Ponds near Indian temples
Normally at every temple and pilgrim place in India, there exists a holy pond. This water body or pond is called Teertham or Koneru or Pushkarini. Most of the newly built temples don’t have this pond. If we observe ancient temples, the pond will be there for sure and a story follows with it. And most of the famous temples were built along the river banks. So, what is the connection between water bodies and temples? Why there are ponds at ancient temples of India?
1. Holy Pond at Temple – A social need
In olden days many almost everyone used to go to the temple and even visitors used to stay in choultries that are associated with temples. Priests who perform daily rituals to the deities used to live near temples. Ponds were used as the main sources of water for all the cleaning purposes of the temple, cleaning of deities, drinking and cooking purposes and holy dips both for deities and devotees. Many people used to eat food provided by the temples. So, holy ponds or teerthams acted as the main sources of water for temples and the society built around them.
