Temples Without Idols: Worshipping the Invisible in India

We identify temples with carvings so delicate on the idols — from the calm face of Buddha to the authoritative figure of Lord Shiva or the mischievous infatuation of Krishna. But in the religious hubs of India, there are temples where there is no god to behold, no idol to put on clothes or adorns — and still, devotion pours like a silent river.

In these few temples here, the unseen takes on the divine. Rising from nondualistic philosophies and esotericism, these temples caution us that God does not necessarily require a face — space, light, or silence will suffice at times.

Why Would a Temple Not Have an Idol?