When stone started singing: The forgotten musical science of ancient Indian temples

There is a famous Kannada song, "Kelisade Kallu Kallinalli", inspired by the musical pillars of Hampi's Vittala Temple. To some, it may sound like poetic imagination or folklore. Yet the temple's remarkable acoustics have fascinated visitors, historians and researchers for centuries. The famed pillars are known for producing distinct resonant tones when gently tapped, reflecting the extraordinary skill of ancient Indian architects and craftsmen. Long before modern acoustic engineering, sound laboratories, or digital music systems, temple builders had mastered the science of vibration and acoustics. They created stone pillars into musical instruments, staircases into scales, and temple halls into natural amplifiers.

Hampi is not alone. Similar acoustic marvels exist across India, from Tamil Nadu to Telangana and Maharashtra. On World Music Day (June 21), let us explore these remarkable temples where architecture and acoustics were designed to create music.