Irrespective of our individual faith and belief systems, we all seek moments of peace in the hustle and bustle of our modern lives. One way to cultivate a sense of tranquillity within your home is by incorporating a mandir (in this case, mandir is used as a broad term for a sacred space that is used by people of all religions and faith systems), a sanctified space dedicated to worship and meditation.
For people who choose to have such spaces incorporated into their homes, home mandirs serve as a visual and spiritual focal point within a household. They are essentially dedicated areas for prayer, meditation, and reflection, and may or may not include a display of religious symbols and icons. But no matter how you do it up, how big/ small it is, or whether or not you choose to use a visual reference to focus your spiritual energy, a home mandir is always intended to be a serene environment and deeply personal environment.
Here are 5 basic design principles we follow when designing a home mandir:
1. Location and Placement
Choose a quiet and undisturbed corner of your home for the mandir. This can be in the living room, bedroom, or a separate room dedicated to be used as a mandir.
If you believe in following the principles of Vastu or Feng Shui, place the mandir in the northeast or east direction. These directions are considered auspicious per both these practices.
2. Materials
Traditional mandirs are often made of wood, symbolizing warmth and earthiness.
Another Vastu compliant material is natural stone.
3. Altar or Platform
The central focus of the mandir is the altar or platform where deities, religious texts, candles or incense sticks are placed. Choose a size that suits the available space and complements the overall design. Avoid making this too large or too small with respect to the space allocated.
Also consider your personal prayer and meditations rituals when deciding on the height of the altar:
If you prefer to sit on the ground and pray, keep the altar platform lower (about 450mm high) and use this height to incorporate space for organised storage of things like candles, incense sticks, match boxes, oil, diyas, etc.
If on the other hand you have elderly people at home who find it difficult to sit on the ground or prefer praying standing up, then place the altar slightly higher than a table top (at about 1000mm) and use the space below for storage.
You could also consider keeping the altar low (for people who like to sit on the ground and pray), and adding a settee or bench facing the altar (for elderly people to sit on.)
4. Lighting
The choice of lighting is key to creating the right ambiance. We prefer using soft, warm white light to being in a sense of calm.
Whenever possible, we also like bringing in as much natural light as possible.
Traditional hanging or floor standing diyas or lamps can add a nice touch to the design and also provide additional lighting.
5. Colour Scheme
Choose a colour scheme that resonates with your spiritual beliefs. We prefer whites, creams, and pastel colours as they create a calmer more serene atmosphere.
Using softer hues as a base also allows us to incorporate specific accent colours that are considered auspicious in our clients’ personal, cultural or religious traditions.
On that note, here are four home mandirs that we think are ergonomically as well as aesthetically well designed –
A beautiful prayer room designed by O'Nest Interiors which juxtaposes patterned tiles with Indian motifs, on a pastel green wall accentuated with PoP detailing and a tropical motif done in gold foil. This choice of aesthetic is great because it is functional (immediately puts one in a calm state of mind) as well as contextual (distinctly Indian). The ergonomics of the altar and bench also suggest that it takes care of the users' personal preference of sitting down to pray.
Image Source: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsLMqR3owMc/?img_index=2
A very earthy and neutral prayer room with just a hint of red, a colour that is very strongly linked to festivity in India. Conceptualised by Team Shabnam, this design is a great example of balancing the flamboyance of Indian festivities with the need for serenity in a prayer room.
Image Source: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz6Gd2VSW2x/
Designed by Red Brick Studio, this is a great example of how to create a mandir in an outdoor patio. Its simplicity, material palette and ergonomics are just on point. The form is modern yet reminiscent of the Nagara style of temple architecture. The material palette is natural, warm and contextually appropriate. And the choice of mounting it on the wall makes it easy to maintain (keeps it safe from dust and rainwater), while the ergonomic height of the altar is suitable for someone who prefers to stand and pray.
Image Source: Red Brick Studio (2022) "Royal Impression". Red Brick Studio: https://redbrickstudio.in/portfolio-items/the-royal-impression/
Designing a home mandir is a deeply personal and spiritual endeavour. And we at Studio Keystone believe that more than anything else, a spiritual space needs to reflect your values, and provide you with a sanctuary for introspection and spiritual practices. Reach out to us if you’d like some help in creating a sacred space that is your very own!
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