Glossary Of Temple Terms

Terms	Explanations
Aaru Padai Veedu	The six permanent abodes of Lord Muruga before He vanquished Surapadman as the generalissimo of the divine forces
Abhayam	Refuge
Abishekam	A holy ritual ablution given to the Deity with oil, milk, scented powder, honey, rose water, ghee, sugar-cane juice etc.
Adi Sesha	Divine serpent said to have one thousand heads and represented as forming the couch of Lord Vishnu.
Agamas	Traditional principles governing worship, construction, festivals in temples.The word Agama means tradition
Aiavatham	The legendary white elephant of Indra, the King of the Devas
Alwars	Vaishnavite saints whose hymns in praise of Vishnu constitute the tamil canon - considered to be on par with the Vedas.
Amirtham (Amrit)	Nectar of immortality
Amman, Ambal	Goddess
Appar	Tirunavukkarasar, one of the foremost of the 63 Saivite Nayanmar saints; associated closely with Tiruvatikai, Paatirippuliyur, Tiruvaiyaru and Tiruppugalur
Arattu	A kind of holy bath given to the festival images of the deities, when they are immersed in water on the final day of the annual festival in Kerala and in Kanyakumari district of Tamilnadu
Archakar	Priest
Archana	Devotional worship offered to the deity by the priest with flowers or saffron
Artha Mandapam	An intermediary space between the Sanctum Sanctorum and the exterior of the temple
Arthajamam	The last of the daily poojas performed at night
Ashram	A hermitage or abode of ascetics
Ashtothram	A form of Archana worship usually offered to the deity with a recital of 108 names of a deity
Asthana Mandapam	Assembly Hall
Asura	Demon
Avataram, Avtar	An Incarnation of God
Bali Peetham	Altar or the sacrificial stone
Bhajanai, Bhajan	Group singing of divine songs
Bhaktha, Bhakth	Devotee (The word Bhakti means devotion)
Bhattachariar	A Brahmin priest belonging to the Vaishnavite sect who offers poojas in a Vishnu temple
Chakram	Discus of Lord Vishnu
Chapparam	Chariot
Dakshinayanam	The sun's progress south of Equator(July-December)
Darshan, Darisanam	Sight of God or of holy men
Dasavatharam	The ten incarnations of Vishnu to punish the wicked
Deepa Aradhanai	A ceremonial waving of lamps - Illuminating the image of a deity with camphor or with a deepam (oil, clarified butter lamps)
Devasthanam	A body administering the affairs of the temple
Devaswom	The Keralite name for temples
Dwajasthambam	The flag-mast, usually a pillar fixed outside the main shrine in line with the Sanctum Sanctorum
Dwapara Yugam	The third among the four Yugas or aeons of time, the current aeon being Kaliyugam
Dwara Palakas	Figures of guards of the deities found on either side of the entrance to the Sanctum Sanctorum
Gadha	Club
Garbagriham	The interior of Sanctum Sanctorum
Garuda	A mythological bird, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu
Gopuram	Temple Tower crowning entrances; the foremost of these towes crowning the main entrance is the Raja Gopuram.
Guru	Preceptor, Teacher
Gurukkal	A priest belonging to the Saivite sect who offers pooja in aSiva temple; a gurukkal is also known by the name Sivachariar.
Homam	Sacrificial ritual conducted with an altar of fire, as a part of daily worship, festivals and special occasions.
Hundi	A sealed receptacle with a slit at the top in which devotees make offerings to a temple
Jeer	A spiritual head of Vaishnavites
Kailasam	Said to be the foremost abode of Shiva; refers to Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
Kalasanthi	The morning pooja or worship service
Kali Yuga	The last of the four yugas or aeons of time before Pralaya or Deluge
Kalyana Mandapam	A special mandapam dedicated for the ritual celebration of the marriage of the Lord with Goddess
Kamadhenu	The holy cow with a human face which is believed to fulfil the desires of devotees
Kattalai	A type of endowment of the devotees for doing periodical poojas or offerings
Kavacham	A metalic cover resembling armour
Kavadi	A decorated wooden pole with an arch over it carried on shoulders by devotees with offerings such as flowers, milk, rose-water etc., mostly for Lord Muruga with some parade
Kireetam	Hear-wear or Crown
Kodi Kambam (Dwajastambham in Sanskrit)	The flag-mast, usually a pillar fixed outside the main shrine in line with the Sanctum Sanctorum
Koil or Kovil	Temple
Kritha Yuga	The first of the Chathur or four yugas or aeons of time before Pralaya or the great deluge; the four yugas are Krithayugam, Treta Yugam, Dwapara Yugam and Kaliyugam.
Kshethra	Sacred place
Kumbhabishekam	Purification rites carried out after every renovation or construction in a temple
Laksharchanas	Worship with the recital of a lakh of divine names of a deity (see archana, ashtothra)
Maangalyam	A sacred ornament which is worn by married women as an insignia
Maanyam	Landed endowments to the temple servants for their services
Maavilakku	A form of offering to the deity in wich a wick is burnt in an offering of flour paste
Madapalli	Temple-kitchen where the food for daily worship services is prepared
Maha Mandapam	A big hall in temples for holding religious discourses
Mahabharatha	The Great Hindu epic describing the famous battle of Kurukshethra between the Pandavas and Kauravas
Makutam	The crown
Mandapam	A big terraced hall
Mangala Sasanam	Poems composed by Alwars in parise of Vishnu - constituting the Naalayira Divya Prabandam. (See Alwars)
Manikkavacakar	One of the foremost Saivite Saints who is credited with volumes of poetry, the foremost of which is Tiruvacakam; Tiruvadavoor and Uttirakosamangai in the Pandya Kingdom are 2 of the temples associated with him.
Mantras	The sacred hymns in sanskrit recited during worship services
Moola Vigraham	The presiding deity
Moolasthanam	Sanctum Sanctorum
Munivar	Saint
Mutt	A religious institution
Nagam	Serpent
Namam	The Vaishnavite mark of three vertical stripes on the forehead
Nambudiris	A class of Brahmins belonging to the Kerala State
Nandi	Nandi, the Bull is the ceremonial mount of Shiva; an image of Nandi usually faces Shiva's sanctum . Shiva temples are also adorned with images of Nandi on the temple walls.
Nava Thirupathis	The nine sacred Vaishnavite shrines
Nayanmars	The sixty three Saivite Saints, whose history is narrated in "Periyapuranam" who lived between the 5th and the 9th centuries, travelling around, visiting various temples , singing hymns of praise. Several miracles are associated with their visits.
Neivedhiyam	Offerings to the deity,
Oduvars	Torchbearers of the great tradition of Tevaram singing in Siva Temples; hymns that were composed by the Saints Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar in the 7th-9th centuries; now sung in Saivite temples in keeping with ancient tradition.
OM'	The sacred syllable representing the universal vibratory sound
Paasuram	Sacred song in praise of God (generally refer to the works of the Vaishnavite Alwars)
Padai	Army
Padakkam	A locket or pendant
Palliyarai	A bed chamber where the festival deities are kept after the daily poojas
Pancha-Murthys	The five deities,namely,Vinayakar, Murugar, Shiva, Parvati and Chandikeswarar
Panchaksharam	A sacred word signifying the five syllables of Namasivaya - signifiying surrender to Shiva
Panchalogam	An alloy of five metals
Pancharatra	A Vaishnava Agama
Patikam	Sacred song in praise of God (generally refer to the works of the Saivite Nayanmars)
Payasam	Sweet Pudding
Pooja	A form of ceremonial worship offered to the deity
Poosari	A priest who does pooja at village temples
Prabandham	The celebrated Vaishnavite poetic compilation of the works of the Alwars
Pradhosham	Evening of the 13th phase of the moon, 90 minutes before and after Sun set. It is considered auspicious for worshipping Shiva in all Saivite temples - when thousands congregate for worship.
Pradishta	Installation
Prakaram	The verandah or passage around the Sanctum Sanctorum
Pranavam	The sacred syllable "OM"
Prasadam	Anything given to devotees after being symbolically offered to the deity
Prithvi	Earth
Pushkarini	The sacred temple tank
Raja Gopuram	The main temple tower, and usually the loftiest of all towers in a temple, crowning the main entrance to the temple, in the outermost of enclosures
Rakshasha	Demon
Ratham	Chariot
Rishabam	A bull
Rudrakshamaalai	A roasary neck ornament made of the berry of a particular sacred tree considered to be special in Shiva
Saapa-Vimochanam	Deliverance from a curse
Sadagopam	A small metal head-cover on which Vishnu's feet are engraved and which is placed over the head of worshippers in Vaishnavite temples
Sahasranama Archana	A form of archarana or worship uaually offered to the deity with a recital of 908 names (see archana, ashtotram, laksharchanai)
Sambandar	Tirugnanasambandar, one of the foremost, as well as the youngest of the 63 Nayanmars; associated closely with Sirkazhi, Tiruvothur and several other shrines.
Sandanakaappu	Smearing the idol with sandal-wood paste
Sarukkam	Chapter
Sayanam	Reclining posture
Sayaratchai	Worship service in the evening
Shankhu	The conch-shell
Simha	Lion- a common vahanam or mount used in temples
Sivacharyas	The priests in temples belonging to the Saivite sect (see also Gurukkal)
Somavaram	Monday
Sthala Puranam	The legend regarding the origin of a sacred place
Sthala Vruksham	The sacred tree connected with the legend of the temple
Sthalam	A sacred centre
Sthupi	Pillar
Sunai	Water-fall
Sundarar	Sundaramoorthy Nayanar, one of the foremost of the 63 Saivite Nayanmar saints, associated closely with Tiruvennainallur and several other shrines.
Swayambu	That which comes of its own accord; that which is untouched by a tool; several of the Shiva Lingams adorning the sancta of temples, are believed to be natural mounds, held sacred for centuries.
Tapas	Penace
Tevara Patasala	A school to teach Tevara hymns of the Nayanmar saints
Tevaram	Collection of the hymns of the foremost of the Saivite Nayanmars, Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar; set to music; these ancient hymns have had a profound influence on the growth of Karnatic Music, and are even now sung in temples as part of worship.
Theertham	Sacred tank of the temple
Theerthavari	A festival during which the deity is immersed in holy water (see Aaraattu)
Theppa Utsavam	Float festival in which festival images of deities are led in procession in a float (Teppam), in the temple tank amidst the chanting of hymns and the playin gof music.
Ther	The temple car or chariot
Thirumanjanam	Ritual bath for the image of a deity (see abhishekam)
Thirunakshathram	One of the 27 asterisms under which a saint or a great person is born
Thiruppavai	A set of 30 verses in Nalayira Prabandham by Sri Andal in praise of Lord Vishnu. These hymns are held in great reverence in South India.
Thiruvadi	Sacred feet of the deity
Thiruvaimozhi	Devotional verses by Saint Nammalvar
Thrishoolam	The sacred trident
Tiruvacakam	Poetic work of Manikkavacakar dedicated to Shiva.
Tiruvempaavai	A composition of 18 hymns by Manikkavacakar - at the grand Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple; sung ceremoniously during the winter month of Markazhi
Uchikala Pooja	Mid day worship service
Ugram	Fierce,powerful, angry
Urchavam or Utsavam	Festival
Urdhuva Thandavam	The cosmic dance of Lord Siva with one leg lifted in which He defeated Goddess Kali
Ushadkala Pooja	Early morning worship service
Utharayanam	The Sun's progress - North of Equator (January-June)
Utsava Murthy	An idol taken in procession and worshipped on festival days
Vadakalai	A sect among Vaishnavites
Vahanam	Divine Mount
Vaikanasa Agamam	A Vaishnava Agama
Vamana	Dwarf, the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu
Varaha	A Boar, the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu
Varam	Boon
Vel	A spear or lance of Lord Muruga
Vigraham	Image of a deity
Vimanam	The towered roof of a Sanctum; there are several types of vimanams such as the gajaprishta, ashtanga and sabha vimanams.
Yaga	A special sacrificial ceremony (see homam)
Yagasalai	The place in which a sacrificial ceremony is observed
Yanthra or Peetam	The seat on which the deity is placed
Yugam	An age of the world. There are four Yugasor aeons of time namely Kritha Yuga, Thretha Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga, each of which runs into several lakhs of years.