If you could design a temple....

[Gauracandra]

Just a fun little idea I thought I would present. If you could design a temple what elements would you incorporate? One of the things I've been interested in is how various religious buildings convey the philosophical conclusions of their respective traditions. So how would you design a temple with this in mind? How would you use light, color and layout to signify the siddhanta? I know we have some artists here, perhaps they could suggest some ideas.

 

One thing I was thinking was on a symbolic level to create a very western looking exterior with a more eastern interior. As such the temple would reflect the fact that many Gaudiya Vaisnavas are western on the exterior but have accepted internally the eastern traditions. This is one subtle idea I was playing around with.

 

Another idea would be to make all altars without pillars. This is just a practical suggestion. I have noticed that in temples with pillars, that at various points in a temple you can't see all the deities. So the temple would have just a simple rectangular altar.

 

One thing I have yet to see any temple handle well is the placement of shoes. How, on a practical level, can we make the shoe arrangement better? This is more a side issue. I'm actually more interested in the design of the temple. Please share your ideas.

 

Gauracandra

[dasanudas]

I'd design one out of ether

in the hearts of all

so envy can't conspire to demolish

what it can't touch

 

Sri Rupa already tried mixing all elements

but still ole Aurangatang

could'nt stand Krishna at the centre.

 

The city of Revelations sounds good to me

Back to Chintamani dham

the only safe Home Sweet Home

[Tarun]

Sans sufficient swimming pools, how can we ever hope to experience:

"gopIbhAva rasAmrtabdhI laharI"?

[Tarun]

3 swimming pools. One for the 3rd kind.

[dasanudas]

Hope springs eternal-- thru the divine Grace of Sri Guru and Gauranga.

[Tarun]

Gauraji: A side issue? I thought shoes were more of a sole issue.

After all, temples are built to save soles.

This morning in BhAgavatam class I heard the exact same thing.

Shoes are very important. They support all vaisnavas.

For that RAjasuya sacrifice, each PANDava did a particular menial job.

Recall? BhImasen cooked, KRSNa Himself washed guests' feet.

Similarly the Ideal Mandir is managed by humble vaisnavas.

[Gauracandra]

Ok, we're not getting very far with this

 

Let me make it simpler. Architecturally what design elements from other temples have you found most intriguing?

 

Gauracandra

[JRdd]

I like Mr Das' ideas the best. But I got a kick out of your idea of making the exterior look Western and the interior Eastern to depict the Westerners taking the Eastern internally. I wonder what that would look like. Would be fun toplay with that idea, and see if something actually pleasing came up. But I can't imagine anything more pleasing than Vedic versions. I don't know how much things have evolved from the original standards as laid out in the Vashtu shastras, seemed there was or is a lot of importance given to sacred geometry, numerology, and mathematics.

 

But that is maybe not fun for this thread. I love the idea of no pillars. Then again, maybe they simply echo the mood of Vipralambha, I mean even the gopis complained about the creator giving them eyelids that blinked, thus inhibiting their constant gaze upon Madan Mohan. Maybe we're supposed to feel frustrated. But I heard of a temple in South India, and I hope someone else knows of this and can elaborate, where by some clever use of natural magnetism the Deity is suspended in midair. Also I would love to hear about the Shiva temple, also in South India, where the five elements are depicted in different chambers, like there is a ghee lamp whose fire has never gone out, but there was something especially intriguing about the ether chamber. Anyone know?

 

The shoes. Don't you think New Jagannath Puri, in Berkeley, handles the shoe problem well? There are extensive cubbyholes along the inside of the outside wall as you come in, so you don't even see the shoes as you enter. All you have to do is make sure you separate them. Hunting for each one at the end is easier than walking out without a pair.

 

I like the fake balconies in New Jagannath Puri. I would prefer real ones, but in lieu of that, fake is good. I would put dancers on them (carvings). And I also love seeng dasavatara, the ten incarnations, sculpted onto the walls. I did some once for a temple in England. They were repeated all over the walls. The ones in Berkeley are much bigger, and very beautifully painted and decorated. I never get tired of looking at them. Also I think it is great that they have the enormous sculptures of Gaura and Nitai in the center at the back. That would be nice too.

 

I think temples should have more arrangments for disabled or sick people. Softer chairs in back, for one thing. Maybe padded benches along the side walls or something. So no one has to miss darshan due to physical limitations.

 

JR

[Gauracandra]

JRdd,

 

I too like the Berkeley temple. I like its subtle use of color on the inside. It is very colorful and light. In terms of modern exterior, what about skylights to allow natural light into the temple rooms during the day?

 

The shoe arrangement in Berkeley is not all that great though (just like most temples). Yes, they have cubby holes to put them in, but it still gets pretty messy. The Houston temple has a nice setup, where the guests are to put their shoes in some cubby holes, but mostly the congregation seemed to just put them outside on the sidewalk (and their congregation is mostly very respectable Indians). I have yet to see a real good arrangement for it. It always seems messy. Perhaps a separate building off to the side could work. This way, if nothing else, the messyness of shoe placement is hidden

 

Gauracandra

[Guest guest]

This is a huge topic and I dont know how to present coherently especially with my little knowledge. Let me try.

 

Any building can influence the mind of its audience and inmates. When we see a BIG building we are inspired with awe. Apart from that it is also possible for a building to influence a particular mode of nature in its audience. There are agama vidhis which tell us how to build temple for different deities and what supporting deities need to be placed where. Where it is not possible to install and maintain supporting deities, moola mantras of these deities can be installed. Vasthu sastra defines where the different parts of the temple should be. The land is also chosen according to certain rules or comensation or parigraha is done. Depending on the choice of deity, the core dimension of the temple sanctum sanctorum is designed and this square is expanded in 10 directions to complete the temple. YES! the temple also goes under ground. But most of it is done usine mantras and mental projection by the karthas. The janma nakshatra or birth star of the kartha is taken in to account to also arrive at these dimension. The material is chosen so that the influence is saatvic. The gopurams or temple towers are placed at the entrance and protected by the dikbalas and their associates. The structure aims at removing the negative energies and imposing positive energies on the visitor so that the thoughts are purified.

 

Ultimately the temple is built out of love for the deity so that the deity may reside there.

[Gauracandra]

Ram,

 

This is very interesting. I do believe that the way a temple is constructed will definitely create 'vibrations' that can influence those who enter (positively or negatively). Its sort of like feng shui in that sense.

 

Gauracandra