Question

What was the significance of destroying temples during the ancient and medieval eras?

Answer 1

Instructions:
There should be at least 5 points here.

• Write about why temples were targeted, being symbols of power.
• Example: Write about Rajendra Chola I and his conquests.
• Example: Write about Mahmud of Ghazni and his destruction of the Somnath temple.

Solution:

• Temples were built by the kings as a symbol of power and wealth.
• Therefore, it was natural thus to target the same when attacking each other’s kingdom.
• In the 9th century, the Pandyan King Shrimara Shrivallabha invaded the Sinhala kingdom of Sena I and destroyed temples and monasteries.
• The next Sinhalese ruler, Sena II, ordered his general to invade Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas, to exact vengeance.
• Similarly, when Rajendra I built a temple dedicated to Shiva which he filled with riches obtained from defeated empires.
• Some of these riches included a Sun-pedestal from the Chalukyas, a Ganesha statue and several statues of Durga, a Nandi statue from the eastern Chalukyas, an image of Bhairava and Bhairavi from the Kalingas of Odisha, and a Kali statue from the palace of Bengal.
• The destruction of Somnath temple by Mahmud of Ghazni was a similar attempt in the same direction.
• Ghazni tried to glorify himself as a hero of Islam by destructing the Somnath idols.
• It is important to understand that political and military might were being demonstrated by the act of destroying temples both by Indian kings and the Muslim invaders.