Temple tanks are
well
A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
s or
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
s built as part of the temple complex near Indian temples. They are called pushkarini, kalyani, kunda, sarovara,
tirtha, talab, pukhuri, ambalakkuḷam, etc. in different languages and regions of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Some tanks are said to cure various diseases and maladies when bathed in. It is possible that these are cultural remnants of structures such as the
Great Bath
The Great Bath is one of the best-known structures among the ruins of the Harappan Civilization excavated at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh, Pakistan. of
Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro (; sd, موئن جو دڙو'', ''meaning 'Mound of the Dead Men';[Dholavira
Dholavira ( gu, ધોળાવીરા) is an archaeological site at Khadirbet in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District, in the state of Gujarat in western India, which has taken its name from a modern-day village south of it. This village is ...]
,
which was part of the
Indus Valley civilization. Some are
stepwell
Stepwells (also known as vavs or baori) are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century. So ...
s with many steps at the sides.
Tank design
Since ancient times, the design of water storage has been important in India's temple architecture, especially in western India where dry and monsoon seasons alternate. Temple tank design became an art form in itself. An example of the art of tank design is the large, geometrically spectacular Stepped Tank at the Royal Center at the ruins of
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara () was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire. Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it spread over a large area and included the modern era Group of Monuments at Hampi site in Vijayanagara district, Bell ...
, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, surrounding the modern town of
Hampi
Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India.
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th&n ...
. It is lined with green
diorite
Diorite ( ) is an intrusive igneous rock formed by the slow cooling underground of magma (molten rock) that has a moderate content of silica and a relatively low content of alkali metals. It is intermediate in composition between low-sili ...
and has no
drain. It was filled by
aqueduct.
The tanks are used for ritual cleansing and during rites of consecration. The water in the tank is deemed to be
sacred water from the
Ganges River.
Stepwell
In India, a
stepwell
Stepwells (also known as vavs or baori) are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century. So ...
is a deep masonry well with steps going down to the water level in the well. It is called a ''vav'' in west India and a ''baoli'' in north India. Some were built by kings and were richly ornamented. They often were built by nobility, some being for secular use from which anyone could obtain water.
Haridra Nadhi
Haridra Nadhi, tank of the
Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi
Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple is a Vaishnava shrine located in the town of Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Rajagopalaswamy, a form of Krishna. The temple is spread over an area of and is an important ''Vaishnava'' ...
, is one of the largest temple tanks in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It's in
Mannargudi
Mannargudi () is a town in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mannargudi taluk. The town is located at a distance of from the district headquarters Thiruvarur, 36 km from Kumbakonam, 40 km fro ...
,
Thiruvarur District
Thiruvarur district is one of the Districts of Tamil Nadu, 38 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. As of 2011, the district had a population of 1,264,277 with a sex-ratio of 1,017 females for every 1,000 males.
Geography
The district o ...
of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
.
The area of the temple tank is 23 acres (93,000 m
2). It is also called Daughter of
Kaveri river.
Kalyani
Kalyani, also called ''pushkarni'', are ancient
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
stepped
bathing
Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapy, therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the ...
wells.
These wells were typically built near
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...
s to accommodate bathing and cleansing activities before prayer. They are also used for immersion of
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...
idols during
Ganesha Chaturthi.
Sarovar
In
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
temple tanks are called "Sarovar".
Gallery
File:Sarovar and the Golden Temple.jpg, Sarovar at the Sikh Harmandir Sahib, the "Golden Temple" at Amritsar, Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
File:Temple tank (kalyani) at the Chennakeshava temple in Belur.jpg, A temple tank at Chennakesava Temple
Chennakeshava Temple, also referred to as Keshava, Kesava or Vijayanarayana Temple of Belur, is a 12th-century Hindu temple in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE, on the banks of ...
in Belur, Karnataka
Belur () is a town and taluk in Hassan district in the state of Karnataka, India. The town is renowned for its Chennakeshava Temple dedicated to Vishnu, one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture and the largest Hindu temple complex ...
.
File:Kusuma Sarovar Ghat.jpg, Kusuma Sarovar Ghat in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
File:Hoysala Stepped Well (Pushkarni) at Hulikere.jpg, Hoysala stepped temple tank at Hulikere, Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
File:Shravanabelagola2007 - 05.jpg, Tank at Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage de ...
, Karnataka
File:Mahanandi-pushkarini4.JPG, Large kalyani at Mahanandi, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
File:Trikuteshwara well.JPG, Well at Trikuteshwara temple, Gadag
Gadag-Betageri is a city municipal council in Gadag district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Gadag District. The original city of Gadag and its sister city Betageri (or ''Betgeri'') have a combined cit ...
, Karnataka
File:Pond Siva temple Kottakkal.jpg, Pond at Shiva temple near Kottakkal
Kottakkal (literally-''Land of the Fort'') is a municipal town in Malappuram district in Kerala, southern India having 32 wards. it is a part of Malappuram metropolitan area and a growing city in Kerala. The town is best known for the Arya V ...
, Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
File:Temple pond on way to Thiruvalllur.jpg, Temple pond on way to Thiruvalllur, Tamil Nadu
File:Chidambaram Nataraja temple tank.JPG, Tank at Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu
File:Pushkarini at Simhachalam.jpg, Pushkarini at Simhachalam
File:Yaganti.jpg, Yaganti
Sri Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple or Yaganti is a temple of Shiva in Nandyal district in the India state of Andhra Pradesh. It was built according to Vaishnavaite traditions.
History
This temple was constructed by King Harihara Bukka Raya of ...
Tank in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
File:Kalyani-upper-ahobilam.jpg, Temple tank, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
File:Boroli Temple Complex7.jpg, Example of a Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
temple in a tank ( Baroli Temples)
File:Bhaktapur Garudh Kundal 18.jpg, Garuda Kunda in Bhaktapur, Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
File:Godawari Temple, Godawari Mela1.jpg, Godawari Kunda, Godawari, Nepal
See also
*
Brahma Sarovar
Brahma Sarovar is an ancient water pool sacred to Hinduism in old Kurukshetra city, in the state of Haryana in North India,India. Hinduism lays emphasis on taking bath for internal and external purity. Most religious sites have water poo ...
*
Ghat
Ghat, a term used in the Indian subcontinent, depending on the context could refer either to a range of stepped hills with valleys (ghati in Hindi), such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats; or the series of steps leading down to a body of ...
*
Baray
*
Tank cascade system (Sri Lanka)
Notes
Further reading
* C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre (2002). ''Sacred tanks of South India''. pp. 328.
External links
* ENVIS Centre for Conservation of Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India:
Sacred Waterbodies of India'
{{Worship in Hinduism
Hindu temple architecture
Water and Hinduism