A mandir is a Hindu temple, and is equivalent to a Christian church, Muslim mosque (masjid) and so on. It is a place outside the normal world where people can communicate with their Gods.

A temple has symbols of all parts of Hindu world - the good, the evil, the human, cyclic time and life. The symbols for these are dharma, kama, artha, moksa and karma.

The holy books on which the principles of the mandir are based are the ancient Sanskrit texts of India (e.g. the Vedas). The layout, the motifs, the plan and other aspects of the mandir all reflect these beliefs, although in countries outside India, Hindus are expert at making use of the existing buildings available.

Hindu temples in India and elsewhere in the world have many regional styles and are some of the wonders of the world. The ones most often seen in pictures are the colourful mandirs of Southern India.