Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Temples of India
India has rich cultural and historical heritage well
preserved in its temple architecture and pilgrim sites. From the majestic
Himalayan ranges in the North, to Kanyakumari in the South, India is arrayed
with thousand of shrines, temples and worship places dating back to hundreds of
years..
Many theories have been formulated to explain the existence
of these holy sites in such a huge number, paving the path to attain salvation
or "nirvana". The statuary and adornment in these ancient temples showcases one
of the world's foremost artistic heritages. The designs of major temples have
augmented into enormous architectural splendor.
The basic form of the temple in India is a square cell,
oriented to the four cardinal directions, containing a platform with an image of
the deity in the center, a flat roof overhead, and a doorway on the east side.
In front of the doorway is a porch or platform, shaded by a roof supported by
pillars, where worshipers gather before and after approaching the god. At the
founding of the temple, priests establish a sanctified area in the center of the
shrine and, while praying and performing rituals, set up the image of the god.
The deity is then said to be one with the image, which contains or manifests the
power of the god on earth. Every Hindu temple in India, then, exists as the
center of the universe, where the god overlooks his or her domain and aids
devotees.
Worship at the temple is not congregational. Instead,
individuals or small groups of devotees approach the sanctum in order to obtain
a vision (darshana ) of the god, say prayers, and perform devotional worship.
Because the god exists in totality in the shrine, any objects that touch the
image or even enter the sanctum are filled with power and, when returned to
their givers, confer the grace of the divine on the human world. Only persons of
requisite purity who have been specially trained are able to handle the power of
the deity, and most temple sanctums are operated by priests who take the
offerings from worshipers, present them directly to the image of the deity, and
then return most of the gifts to the devotees for use or consumption later at
home.
Since the sixth century, after the decline of Buddhism as the
main focus of religious patronage, temples have been accumulating generous
donations from kings, nobles, and the wealthy. The result is a huge number of
shrines throughout the country, many of which, especially in South India, date
back hundreds of years. The statuary and embellishment in some of the ancient
shrines constitute one of the world's greatest artistic heritages. The layout of
major temples has expanded into gigantic architectural complexes.
Along with architectural elaboration has come a complex
administrative system to manage the many gifts bestowed by wealthy donors in the
past and continually replenished by the piety of devotees in the present. The
gods are legal landholders and command substantial investment portfolios
throughout the country. The management of these fortunes in many states lies in
the hands of private religious endowments, although in some states, such as
Tamil Nadu, the state government manages most of the temples directly.
