From ancient times, it is evident that a platform is an inevitable need of society, be it for a minute work or a great practice. The Altar and stage are two such decks to allow the deserving to move ahead and be enlightened. But, the purpose of these differs a lot.
Altar vs Stage
The main difference between an altar and a stage is that an altar is a place of spirituality. On the other hand, a stage is a place of professionalism. On an altar, a person offers his devotion to the almighty, while on a stage, he exhibits his artistic talents.
An altar is a raised or elevated space in a religious place. Its purpose is to conduct rituals and offer prayers. This type of Altar is present in many spiritual places. It mostly adheres to religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and many more. People bow down before an altar in respect and love for the almighty.
A stage is a raised platform in a room or any other space. It is the space in a room for a different purpose. Most commonly, it is used for performance or theatre or sometimes for speeches and lectures. It is the centre of attraction in any place of its existence.
Comparison Table Between Altar and Stage
| Parameters of Comparison | Altar | Stage |
| Motive | The motive of an altar is to feel the Supreme God. | The motive of a stage is to showcase talent or accomplishments. |
| Purpose | An altar is for a spiritual purpose and glorifies the Almighty. | The purpose of a stage is professional and glorifies individual personality. |
| Action | When a person is on the Altar, the aim is to spread the message of God. | When a person is on the stage, the aim is to entertain the audience. |
| Attachment | The attachment to the Altar gives you peace, joy and fulfilment. | In the case of on-stage performance, unattained expectations create a void and cause pain. |
| Aftermath | The void inside any person disappears as you immerse in the understanding of the almighty. | The good feeling created by the performer disappears with his performance. |
What is an Altar?
The Altar is a very pious part of any religious establishment. It was true for both the Romans and the Greeks. The French have been instrumental in infusing this word with meaning. The purpose of an altar is purely spiritual.
Different religions have the custom of using a diverse type of Altar. In Judaism, the construction of altars made use of stone, rock, or sand. Judaism builds two altars in memory of Mount Sinai’s theophany: the Altar of Incense and the Altar of Burnt Offering.
In Christian churches, altars take centre stage. These churches usually install altars for lifelong service within the designated worship areas.
Altars in Hinduism have images or statues of gods and goddesses.
A Hindu temple will have an enormous decorative altar, while a Hindu household will have a smaller one. Each God in a South Indian temple will have his shrine, which encases in a compact house.
At the entrance of the temple room, most North Indian temples have a single main altar. Shrine doors close when the Deities are sleeping, and curtains hang over the entrances.
Most Buddhist-following societies have butsudan, or spirit houses, as the most important architectural structures in their temples and dwellings. A shrine is a site of worship for the Buddha, the Law of the Universe, and other deities.
What is a stage?
The stage is a reserved and elevated space in a hall, auditorium or theatre. The purpose of it is to serve a predetermined function. The most common use of a stage is a performance by different actors or artists. It goes by a range of names, including platform, dais, rostrum, podium, mandapam, and stand. It has a wide area of usage or purpose.
A stage may be temporary or permanent depending on the usage and necessity. It can be of different types, depending upon its use and the audience it entertains. There are four types of stages prevalent worldwide. Some of the stage/stands are open, and others are partly open and partly hidden for the backstage artist to work.
One type of stage is the proscenium, where the audience shall sit on one side of it. The second is the ‘Thrust’, where the audience shall sit on three sides. The third type is ‘Black box’, where the audience sits all-around a flat space deemed to be the stage.
There is also a fourth type, ‘created and found spaces’, where a makeshift stage serves the purpose. Individuals build such a stage in any available location, such as an open area, a basement, or a building terrace.
Main Difference between Altar and stage
- The purpose of making a stage is to display one’s abilities or accomplishments, but the construction of altars is to feel God’s presence and transformative power.
- A stage honours a spotlighted act, whereas an altar honours and glorifies God.
- When a person is on a stage, the idea is to entertain an audience. A person on the Altar acts as a messenger of God and spreads his gospel to the lost.
- A performer creates a good feeling while performing, but it soon vanishes, and emptiness replaces it. When any person is at the Altar, the holy spirit feeds him constantly with good thoughts and a positive attitude.
- When a person puts their trust and worth in a stage, they only receive pain and emptiness, but when you place your life on God’s Altar, you will receive the peace, joy, and fulfilment that only come from the Altar.
Conclusion
People interpret the meaning of an altar and a stage differently. In any setting, raised spaces can function as an altar or a stage, depending on their purpose. For example, a performer also sees a stage as a place of worship, and he performs with great devotion and dedication.
An altar is a venue of consecration in the devotion of God. Moreover, Human beings have an inbuilt altar where the battle between good and evil always continues. Thus it is not always necessary to surrender ourselves to Altar made rocks and stones. Relatively, we can do that within our hearts.
References
- https://search.proquest.com/openview/d77097b80e7d1998870e41c48ca33114/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/theatre-survey/article/where-was-the-altar/4981B35606521D7C31E83A0E33E0A951