VAISHNAVITE TEMPLE CAR

A wooden vehicle used for carrying deities in procession is called as a TEMPLE CAR. During festivals, the devotees drag and move the temple car in procession. Woodcarvings or sculptures decorate every part of this temple car. Most of the temples in Tamil Nadu have temple cars and streets/routes for its procession. As continuation to the practice of using of chariot in defence forces during historical times becoming obsolete, it might have found its place in the form of temple cars.

‘Vaishnavite’ temple car made out of teak wood is shown here. It is ornately decorated with geometric designs and mythical characters from ‘Vaishnavite’ literature.