Buying a new apartment or house is an amazing and exhilarating experience. The joy of setting up this house and turning it into your dream home is priceless. Most homeowners carefully pick out the décor, the furnishing, upholstery, and wall colours. Similarly, the home temple or pooja room receives much attention in most Hindu households. This is where you install the idol of your deity and undertake the puja or prayer rituals every morning. This is where you chant or meditate every evening to cast off the day's stress. The tiles and the décor of your puja room or the home temple require special consideration.
Factors to consider when picking tiles for your home temple
- Lighting: While most of us would love to have beautiful and elegant home temples, the space constraints in modern flats and apartments do not make this possible. The availability of natural lighting is an important factor when choosing tiles. White or light colour tiles make the space look more spacious.
- Design and aesthetics: The tile design for the Hindu temple at home must be unique and inspiring. It is a good idea to avoid quirky or distracting designs and opt for traditional symbols like mandalas or rangolis. You may also look for plain-coloured tiles interspersed with sacred symbols like the Swastik or Om.
- Texture and finish: The texture and finish of the tiles you opt for will make a big difference to the outcome. In the puja room, you light diyas, burn incense, and place decorative lights. A highly glossy surface may create a glare that can be distracting. Similarly, a highly textured finish may lend the space an unkempt look. Picking out the right tiles according to your home dimensions is important.
- Material: The material used for the puja room tiles also requires due consideration. While natural stones such as marble and granite are popular, these may be very plain. Several new tile options are available that look like marble but offer beautiful carvings and designs. Vitrified tiles are also trendy and are available in various colours and designs.
- Maintenance: In most Hindu households, once the idol of the deity is installed in the temple, it is not removed from its position. This poses a challenge in cleaning the backsplash of the temple and its tiles. Finding a water-resistant tile that is easy to clean may be vital in keeping your mandir sparkling bright.
- Affordability: After investing in a new property, most homeowners become budget-conscious, and affordability is a factor to consider. Fortunately, these days there are unlimited tile options to choose from, both in terms of the design and budget of the homeowners. Pick an option that is affordable and can be replaced in a few years, if you want a change.
Tile designs for Hindu temple
- Florals – Floral patterned tiles have remained a classic and timeless favourite for the home temple. These come in pretty colours and very realistic designs. You can choose the flower regarded as auspicious for the deity installed, or you can pick a series of tiles that make your temple look like a beautiful garden.
- Rangolis – Rangoli tiles are a great option for the floor of the temple or right under the idol. Rangolis are elaborate designs traditionally painted on the floor to denote divine presence. Pick a large tile with a rangoli or several smaller ones that can be pieced together to form a pretty pattern.
- Mandalas – Like rangolis, mandalas are often used in connection with prayer and puja rooms but these are more geometric in nature. Mandala tiles can draw your focus away from distractions and help you meditate.
- Sacred symbols: Another good design idea for the puja room or home temple is creating a pattern with sacred Hindu symbols such as diyas, Swastik, or Om. This can be done as a central attraction amidst plain or textured tiles.
- Deity images: Installing a large tile with a Hindu deity image like Ganesha or Shiva elevates the puja room space and gives it a divine ambience. This is perfect for apartments with smaller puja room spaces and small-sized idols. It is also a good idea for home office spaces.
- 3D tiles: 3D design tiles are versatile and can be customised to give your home puja room the look of an authentic Hindu temple. You may want to talk to your interior designer or tile vendor about creating a computer image of the final design before picking 3D tiles.
In Hindu homes, the prayer area holds great significance as it is considered the heart of the family. To make this space look beautiful and well-maintained, it is essential to do proper research, plan, and select tiles thoughtfully. If you are unsure about choosing the right tiles, seeking advice from a professional interior designer could be helpful.