Question

How did a temple communicate the importance of a king?

Answer 1

Hint: Temple was then and now is an important centre for the people of the Indian subcontinent. It is a place which shows not only the authority or power of the priest or ruler but also beliefs of the common people.

Complete answer: Temples were constructed as a place where devotees come to worship. But it is much more than that, it is a place which demonstrates power, wealth and authority. Many rulers constructed temples to show their power or their victory after the battle. Large temples owned a lot of lands which were gifted by the kings and rich landowners. Land given to a temple was called ‘devdana’ and the tax collected from this land was used for the taking care of the temple or to maintain the people who worked there like priests, dancers, musicians, garland makers, cooks, idol makers and so on. Temples which were built by the rulers also participated in inland and overseas trade which also showed the economy of the Empire of the King or ruler. The Rajarajeshvara temple was built by the powerful king Rajarajadeva for the worship of his god, Rajarajeshvaram. Generally, it was seen as the name of the king and god were similar. One reason for this was that they wanted to appear like a God.

Note: Temple was also the centre of education as priests used to teach children in temple courtyards. As a whole, the temple was the hub of social, economic and cultural life.