garbhagriha

The garbhagriha is the inner sanctum of a Hindu temple, housing the main image or statue of the deity worshipped.

The garbhagriha, meaning "womb chamber" in Sanskrit, is the sacred heart of a Hindu temple. This inner chamber, often square in shape and minimally decorated, is where the main statue or image of the deity to whom the temple is dedicated is placed. In many temples, the garbhagriha is accessible only to priests and is designed to be a pure and sacred space, symbolizing the place of divine creation. The sanctum is typically topped with a tower (shikhara or vimana) and oriented to the east to capture the first rays of the sun. This structure embodies the idea that the deity resides in a place of peace and meditation, removed from the external world.