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Concept
Garbhagriha
Summary
A garbhagriha is the innermost sanctuary of Hindu and Jain temples, what may be called the "holy of holies" or "sanctum sanctorum".
The term garbhagriha (literally, "womb chamber") comes from the Sanskrit words garbha for womb and griha for house. Although the term is often associated with Hindu temples, it is also found in Jain and Buddhist temples.
The garbhagriha is the location of the murti (statue or icon) of the temple's primary deity. This might be a statue or icon of Shiva, as the lingam, his consort the Goddess in her consecrated image or yoni symbol, Vishnu or his spouse, or some other god in symbol or image. In the Rajrani temple in Bhuvaneshvara, near Puri, there is no symbol whatsoever in that lightless garbhagriha.
A garbhagriha is normally square (though there are exceptions), sits on a plinth, and is also at least approximately a cube. Compared to the size of the temple that may surround it, and especially the large tower commonly found above it, a garbhagriha is a rather small room.
The typical Hindu and Jain garbhagriha is preceded by one or more adjoining pillared mandapas (porches or halls), which are connected to the sanctum by an open or closed vestibule (antarala). and through which the priests or devotees may approach the holy shrine in order to worship the presence of the deity in profound, indrawn meditation.
In addition to being square, the garbhagriha is most often windowless, has only one entrance that faces the eastern direction of the rising sun (though there are exceptions), and is sparsely lit to allow the devotee's mind to focus on the tangible form of the divine within it. The garbhagriha is also commonly capped by a great tower superstructure. The two main styles of towers are the shikhara (in India's northern region) or the vimana (in India's southern region).
An early prototype for this style of garbhagriha is the sixth century CE Deogarh temple in Uttar Pradesh State’s Jhansi district (which also has a small stunted shikhara over it).
Official source
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