Master Class on Temple Management in the Āgamas by Dr Deepa Duraiswamy

INDICA & CENTRAL SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY

Present

MASTER CLASS ON Temple Management in the Āgamas

A Two Day Workshop

INDICA, in collaboration with Central Sanskrit University, announces a two day in person Master Class on Temple Management in the Āgamas with Dr Deepa Duraiswamy.

This offering continues the academic collaboration between INDICA and Central Sanskrit University that has brought together a series of intensive Master Classes exploring different dimensions of Indian Knowledge Systems. Earlier programs in this series examined the Mahābhārata as a civilizational text with Prof Vishwa Adluri, introduced the classical methodology of śāstric reasoning through Tantrayukti with Prof M. Jayaraman, and explored the Indian understanding of the mind through Bhāratīya Mānas Śāstra with Prof Mala Kapadia.

The present Master Class turns toward one of the most visible and enduring institutions of Bhārata’s civilisation: the temple.

Temples in Bhārata have historically functioned as far more than places of worship. They are living institutions where philosophy, ritual practice, architecture, music, economy, and community life converge into a single sacred ecosystem. For centuries, temples served as centres of education, culture, social organization, and spiritual life.

The principles governing this ecosystem are articulated in the Āgamas, the classical textual traditions that guide the establishment of temples, the consecration of deities, the conduct of daily worship, and the long-term governance of temple institutions.

In contemporary discussions, temple management is often framed primarily in terms of administration or regulation. Yet within the Agamic vision, temple governance cannot be separated from metaphysics, sacred architecture, ritual precision, priestly lineages, and community responsibility. The temple is conceived as a carefully structured organism in which philosophy, process, and lived experience are inseparably woven together.

This Master Class introduces participants to the Agamic framework of temple management, exploring how temples were envisioned, established, sustained, and administered within the classical traditions, and how these principles may inform contemporary thinking about temple institutions.

Across two intensive days, participants will examine the philosophical foundations of temple traditions, the processes that animate temple worship, the institutional structures that historically sustained temples, and the challenges faced by temple institutions in the present day.

The program will combine textual engagement with practical discussion, enabling participants to understand how Agamic principles translate into living institutional practice.

Mandatory Text

All selected participants are required to procure a copy of Temple Management in the Āgamas by Dr Deepa Duraiswamy, published by INDICA.

The Master Class will be anchored in this text, and participants are expected to bring their copy to the sessions.

Gratitude-Based Participation

At INDICA, learning is guided by gratitude rather than transactions. This Master Class is offered in a spirit of reverence for the wisdom we have inherited and for those who choose to engage with it sincerely. There is no fixed fee.

Participants are invited to express their gratitude through Guru Dakṣiṇā and by supporting INDICA’s work in an amount that reflects the value of the learning and their appreciation for the space being created. Such contributions enable us to continue offering these learning experiences and to sustain the broader mission of preserving and transmitting Indian Knowledge Systems. To express gratitude in monetary form, please click here.

Gratitude may also be expressed through time and action, by carrying forward what is received through mentoring, writing, conversations, or other forms of service.

This approach allows each participant to engage from intention, not obligation.

Schedule

DAY 01 | The Temple as Sacred Institution

Session 1 | 10:00 – 11:15

At the Core of Dharma: The Temple Ecosystem and the Āgamas
Understanding the temple as a civilisational institution
The Agamic framework governing temple life
Temple as the intersection of philosophy, ritual, and community

Tea Break | 11:15 – 11:30

Session 2 | 11:30 – 1:00

Driven by Design: The Śaiva Tradition and Siddhānta Philosophy
Metaphysical foundations of temple traditions
The philosophical vision underlying Agamic worship
Sacred architecture and cosmic symbolism

Lunch Break | 1:00 – 2:00

Session 3 | 2:00 – 3:15

Powered by Process: Temple Establishment and Worship
What makes a temple according to the Āgamas
Consecration, installation, and ritual activation
Structures of daily and periodic worship

Tea Break | 3:15 – 3:30

Session 4 | 3:30 – 5:00

Encoded into Experience: The Sthalaparivāra and Temple Networks
Families of the temple and ritual relationships
Sacred geography surrounding the temple
The experiential and social ecology of temple spaces

DAY 02 | Governance, Practice, and Continuity

Session 5 | 10:00 – 11:15

Mind and Matter: Materials and Ritual Infrastructure
Material foundations of temple practice
Sacred materials, ritual implements, and temple infrastructure
Maintaining ritual continuity

Tea Break | 11:15 – 11:30

Session 6 | 11:30 – 1:00

Rāja and Rājña: Temple Administration and the State
Governance structures in temple traditions
Historical relationships between temples and political authority
Custodianship, patronage, and institutional responsibility

Lunch Break | 1:00 – 2:00

Session 7 | 2:00 – 3:15

Current Practice: History and Case Studies
Historical transformations in temple management
Administrative realities in modern temple institutions
Case studies and institutional lessons

Tea Break | 3:15 – 3:30

Session 8 | 3:30 – 5:00

Till the Sun and the Moon Exist: A Framework for the Future
Revisiting Agamic principles for contemporary contexts
Institutional continuity and cultural stewardship
Discussion and reflections