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Temple of Anandeshwar - Foundation stone, initiating the process, inspecting deities in the making
- 20 Apr '06 onwards
On 20 Apr '06, Swamiji laid the foundation stone for the temple of Anandeshwar at the ashram in Bangalore, India. The temple will be built as a traditional Dravidian style stone temple. The work was entrusted to Sri M.S.Sivaprakasam, Srirangam Rajagopura Sthapathy, who built the world's tallest temple tower in the temple of Srirangam in South India. Click to see a picture of the temple tower of Srirangam. Sthapathy is the name given to people who are specialised in the design and construction of Hindu temples. Sri M.S. Sivaprakasam hails from a family that has been in this profession for nine generations.
Following this, on 31 July '06, Swamiji visited the workshop in Rasipuram, Tamilnadu where the stone was being cut and formed to make the temple top structure and initiated the process by operating the shearing machine on the stone slab himself.
The owner of the workshop in Rasipuram was approached by
the Sthapathy to take on the job of forming the stone for
the temple. While discussing, the owner suddenly realized
that Swamiji was none other than the same person, whose eyes'
photograph was given to him by a friend a week earlier as
a mark of postive vibrations. Stirred by the power of coincidence,
he gladly accepted the job and declared that he dedicates
his workshop to undertake all future temple works of Dhyanapeetam.
Following are pictures from both these events.
3 Aug '06, Swamiji visited Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu to inspect
the deities of Lord Anandeshwar and Goddess Anandeshwari,
the presiding deities of the Temple of Anandeshwar which are
in the making in a stone carving center there. The deities,
currently modeled in wax models will be cast in metal to be
placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
Swamiji cited a few corrections and encouraged the craftsmen
to complete the work as quickly as possible. Pictures
in page 3
On 18 Sep ’06, Swamiji made a final visit to Kumbakonam to inspect the deities of Anandeshwar and Anandeshwari (after they were cast using the mould), before they were sent out on a grand procession across Tamilnadu and Karnataka after which they would be consecrated at the Temple of Anandeshwar at the ashram in Bangalore. Pictures of this visit on Page 4.
Here, Swamiji is seen praying to Mother Earth before commencing the pooja to Her. In the pictures that follow, Swamiji performs pooja to Mother Earth on the spot where the temple is to be built.
Swamiji is seen blessing Sri M.S.Sivaprakasam, Sthapathy, to commence the work of the temple.
Swamiji is seen with the Sthapathy and the team that accompanied him.
Seen below is one of the towers
of the ancient temple of Arunachala in Thiruvannamalai,
South India, in the lines of which the front enclosure
(main mandap) of the temple of Anandeshwar
in the ashram is going to be built. Skilled artisans
from South India will reproduce the intricate workmanship
of the tower, bringing to vibrant life the symbolic
deities that adorn the tower.
A close-up view of the picture above...
Seen here is a structure from the same Arunachala Temple, along the lines of which, the Garbha Graha mandir (Sanctum Sanctorum structure of the main deity) will be built. The plans and more representative pictures of the temple of Anandeshwar will be posted soon.
