Investigative Study on Quality of Ambient Light in Temples:

Case Study of Temples in Pune

ABSTRACT:

When it comes to temples, the divinity, and spirituality that the devotee encounters are immeasurable. It is a holy
space where a devotee attempts to make a connection with a deity. This connection isn't definite. It is founded on the
devotee's mental images of the deity as well as societal practice. Various intangible elements are present when the
devotee goes through the procession paths. Lighting is one such element inside the temple that automatically changes
its intensity as per the spaces. There is diversity in temple architecture throughout the countries which have a unique
character. The temple architecture is about creating a holy environment. It includes the design of spaces that
compliments the journey of the devotee's self-realization from the outer world to the inner soul. The five senses of a
devotee's body are triggered during this process, which begins with a transitional procession between the temple's
entrance and the inner sanctum. The physical environment of the temple is influenced by factors such as space
configuration, volume, religious carvings, motifs, texture, and color. Furthermore, lighting plays an important role in
setting the mood and bringing divinity into space. Via various design elements, the lighting produces a visual drama
of patterns, shapes, and mysterious shadows. The temple's ambient lighting complements the activities that take place
inside and around it. The philosophical aspects of light as an element were included in the literature for this research.
It implies that the lighting in temples is regulated by the strategic placement of elements that, rather than providing
brighter light, set the mood of the devotee in a sacred space. The intensity of light levels varies based on the temple's
spaces. This study takes the approach of examining the quality of ambient light in temples and identifying ambient
lighting strategies in temple architecture.

Keywords: devotee, connect, ambience, space, activity, intensity

INTRODUCTION:

Monumental structures and sculptures depict their life in a variety of ways. One of the things that give this
monumental heritage building 'Life' is light. The Pyramids of Giza, Early Christian and Byzantine Churches, medieval
cathedrals, Islamic Mosques, and many others are among them. India is a country known for its religious and cultural
beliefs. It is well known for the ancient 'Hemadpanthi' architectural style temples. Lighting plays an important role in
temple architecture because these temples had daylight as the only source of light at that time. The temple is
strategically designed as a holy place (Choudhary, 2017). During the evenings the elegance and brightness of 'diyas'
brought life to the temples. The temple architecture is strategically designed by our ancestors, who had an immense
knowledge of building physics. A few of those factors included the orientation, the volume configuration, scale of the
structure and the proportions of openings, the hierarchy of spaces and our psychological transition, etc. A temple is a
sacred place where devotees worship the deity. It establishes a connection with the deity. This connection cannot be
explained verbally but it can only be felt. The activation of the five senses during the journey one enters the temple
till one reaches the 'garbhagriha' is magical. A devotee's mind is affected by the contrast and brightness of light while
transitioning from one place to another in the temple.

There are two types of lighting inside the temple. 1) Natural light that exists from 7.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. 2) Artificial
lighting using 'Mashals', 'Diyas/oil lamps' used after sunset. Both types of light have their significance. One can say
that the natural light makes the interiors happening whereas the artificial lighting like 'Mashals'/ 'oil lamps' define the
boundary of the temple during the festivals. During the daytime, the environment in the temple is enlightened by the
play of light and shadows. The space configuration, volume, religious carvings, motifs, texture, and most importantly
color defines the 'space' in the temple. The ambiance of this light helps in the mood creation of the devotee. The
passive architectural strategies used in the temple help in creating drama of light. Jali wall/window patterns, clerestory
windows, skylights, double/triple-height 'mandapa' spaces are a few of the strategies that alter the light resulting in
mood creation.( Dr Uday Dokras Ph D Stockholm, SWEDEN Srishti Dokras, Architect). Right from the sunrise at 7-
7.30 a.m. the beam of sunlight enters straight inside the 'garbhagriha' falling on the deity. The typical 'hemadpanthi'
temple consists of the 'Ardhamandapa' which is the entrance of the temple that receives most of the direct daylight.
The 'Mandapa' which consists of collonades gets indirect/reflected light where devotees gather. The 'Antarala' is the
transition zone between mandapa and garbhagriha that is dim-lit. Finally, when the devotee arrives at the 'Garbhagriha'
it is total darkness, with nothing to distract the devotee from achieving absolute connection with God. Therefore the
spaces gradually become narrower and darker as one moves further to the innermost sanctum (Crouch 1985). The
ambiance of the light is felt by every devotee depending upon the temple. During the evenings/night time, the oil
lamps are placed on the edges of the compound wall/plinth of the temple. During special occasions/festivals, the
'deepstambh' is filled with oil lamps. A single 'Diya/oil lamp' placed next to the deity reflects the holiness of the deity.

Temples constructed today with brick and RCC bear little resemblance to ancient India's 'hemadpanthi'
architectural style. Space design, content, texture, color, opening orientation, and so on. Many of these features are
uncommon in today's temple architecture. The sequence of elements upon which light falls determines its consistency.
The texture of the elements is defined by the quality and quantity of light falling onto it. When a devotee enters the
old temple and the new temple, the difference in ambient light is instantly noticeable. How can we, as architects,
change the user's mood by adjusting the amount of ambient light in a specific space? Since the quality of space is
determined by the light entering that space, the ambiance of light must be critically understood from this perspective.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

The literature review is split into 4 types.

1. In the first literature type, the interplay of lights is studied based on openings sizes, orientation, intensity.

2. In the second literature type, the Psychological relationship between the devotee and holy place is studied based on
the procession paths inside the temple.

3. In the third literature type, the Role of light and elements in the detachment process from the outer world in the
progression towards the inner soul is studied based on the intensity levels through the procession areas as they vary.

4. In the fourth literature type, inquiry about the day and artificial lighting strategies in temples is studied based on
hemadpanthi style of temple.

All these aspects are culminated and perceived according to the sequence of experience of the devotee and the
procession paths. This study is limited to Hemadpanthi style of Shiva Temples at Deccan Plateau and further to Pune
District.

The psychological and spiritual journey of the devotee begins when it progresses through the spaces of the temple, till
it reaches the innermost shrine (womb). It is the innermost sanctum where there is complete darkness. This darkness
changes the state of mind of the devotee. The eyes of the devotee become familiar with the darkness and there is no
more connection to worldly thoughts. The connection with the deity ensures self-realization and personal divinity to
the devotee (Michell 1987). Deva (1995) states that when the devotee is in front of the deity there is no sign which
can distract his eye from the deity and it is the time when God reveals himself to the deity. Millet (1996) claims that
darkness is needed to fully appreciate the importance of light. Its influence can affect one's mood or feelings, and it's
linked to the pineal gland in the brain's center, which is connected to glandular, or emotional centers. He also points
out the connectivity of light with spiritual aspects of life. Further, he classifies light into symbolic light and divine
light. He mentions that when light is captured in a certain way then it is a symbolic light. The divine light is one of
the special aspects of symbolic light which represents the deity.

"More and more, so it seems to me, light is the beautifier of the building." -Frank Lloyd Wright

The holy environment of the temple makes a positive impact on the devotee's mind and body. The psychological and
spiritual journey of the devotee begins when it progresses through the spaces of the temple, till it reaches the innermost
shrine (womb). There are various techniques through which the light is penetrated inside the temple. Those are lights
reflected from the walls that create mysterious shadows, controlled light entering through smaller niches/openings,
lightly used as a focal point, etc. The natural light is called a significant part of religious symbolism (Dr. Uday Dokras
Ph.D. Stockholm, SWEDEN Srishti Dokras, Architect). According to Lechner (1991, 2000) daylight that enters inside
has various sources: direct sunlight, clear sky, clouds, or reflections from the ground surface. "A daylight design,
which can work under the conditions of an overcast sky or a clear sky, can work under most other sky conditions.
Although the amount of light available on an overcast day is limited, it is adequate to perform visual tasks indoors if
enough light can be drawn in. Clear sky daylight, on the other hand, consists of two components: skylight and direct
sunlight. The light from the blue sky is diffused and low-intensity, while direct sunlight is intense.

According to Moore (1985), the quality of ambient light sequentially varied from Hypostyle Hall to the innermost
sanctum. The statue inside that sanctum was illuminated by the small opening inside it. Crouch (1985) stated an
example about the pantheon that the statue of Athena was illuminated by three kinds of light. It was the direct light
that came from large door openings. The indirect light that reflected off the shallow pool at the foot of the statue till
Athena's face. There was a diffused light that came from translucent marble tiles of the roof.

Another example stated by Moore (1985) of Rome, that the rounded arches and barrel vaults and the dome allowed
masonry materials for use of large span spaces. Due to these large spans, the interiors became column-free and allowed
a large amount of light through wall openings in comparison to the Greeks. In Jerusalem, a craftsman from the
Byzantine period built a masterpiece called the dome of the rock. The structure had a central octagonal dome consisting
of wooden shells. The dome gets light through the windows which are set below it in the drum. The openings of it are
planned in such a way that they reflect the daily cycles of the light and the darkness with the changing positions of
constellations. As the positions of the sun and moon change, various facets are illuminated that give an illusion of
rotation and the dramatic faces of the universe seem to be a rotating dome.

Giedion who was a Swiss art historian pointed out that light induces the sensation in the space in which space is
destroyed by darkness but the space with light is protected. (Mollela, 2002). Lighting brings aesthetics to the temple
in the daytime and the nighttime also.

METHODOLOGY:

This study is based on on-site observations through case studies of two Shiva temples located in the Deccan plateau
of Maharashtra in Pune district viz. Changa Vateshwar Mahadeo Mandir, Bhiwadi built in the 17th century and
Sangameshwar Mahadeo Mandir, Saswad built in the 17th century. These temples include small shrines and are
planned as complexes. They are situated 500m apart from each other. They include many cultural and allied activities
into a complex. The common point between both the temple complexes is that they are situated on the foothills of
Purandar fort and have an elevated plinth. This is because they have a similar era of construction. Therefore, the
quality of ambient light is of utmost importance. This research is carried out through an on-site observational survey,
photographic documentation, and informal discussions with the visitors in respective temple complexes. The temple
complex is visited in the morning time as the sun is towards the east and the entrance of the temple is on the east side.
This research is also based on qualitative literature findings. These findings are split into 4 types:

1. Interplay of lights

2. Psychological relationship between a devotee and holy place.

3. Role of light and elements in detachment process from the outer world in the progression towards the inner soul.

4. Inquiry about a day and artificial lighting strategies in temples.

The parameters considered for the study are the types of lights as Direct, Reflected, Refracted, Orientation of complex,
light intensity, Incident surfaces. The photographic documentation includes images of the temple interiors, premises
to understand the spatial quality of ambient light. This study is also supported by analytical sketches, technical plans,
and sections of the temple.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:

1. Changa Wateshwar Temple, Bhiwadi ,Saswad

This temple is situated at the foothills of Purandar fort at

Bhiwadi near Saswad in the Pune district. It was built in the
17th century by Sardar Jaisaheb Raghvendra Purandare. The
temple has a 'Hemadpanthi' architectural style. It is
completely built with Stone. The temple has artificial LED
lights in the Antarala and the Garbhagriha (inner sanctum).
The area of the temple complex is around 950sqm. It comes
under Yadava Dynasty. The temple is planned sequentially
from Mandapa to Ardha Mandapa to Garbhagriha. The
ambient light level is also reducing
Fig 1: Changa Wateshwar Temple, Bhiwadi ,Saswad

(Source : Balkrishna’s Travellogue)

in intensity as devotee moves from Mandapa to Garbhagriha. The open colonnades in the mandapa provide enough
light penetration for public gatherings. Light is provided through side axial openings in Ardha Mandapa in a
controlled manner to increase the concentration of devotees towards the deity. Garbhagriha is treated with very low
light level only optimum light level at the deity's place by the use of oil lamps. Fig 1 and 2 shows the light intensity
levels as described above. Fig 3 shows different types of lighting creating ambiance in temple interiors of Changa
Vateshwara temple.

Fig 2: Plan of Changa Wateshwar temple showing light intensity levels (Source: Author)

Fig 3: Section of Changa Wateshwar temple showing light intensity levels (Source: Author)
 Fig 4: Images of Chang Vateshwara temple
(Source: Author)

Table 1 shows the on-site observations of the temple based on listed parameters. The observations are documented in
morning time period.
Table 1: On site Observation Analysis of Changavateshwara Temple

Sr.no Parameters Observations

1 Direct light There is a 10-15 m buffer of trees on the east side. Therefore, the sunlight penetrates through
tiny patches between the foliage of the tree.

2 Reflected There are three openings to the Antrala, the entrance to the Antrala on the Eastside, and door
light openings on the north and south side.
The opening on the East side gets a minimal amount of light due to the Mandapa space adjacent
to it. The chamfered doorway openings to the North and South direction, bring reflected light
from the opening incident on unpolished Stone flooring.

3 Refracted The light is incident on elements of the Mandapa like Pillars, stone seating, it then gets refracted
light on the plinth surface
4 Orientation East facing entrance and East-West oriented
5 Light The mandapa gets diffused natural light due to trees buffer at east. The canopy somehow helps
intensity cut direct glare. Antrala gets reflected natural light from unpolished stone flooring. It consists
of artificial light too. The garbhagriha is completely dark so there is the use of artificial lighting.
6 Incident The external plinth in courtyard gets filtered and direct light.
surfaces
Table 2: On site Observation Analysis of Changavateshwara Temple – Area wise light intensity observation

The spaces are characterized according to the 3 criteria of light.

1. Spaces that fulfill the requirement of light.
2. Spaces that partially fulfill the requirement of light.
3. Spaces that do not fulfill the requirement of light.
Therefore the external courtyard, the lighting types like direct and refracted fulfill the requirement of that space
whereas the reflected light is partially observed. The external courtyard is thus overlit and Due to this direct light,
people come here to video shoot /photoshoot. Devotees sit in the open space which is shaded by the tree. In the
mandapa, there is no glare observed as there is only refracted light. Thus its Completely shaded due to trees. Devotees
sit on the stone seating. The Antrala and Garbhagriha do not fulfill the requirement, thus artificial lighting is provided.

2 .Sangameshwar Temple, Saswad

This temple is situated just 500m from Changa Wateshwar Temple. It was also built in the 17th century. This temple
is placed 10-15 m above the Karha river's water level as shown in fig 4. It comes under the Yadava dynasty. The
ambient light in the temple addresses the intangible space perception of a devotee and creates divine architecture. The
temple has stone as the primary building material. From a long time ago, the temple was painted in a light peach color.
The temple complex is 1200sqm in size. In the temple precinct, there is four Mahadeo deity. Religious rituals such as
Pooja ceremonies are normally held on the temple campus, which is located underneath the main temple. The plinth
for the temple's entrance is connected by a bridge. The temple has
a gigantic volume with a height of Vimana up to 10-14m high.
Fig 5 and 6 shows the light intensity levels from Mandapa to
Garbhagriha.

Fig 5: Sangameshwara Temple, Saswad (Source: Google image

gallery)
Fig 6: Section of Sangameshwara temple showing light intensity levels (Source: Author)

Fig 7: Plan of Sangameshwara temple showing light intensity levels (Source: Author)
 Fig 8 shows the interplay of direct, reflected and diffused light on the floor and overall interiors of
Sangameshwar temple.
Table 3: On site Observation Analysis of Sangameshwar Temple
Sr.no Parameters
1 Direct light
2 Reflected light
3 Refracted light
4 Orientation
5 Light intensity
6 Incident surfaces
Fig 8: Image of Sangameshwar temple interiors
(Source: Author)
Observations
The temple is situated at a height of 12-15 m above the water surface. This height helps in receiving
direct light without any obstructions. The light is directly incident on external plinth surfaces. This
light directly falls in Garbhagriha.
The light enters from the East, North, and Southside into the Antrala. The interiors of receiving
reflected light from the stone flooring. The panoramic view shows that the light rays are collided on
stone flooring and then reflected into the space creating an illusion of light
There is a refraction phenomenon seen in Mandapa space as it is open from three sides – East, North,
and South. This phenomenon creates a visual drama due to a change in the angle of incidents.
East facing entrance
The light intensity in the Mandapa is low as compared to Antrala, as it becomes entirely shaded. The
Antrala is a space that is well-lit without any artificial source of light. The garbhagriha is the space
that receives a narrow beam of light falling onto the niche.
The external plinth in the courtyard is the surface onto which direct light is incident. The garbhagriha's
niche is the surface onto which the beam of light is incident.
 Table 4: On site Observation Analysis of Sangameshwara Temple – Area wise light intensity observation

As a result, the external courtyard is over-lit and lacks a buffer where direct light can be monitored. The light incident
in the Mandapa is refracted due to the near location of the pillars. The collision of reflected light rays on stone flooring
is observed in the Antrala. Sun rays penetrate the Garbhagriha's niche.

Fig 9 shows the penetration of light inside the temple through direct, reflected and diffused light from temple
interiors. (Source:Author)
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

The spaces within the Changawateshwar Temple are more enclosed than the Sangameshwar Temple, as seen in the
tables above. The Changawateshwar temple has an enclosed doorway entrance with stone steps that capture the light
and create a shadow pattern. The psychological journey starts right from this point. As one reaches the plinth of the
courtyard, it proceeds further to the temple on the eastern side. Here one experiences a transition from a completely
lit area to the shaded area viz. Mandapa.
The Sangameshwar temple is at a height of 10-15m above the karha river's water level. One crosses the bridge to
reach this temple as it is situated above the surface of the karha river. The gigantic scale of the steps leading to the
plinth surface above. The Nandi statue is present in the outermost part of the temple. One experiences a feeling of
awe due to the gigantic volume and elevation of the temple.
The Sangameshwar temple gets a controlled ray of sunlight into the garbhagriha due to its height. Due to green
buffer and less height as compared to another temple, the Changa Wateshwar Temple does not get an ample amount
of daylight. Therefore, there is a provision of artificial lighting. The ambient lighting in temples is not provided with
higher intensity but is created by the use of diffusion and reflection phenomenon. From the analysis, it is seen that
the volume of the temple also plays a key role in dispersing the light in every inch and corner of the temple. The
volume of the Sangameshwar temple is huge compared to the volume of Changa Vateshwar temple. The pattern of
sizes of openings in Sangameshwar temple is 1.2 times larger than Changa Wateshwar temple, although they are
built from the same era.
The utmost importance is given to the image of the deity in both cases. The sequential pattern of light intensity is
observed during the study. Also, ambient lighting addresses the intangibility of space perception. It creates peaceful
and self-realization emotions in the mindscape of the devotee.
The ancient temple architecture is a true masterpiece that influences both the physical and mental well-being of
people. These temples had openings that were strategically placed in relation to the direction. They just capture the
amount of light needed for a devotee to perform his or her tasks. Various strategies like an elevated plinth, east side
facing entrance doorway, chamfered openings on north, south direction help to get a controlled amount of light in
the temple interiors. It is a learning for architects in terms of designing of spaces, that where and how much-
controlled light is to be caught. The inferences and findings help to understand the quality of ambient light in the
temples. It also contributes to a database for setting design parameters for new upcoming temples. Therefore, this
study is value addition in exploring the divine physical environment with the use of ambient light in the temple
architecture.

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