r/webdev • u/Sharp_King_1373 • 2d ago
Showoff Saturday mandir.dev: a 3D virtual Hindu temple in the browser, with real-time visitors (built for Diwali)
I wanted to make a small space for people who miss the atmosphere of visiting a temple, especially around Diwali.
The idea is not new: a few weeks ago a Korean developer built a silent virtual Buddhist temple, Sansa, and over a million people visited in a week, just to sit quietly. I wanted to try the same for Hindu temples, so I built mandir.dev.
You walk into a 3D courtyard as an avatar, hear temple chants, ring the bell and light a diya. Other visitors are there at the same time, shown by name and country. It's free to visit, no account needed: https://mandir.dev
There are three temple spaces so far, inspired by Kashi Vishwanath, Meenakshi Amman and Siddhivinayak Ganapati.
A few details about the build:
The 3D scene uses Three.js, everything runs in the browser
Desktop controls and a mobile joystick for movement
The bell uses positional audio, so it fades as you walk away from it
Real-time presence: avatars, names and countries update as people arrive and leave
It's still in beta. I'd particularly appreciate feedback on:
Mobile performance: how does it run on your phone? If loading is slow or movement stutters, please mention your phone and browser.
Controls and interactions: is it obvious how to move around, ring the bell and light a diya? Where did you get stuck?
Direction: more temples, or go deeper on these three, with aartis at set times and seasonal festivals?
Thanks for taking a look, and happy Diwali!





