Hinduism in India: North & South

[mangalavara]

Namaste. I had a dream this morning that I was at a small store that sold nothing but items used in Hindu practices, festivals, and the like. An Indian woman who worked there indicated to me that she was from a state in South India. In addition, she said something a bit interesting to me about Hindus in the southern region and the northern region of her country. To paraphrase what she stated, ‘The number 108 is special to North Indians and they follow the Purāṇas whereas South Indians like odd numbers and they prefer Upaniṣads.’

How true is any of that? Also, what are some differences between Hinduism in South India and Hinduism in North India?

So far, I know for a fact that the lunisolar calendars are a little different and that there are regional differences in how festivals are celebrated. That last one though is all over India. I get the impression that devotional poets are held in high regard in South India considering that it produced so many of them.

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste. I had a dream this morning that I was at a small store that sold nothing but items used in Hindu practices, festivals, and the like. An Indian woman who worked there indicated to me that she was from a state in South India. In addition, she said something a bit interesting to me about Hindus in the southern region and the northern region of her country. To paraphrase what she stated, ‘The number 108 is special to North Indians and they follow the Purāṇas whereas South Indians like odd numbers and they prefer Upaniṣads.’

How true is any of that? Also, what are some differences between Hinduism in South India and Hinduism in North India?

So far, I know for a fact that the lunisolar calendars are a little different and that there are regional differences in how festivals are celebrated. That last one though is all over India. I get the impression that devotional poets are held in high regard in South India considering that it produced so many of them.

The cultural differences between North and South stand out more than religious differences. It doe make for an interesting study. For example a Shiva temple in the North will resemble other temples in the North, of any variety, and similarly in the South, the temples all seem similar. But when you dig deeper philosophically, the fact that two temples are both Siva temples makes them closer.

So some of the differences are incredibly visible, whereas others aren't. I believe many folks see the visible parts only, and don't bother to study it all deeply enough to see other differences.

Fascinating study ... the diversity that is India. Enjoy it as a bystander, and don't get caught up in the ethnocentrism that naturally follows along.

 

[mangalavara]

So some of the differences are incredibly visible, whereas others aren't. I believe many folks see the visible parts only, and don't bother to study it all deeply enough to see other differences.

Interesting! What is one invisible difference between the northern and southern regions in the way of religion that you know?

Fascinating study ... the diversity that is India. Enjoy it as a bystander, and don't get caught up in the ethnocentrism that naturally follows along.

I'm judging your reply by Himachali standards, by the way.

 

[Vinayaka]

Interesting! What is one invisible difference between the northern and southern regions in the way of religion that you know?

I'm judging your reply by Himachali standards, by the way.

Neither side notices how the other celebrated different festivals. If you're unaware, it's invisible. So is Sanskrit dialect. But I'm not sure if my wording is correct, and my personal knowledge is extremely limited, although it's more than some newcomers to the faith. Most certainly here in Canada, and America it's blatantly obvious which style of temple it is when you walk in ... North or South.

 

[JustGeorge]

Most certainly here in Canada, and America it's blatantly obvious which style of temple it is when you walk in ... North or South.

Not having the priveldge of visiting many temples, what's the biggest differences?

 

[Jainarayan]

Not having the priveldge of visiting many temples, what's the biggest differences?

Layout is one. South style tends to have multiple individual sanctums and shrines around the perimeter of the temple. North style have a “stage” setup. There is a raised platform or stage at the front with the deity or deities.

The next two pics are my temple. The bottom is a temple not far.

 

[JustGeorge]

Layout is one. South style tends to have multiple individual sanctums and shrines around the perimeter of the temple. North style have a “stage” setup. There is a raised platform or stage at the front with the deity or deities.

The next two pics are my temple. The bottom is a temple not far.

View attachment 57730

View attachment 57731

View attachment 57732

So the first two are South Indian, and the last North Indian, right?

 

[Jainarayan]

So the first two are South Indian, and the last North Indian, right?

Yes. There are more pics of North style at Welcome to Ved Mandir

I’m sure there are exceptions.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes. There are more pics of North style at Welcome to Ved Mandir

I’m sure there are exceptions.

This is helpful to know!

It looks like my temple is South Indian, which I did suspect, as many of the devotees speak Tamil.

 

[mangalavara]

Yes. There are more pics of North style at Welcome to Ved Mandir

The mūrtis there...

 

[SomeRandom]

Yes. There are more pics of North style at Welcome to Ved Mandir

I’m sure there are exceptions.

Interesting. My local seems Northern despite the community being largely southern in origin.

As to the OP. I do know that in I’m pretty sure Northern tradition, when a female marries they are not allowed to live at their parents home anymore. I’m sure there’s a cultural reason I just don’t know what it is.
I remember my mother telling me this as I was confused at how upset a father character was in a movie where his daughter was getting married.

 

[Vinayaka]

Not having the priveldge of visiting many temples, what's the biggest differences?

Layout. In south Indian style the deities are enclosed in their own sanctums, each separately. In the North style, fad more likely to to all be standing together on a stage style altar.

Another difference is the stone the murthis are made of. In the south it's black granite, and in the north it's white marble.

 

[JustGeorge]

Layout. In south Indian style the deities are enclosed in their own sanctums, each separately. In the North style, fad more likely to to all be standing together on a stage style altar.

Another difference is the stone the murthis are made of. In the south it's black granite, and in the north it's white marble.

I've noticed my temple has both styles of stone, with Shiva's family and the center shrine(Balaji) being black granite, and Devi's representations, Swami Narayana, and Vishnu's representations being marble.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Layout. In south Indian style the deities are enclosed in their own sanctums, each separately. In the North style, fad more likely to to all be standing together on a stage style altar.

Another difference is the stone the murthis are made of. In the south it's black granite, and in the north it's white marble.

Vinayaka, the stage style altar is because of space or funds crunch in metros and cities. The older temples have separate sanctums for deities,, even Mother Parvati has a separate place for her, as have Ganesha and Kartikeya/Murugan. See that in Vaidyanath or Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneshwar. However, I agree to your second observation.

Vaidyanath: Separate temples of Shiva and Parvati, tied together during festival days.

Lingaraja temple in Bhunaeshwar has 150 smaller shrines in its compound" - Wikipedia

Khajuraho has 22 emples. -Wikipedia

 

[Aupmanyav]

Perhaps the invisible difference is that South India indulges in Archana in traditional style. Bhakti is the guiding principle in North India. So, one goes to the temple, bows, has his/her pow-wow with the Lord, performs parikrama, and comes back satisfied.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I've noticed my temple has both styles of stone, with Shiva's family and the center shrine(Balaji) being black granite, and Devi's representations, Swami Narayana, and Vishnu's representations being marble.

Balaji coming from South will be in black stone, but Vishnu in North India will be sculpted in Marble. Swami Narayan is a cult around a guru, has no importance other than to its followers.

 

[Jainarayan]

My temple, Sri Guruvāyūrappan, is in imitation of a temple complex in south India. Whereas the sanctums here are in an enclosed building, weather concerns y’know, the original is arranged outdoors. I guess it’s not unlike an enclosed neighborhood. A former coworker who is Telugu told me the name but I forgot. It might be the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati but I could be wrong

 

[ameyAtmA]

Namaste. I had a dream this morning that I was at a small store that sold nothing but items used in Hindu practices, festivals, and the like. An Indian woman who worked there indicated to me that she was from a state in South India. In addition, she said something a bit interesting to me about Hindus in the southern region and the northern region of her country. To paraphrase what she stated, ‘The number 108 is special to North Indians and they follow the Purāṇas whereas South Indians like odd numbers and they prefer Upaniṣads.’

How true is any of that? Also, what are some differences between Hinduism in South India and Hinduism in North India?

So far, I know for a fact that the lunisolar calendars are a little different and that there are regional differences in how festivals are celebrated. That last one though is all over India. I get the impression that devotional poets are held in high regard in South India considering that it produced so many of them.

Yes, the ALwars of South India are famous for their devotional poetry on Lord VishNu - the Divya Prabhandams -- which was from their personal experience of the Lord.

They brought the contents of the Sanskrit granthas into the regional TamiL (TamiZ) language!

The Divya Prabandhams are so intense and vast and described PermaL (VishNu) so beautifully that VaishNavs there did not need or miss the PurANas because some key topics of the puraNas were non-sequenially captured in the Divya Prabandhams but dressed in more poetry with lots of bhakti - devotion.

This is why PurANas were ignored in the ancient times / early centuries in the South.

It is like Sant DnyAneshwar Maharaj's DnyAneshwari (originally calle d BhAvArtha DeepikA) -- that was a Marathi essay , commentary and purport on the Bhagvad Geeta that was available only in Sanskrit at the time and only those handful few learned in Sanskrit could read and understand it. Sant Dnyaneshwar brought it to the masses there and those people used just Dnyaneshwari and never bothered with the Sanskrit Geeta.


That explains why besides the Divya Prabandhams and the Shaiva texts in native TamiL, the focus was on Upanishads as the core authentic scripture -- which was given importance by Adi Shankaracharya of medevial times, his param gurus, Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya too.

If she said 108 is from the North -- that must mean that naam jap on japa mAlA was more of a practice in the North, and archana in the South as some said on the thread.

However, chanting the Gayatri 3 times a day at the 3 SandhyAs (joins) - dawn, noon, dusk, was connected to 108 ? and it was a prominant samskaar among the orthodox of the South.

Further , what about the 108 Divya Prabandhams? ! and 108 Divya Deshams ? 108 temples of various forms of VishNu.

How can 108 be missed? One possibility is that these were due to influence from Bramhins and priests traveling or bringing spirituality from the North into the South, and the Divya Prabandhams and Deshams came AFTER the confluence of North with South.

That sentence above sounds too naive as the ALwars had direct connection with VishNu their IshTa Dev and had Divine inspirations. It is possible that they learned or heard about the subject BEFORE thier bhakti developed. This is why ShravaNam is important (Hear, listen, read )

shravaNaM kIrtanaM vishNoh: smaraNaM

 

[Viraja]

@ameyAtmA , that reply was splendid ^^.

Well, I am South Indian, I see the difference is quite steep in fact. We don't celebrate the festivals like holy, or karwa chauth (although a different version of it, called 'Karadaiyaan Nonbu' is celebrated in the South) or Raksha Bandhan. Besides, it is to be noted, South Indian mode of bhakti, at least when Krishna prema is considered, is in the mode of awe and reverence. Not sure about other devatas and their devotees.

And South Indian marriages are a lot different from NI. For example, people down South, still go for horoscope match and stuff.

 

[mangalavara]

The Divya Prabandhams are so intense and vast and described PermaL (VishNu) so beautifully that VaishNavs there did not need or miss the PurANas because some key topics of the puraNas were non-sequenially captured in the Divya Prabandhams but dressed in more poetry with lots of bhakti - devotion.

This is why PurANas were ignored in the ancient times / early centuries in the South.

Interesting. I get the impression that South Indians valued quality over quantity. Why read Purāṇas when you already have their important topics in beautiful, devotional poetry in your own language?

That explains why besides the Divya Prabandhams and the Shaiva texts in native TamiL, the focus was on Upanishads as the core authentic scripture -- which was given importance by Adi Shankaracharya of medevial times, his param gurus, Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya too.

Sounds like the woman in my dream knew what she was talking about. From what I've read before, all three of those major ācāryas were from South India. I take it Vedānta originated in South India, or at least developed there more than it did in the north?

However, chanting the Gayatri 3 times a day at the 3 SandhyAs (joins) - dawn, noon, dusk, was connected to 108 ? and it was a prominant samskaar among the orthodox of the South.

An odd number!

This reminds me that Balinese Hindus are said to have three daily prayers that they do, which includes the Gāyatrī.

Further , what about the 108 Divya Prabandhams? ! and 108 Divya Deshams ? 108 temples of various forms of VishNu.

How can 108 be missed? One possibility is that these were due to influence from Bramhins and priests traveling or bringing spirituality from the North into the South, and the Divya Prabandhams and Deshams came AFTER the confluence of North with South.

Sounds like the woman in my dream was speaking not so much of the present but of two different eras in the past, if your hypothesis turns out to be true.

Thank you for your reply; it is quite informative.