Introduction: Hinduism (03:02)

FREE PREVIEW

Followers of Daoism, Shintoism, and Buddhism have created amazing houses of worship and art. This episode will explore Hindu temples in India and Cambodia. There is no unified system of beliefs in the religion.

Kailasa Temple (06:24)

The Ellora cave temples date back to the third century BCA. The temple is attributed to the Rashtrakuta king; parts include the Mandapa, tower, Garbhagriha, and Krishna I. Delicate carvings depict warriors and couples in amorous embraces.

Mamallapuram (06:16)

The Pallava family ruled southern India for centuries at Chennai. The Mahabharata inspired the Arjuna's Penance carving on a cliff face. The architects created shrines, temples, and sculptures out of granite, leaving many unfinished.

Khajuraho Temples (08:04)

The Chandelas built the Hindu-Jain temples located in Madhya Pradesh. Architects erected the Lakshmana Temple with a beehive-shaped shikhara. Craftsmen made erotic carvings of men and women to cover the walls of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.

Brihadeshwara Temple (08:16)

Little temples and shrines exist across India in local villages. Raja Raja Chola I builds a temple to celebrate his triumphs, inspire his people, and glorify his gods in Thanjavur. Worshipers needed to obtain the blessing of the sacred bull Nandi before entering Shiva's temple.

Meenakshi Temple (09:12)

Madurai, known as the city of Jasmine, is the oldest city on the Indian Peninsula, dating back to 550 BCE. Pilgrims enter through four gopurams to explore the temple. Hindus want to achieve four goals: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha.

Angkor Wat (00:0-2476)

This temple complex is the largest religious monument in the world and was dedicated to the god Vishnu. The oldest building is Phnom Bakheng. King Suryavarman II commissioned the mausoleum.

Credits: Hinduism (00:31)

Credits: Hinduism