AGAMAS

Agamas are essentially treatises that prescribe and describe in detail too, the worship of the DivinitY in many specific and definable forms. The Agamas concerning Shiva come under the category of Shivagama, that of Vishnu as Vaishnavagama, concerning Shakthi the Divine mother were termed Shaakta agama, and those relatable ot Ganapathy, Subrahmanya and Surya were grouped as Ganapatya, Kaumra and Saura Agamas. All the six types of temples and worship were existing in India until a few centuries ago. However as time passed, the Ganaptya, Kaumara and Saura strains dwindled in the number of followers and even the worship of those deities merged with the methodology followed by Shiva,Vaishnava or Shatas agamas. Moreover even though Shaktha agama is being practice in some far corners of the country either as Vaamaachaa and/or Dakshnaachaara, at present the predominennt metnodology is to follow either Vaikhansa or Pancharatra in Vishnu-related worsip and four types..Shaiva, Paashupata, Soma and Laakula Agamic methodology relating to Shiva are in vogue currently in Shiv-related worship. If you consider the temple architecture or process of worship and ritual in the current day India, the practice of either Shivagamas in Sahivite shrines and Vishnava Agamas in Vaishnavite shrines would be ubiquitous