This book aims to explain the multiple symbolic meanings encompassed by and in the Hindu temple. Distinct chapters are dedicated to: (1) the multi-level relationship between the temple, the cosmos and the body of the primordial being; (2) the antecedents of Indian sacred monuments; (3) the basic structure of the Hindu temple and the main temple typologies; (4) the sculptural elements, both anthropomorphic and symbolic; (5) the political, economic, and social role played by the temple in Indian society. Lastly, the volume provides a useful glossary of key architectonic terms. This multi-faceted subject-matter is made accessible in the light of its recognisable affinities with Western religio-philosophical traditions. The volume, therefore, offers to the reader, particularly to students of Indian art, a useful teaching tool to understand and to interpret the development of the great sacred Hindu monuments, transforming a highly complex matter into a clear and updated treatise.
