Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Friday said the role of temples should be seen through “multiple dimensions”, while inaugurating a two-day conference on temple architecture organised by the Archaeological Survey of India at Hampi, Karnataka.
Mr. Reddy said temples “provide spiritual well-being to the soul, enlightenment through education, economic opportunities to the local community, a creative outlet for the craftsmen, artists, and artisans, and are a repository of our culture”. He said the Hindu temple was not just a building, but a combination of art and science. He said there was “no caste in front of a temple, no rich, no poor”. He said temples were “centres for social equality”.
While starting the discussion, ASI director-general V. Vidyawathi said “everything in our lives revolves around temples”. She said while everything had changed in the modern world, “our relationship with temples has not changed.”
