose of devotional activities. Thus, not all icons of gods and
saints are murti; for example, purely decorative depictions of
Divine figures often adorn Hindu temple architecture in intricately
carved doorframes, on colourfully painted walls, and ornately sculpted
rooftop domes.
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Hindu devotees go to the mandirs to take darshan, bringing
prepared offerings of naivedya to be blessed at the altar
before the deity, and to perform puja and aarti.
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See more at
Murti - Wikipedia.
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Three-faced murti of Shiva.
Trilokinath Temple contains a three-faced murti of Shiva, which is the
origin of the name Trilokinath, "Lord of Three Worlds".
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Shiva (lit. 'The Auspicious One'), also known as Mahadeva (lit. 'The
Great God'), is one of the principal deities of Hinduism.
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He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions
within Hinduism.
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Traditionally, the three worlds refer to either the earth (Bhuloka),
heaven (Svarga), and hell (Naraka), or the earth (Bhuloka), heaven
(Svarga), and the netherworld (Patala).
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See more at
Shiva - Wikipedia
and
Trailokya - Wikipedia.
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Leaving Trilokinath Temple.
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See also
Source
Location
