Current Status of Construction

With great pleasure we present before you the latest construction updates from the New Vedic Cultural Center coming up in Pune!

Exterior of Temple

1. Marble cladding of the exterior portion of the temple has been completed by 70%.
2. The Pradakshina Marg has been covered with Rajashthani style Bansi Pahad Red Sand stone arches & columns.
3. We have begun the work of polishing the marble on the exterior and polishing of the ground floor level has been completed.
4. Of three levels, one level of the shikhars on the terrace parapet wall has been completed.

We aim to complete the exterior work of the temple by November 2011.

Interior of Temple

Altar

Two Gopis are being carved on each of the pillars on the altar of Their Lordships. An elephant is being carved at the base of all the pillars. Three copper domes will be built on the ceiling of each altar. Honey Onex marble will be used to cover the floor of the altar. This is transparent marble which will glow with the diffused lights placed below it. The altar and the altar doors will be embossed with gold leafing. We are very greatful to Mr. Santosh Gudigar of Devi Arts, Belgaum, Karnataka for coming up with this design. He has been awarded the National Young Artist award by the Government of Karnataka and is also on the advisory board of the American Biographical Institute. The carving of the teak wood altar has been completed by 80%.

Ceiling

The ceiling design of the Temple Hall includes:

• A main central dome that is going to be the highlight of the temple. It has been designed as a lotus flower with the 8 sakhis on the petals of the lotus. At the center of the flower Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna dance gracefully, accepting the worship of the surrounding sakhis.
• 12 Mahajanas or the 12 principle vaishnavas of the Gaudiya Vaishnav Sampradaya surround the main dome.

The ceiling work is going on in full swing and 30% of the total ceiling has been completed. Magnificent Radha Krishna artwork will be displayed on the ceiling of gallery. It will be adorned with cladding and arches made of teak wood stone. The entire ceiling is being made of gypsum and fibre glass. Chandeliers with attractive light fixtures made of RGB LED lighting will create different moods at different times of the day. The ceiling work of the gallery is 50% complete while the plastering work has been completed.

Deity Room

1. The cupboard work for the deity paraphernalia is in progress.
2. The deity kitchen flooring has been completed with green Marble.
3. The plastering of the wall has been completed by 90%.
4. The marble platform of the deity room has been completed by 75%.

Srila Prabhupada’s Altar

Srila Prabhupada will be present in the temple, seated upon his own teakwood altar at the back of the hall. The floor will be a mixture of makrana pure white and Italian marble. It is going to be decorated with multi-coloured lotus inlays. Above Srila Prabhupada will be a huge Sankirtana wall mural, depicting Lord Chaitanya dancing with his devotees in ecstatic sankirtan. This mural is being made of fibre glass and will be hand painted. This work of constructing Prabhupada’s Altar has just begun.

Balaji Temple Construction updates

The Balaji temple has almost been completed. The temple has distinct features of south Indian architecture like the Vaikuntha Airplane(Vimanam), the main dome(RajaGopuram), the fire sacrifice area(Bali Peetham) and Garuda’s deity and altar(Garuda Mantapa), Dvaja Sthambha. There will be many vigrahas surrounding the Vimanam and Rajagopuram. All these stone sculptures and edifices have been completed at Chennai and are to be installed at site.

Flooring work in Balaji Temple Hall is in progress.