Toppo, Anisha J and Mazumdar, Moumita and Rajani, MB
(2026)
Celestial Alignments of Sacred Structures: Methods and Applications of Satellite Imagery and Astronomical Simulations.
In:
Spatial Narratives of India's Heritage: Integrating Geospatial Analysis in the Humanities edited by Rajani M.B.
Springer, Singapore, pp. 253-275.
ISBN 978-981-95-0116-8
Full text not available from this repository.
| Abstract: |
Sacred architecture has long been intertwined with celestial phenomena, with ancient builders often aligning structures such as temples, megalithic sites, and pyramids to significant astronomical events like solstices, equinoxes, and rising of stars. This study reviews global examples of such practices and explores techniques ancient civilizations may have used for these precise alignments. It also surveys contemporary methods adopted by researchers, including satellite imagery, field measurements, and astronomical simulations. Focusing specifically on temple structures in South India, the research integrates geospatial tools and simulation software to examine their orientations in relation to solar, lunar, and stellar events. By combining historical perspectives with precise digital analysis, the study identifies potential patterns of celestial alignment. Although the findings are preliminary, they highlight the growing importance of geospatial technologies in examining the astronomical significance of sacred sites. Additionally, the study compiled extensive location and orientation data for numerous temple sites, providing a foundation for further exploration and analysis. |
| Item Type: |
Book Chapter
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| Keywords: |
South India ; Temples ; Astronomical orientation ; GIS ; Satellite imagery |
| Subjects: |
School of Humanities > Archaeology
School of Humanities > Heritage Studies |
| Divisions: |
Schools > Humanities |
| Date Deposited: |
30 Jan 2026 06:55 |
| Last Modified: |
30 Jan 2026 06:55 |
| Official URL: |
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-... |
| Related URLs: |
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| Funders: |
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| Projects: |
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| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-0117-5_14 |
| URI: |
http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/3064 |
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