1. Definition of Maṇḍapa (pavilions)

The Maṇḍapas or Maṇṭapas are translated as pavilions or halls. The maṇḍapas in temples were built for the purpose of the various utsavas or as a storage place for the vāhanas of the gods and goddesses, etc.

The Amarakośa (II. 2. 9) defines a maṇḍapa as a place that acts as shelter to travellers and in prāsādas for the deities:

......... maṇḍapo'strī janāśrayaḥ |
harmyādi dhanināṃ vāsaḥ prāsādo devabhūbhujām ||

Mallinātha in his Amarapadapārijāta^[1] on the Amarakośa further adds that since the people congregate there, it is termed as a maṇḍapa.

Or in other words it is but a resting place for all the people (travellers):

... maṇḍyate janairiti maṇḍapaḥ | ‘maḍi bhūṣāyām’ | janānāmāśrayaḥ janāśrayaḥ | sarvajanāśrayaśālānāma ||

Kāśyapa, deals with this Maṇḍapa in the forty-fourth chapter^[2] of the text Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra. He describes the various types of maṇḍapas, their measurements and their special features like its utilitarian value.

Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra^[3] does not give a proper definition for the maṇḍapas, for it directly goes on to describe its types (XLIV. 1ab):

atha vakṣye viśeṣeṇa maṇḍapānāṃ tu lakṣaṇam |

The Mānasāra (XXXIV. 1) from the same school of architecture, defines the maṇḍapas as a dwelling place fit for the Gods, the twice-born and other caste people:

sarveṣāṃ maṇḍapānāṃ tu lakṣaṇāṃ vakṣyate'dhunā |
taita(ti)lānāṃ^[4] dvijātīnāṃ varṇānāṃ vāsayogyakam ||

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Amarakośa, 1971, p. 200.

[2]:

Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition deals with Maṇṭapas in its 43rd chapter. Also, this text uses Maṇṭapas instead of Maṇḍapas.

[3]:

The Muktabodha edition of this text gives 14 extra verses before the first verse of the Maharishi edition which is quoted above.

[4]:

Though the term occurs frequently in the Āgamas, no definite meaning of the term in found.