Column by Devdutt Pattanaik | The rise of marble temples
Devdutt Pattanaik examines the rise of marble temples in modern Hinduism, noting that the material was historically shunned by traditional artisans in favor of granite or sandstone. He argues that the current trend of marble construction reflects an aspirational shift influenced by Jain architecture and the Birla family's patronage.
Why it matters
It provides cultural context for how architectural choices in religious spaces reflect evolving social identities and economic aspirations within the Hindu community.
The first thing you notice about these temples is what surrounds them. Victorian lawns, symmetrical fountains that recall Mughal pleasure gardens, a lotus pond shaped like the flower but with no blooms in it. There are no fruit-bearing trees that can attract monkeys, birds and insects; no flowering trees that can attract snakes. At the centre, beneath a cluster of white marble or pink sandstone peaks, stands the temple, with fluttering flags. In the 20th century, they rose not just in India, but also in London, in Dubai, in American cities. They make very specific statements about aspirational Hindus.
The piece offers a historical and sociological analysis of architectural trends without taking a political stance.
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