mandapa

In Indian architecture, a mandapa is a pillared hall or portico found in Hindu temples. It serves as a gathering area for devotees and connects the inner sanctuary (garbhagriha) to the outside. These halls are often ornately decorated with carvings, friezes, and murals depicting mythology. The mandapa is a common feature in both northern Indian temple architecture, where it leads to the main sanctuary, and southern Indian temples, where it can be elaborately decorated. In some temple designs, multiple mandapas are incorporated, such as the five mandapas in the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.123