1. Worship Space Mandir
Indian tradition holds that a town or village without a temple is uninhabitable.
The Mandir is not primarily considered a place for communal worship but the home of God, or the particular Deity.
Temple activities thus revolve around the sacred image(s) installed upon the altar.
An appointed priest, or team of priests, normally perform the puja.
One of the main functions of the temple is to create an atmosphere surcharged with spirituality
Temples vary considerably in size, beginning with tiny outdoor shrines and humble village mandirs.
The larger temples are elaborate and often the centre of an ashram (place of spiritual culture) with a large number of brahmana priests living within or nearby.
Heart of Hinduism Worship Nov. 27, 2015 WEB Nov. 27,

2. Worship Space Mandir
There are a number of architectural styles, but the chief ones are North Indian (Nagara) and the South Indian (Dravida).
Details for temple construction are laid out in certain scriptures such as the Vastu-shastra and the Shilpa-shastra
To help build a temple (e.g. through offering financial support) is still considered an act of piety.
Temples vary considerably, but the diagram here show some of the important features of traditional buildings in North India. Buildings in the South or outside of India are often quite different.
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South India
North India
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3. Worship Space Mandir (Temple)
A mandir has many internal features, which one can fully appreciate only by visiting. It may have some or all of these features:
Racks for shoes (sometimes manned in larger temples)
The fragrance of incense
Main hall (temple room)
Bell to ring upon entry – to announce one's arrival to the deity
Pictures/posters of saints, deities, and associated stories
Hindu symbols
Musical instruments – including drums, cymbals, harmonium
Sacred books – for reading and giving lectures
Main shrine (at the front); often many smaller shrines, usually to the sides
Donation box before the shrine
Murtis within the shrine areas
Charanamrita (holy water in a bowl near the altar)
Prasada, sacred food, handed to worshippers at the altar, or as they leave
Priest or priests
Kitchen and dining area
Auditorium for music, drama, dance, and other cultural performances
Shop selling religious artifacts, books, and other religious souvenirs.
The temple administrative office
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4. Material
Worship of the murti, the sacred image, is central to Hinduism. Many of the nineteenth century reform movements rejected the practice as outdated and superstitious. Nonetheless, sacred-image worship remains central today in helping many Hindus develop and express their relationship with God.
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