Devotion Goes Digital: Temple 360 Launched By Ministry Of Culture To Enable Virtual Darshan Of Prominent Shrines Of The Country

As part of the celebrations of the 75th year of Indian independence, the Union Ministry of Culture has launched a platform that enables virtual ‘darshan’ of prominent shrines across the country.

Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi launched the website ‘Temple 360’ in an event organised by Ministry of Culture at the Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts, New Delhi on the occasion of the celebrations of Nava Samvatsar (Hindu New Year) on Saturday (2 April).

Addressing the gathering, Lekhi said the website was an effort to enable people, who for various reasons may not be able to do so in person, to visit the historic shrines.

“During corona, people were not able to visit temples, there are many reasons people can’t go and visit temples, the Temple 360 is that digital platform where anyone can visit or do darshan of 12 Jyotirlinga and Char Dham from any location,” said Lekhi.

“I feel very happy when the young generation who is present here is dancing to the songs of Raghuvanshi ji, and that is the power of India,” she added.

She explained that through this platform people can see and participate in e-Darshan, e-Prashad and e-Aarti which make everyone's life convenient and also keeps people connected.

Temple 360 is a website where one can visit a temple of their choice, anytime and from anywhere from India. With the help of this website, one can digitally witness the magnificence of some of the most pious Hindu pilgrimages that exist. The website also allows a devotee to perform e-Aarti and several other services.

The website for now offers only darshan. “Through this website, we hope to bring to you 24x7 the experience of immersive spiritual journeys and temple darshans through live camera feeds across the temples of India. In the near future the website will also enable you to avail various services such as E-Prasad, E-Arti, E-Sringaar, E-Donation,” says the website.

At present, one can have the live darshan of Gujarat’s Somnath temple, Nashik’s Tryambakeshwar (live streaming wasn't available at the time of writing) and Aurangabad’s Grishneshwar Temple, while other Jyotirlingas and the Char Dham are ‘coming soon’, says the site.