The ancients designed the temple and the rituals very scientifically. They knew how the mind worked and its distractions.
The whole universe is made up of 5 elements. Earth, water, fire, air and ether ( space ).
The 5 senses are associated with these 5 elements. ( sense of taste- water, touch-Earth, smell- Air, sight- Fire, hearing- ether)
Often the 5 senses get distracted trying to seek pleasure from the outside. In the process the mind gets carried away from the self.
The temple rituals were designed to activate the 5 elements and 5 senses so the mind doesn't get distracted anywhere else and in the process honoring the 5 elements.
The idol is decorated very beautifully so that the sense of sight is honored and also the sense of sight is arrested so as not to look at any thing else which the mind perceives as beautiful ( Like a beautiful girl in a cliched south indian movie :))The Fire element is honored with the burning of camphor and and oil light ( aarthi). The light is taken around the idol ( there is deeper meaning for this , but that is for another topic)
The water element is honored by theertha. The water absorbs the vibration of the chants and mantras. When the holy water is taken inside, the body and mind gets purified. ( sense of taste is activated and honored)
The earth element is honored by offering fruits and flowers to the deity. ( there is deeper meaning for this too) ( sense of touch)
The smell( air) element is honored by burning incense sticks
The space( ether) element is honored by meditating in the temple after the darshan. Elders ask us to sit for sometime before we go. Actually we are supposed to sit and meditate in the vibrations of chants and mantras….
This way there are many deeper meanings for our rituals and ancients were very intelligent and sensible.
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