Confluence of multiple faith: World’s tallest earthquake resistant LEED certified Krishna temple -Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir to be built by ISKON in Uttar Pradesh
Agra July 20:At the exorbitant cost of 300crore,Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir is the world’s most expensive temple to be built.At a staggering height of 700 feet (213m) with 70 stories ,three times the height of Delhi’s Qutub Minar, the temple has a footprint of 5 acres.Situated in Vrindavan,Mathura, the abode of Lord Krishna, the project, set in 62 acres of land ,will includes 12 acres for parking and a helipad.
The temple is expected to mark Vrindavan ,on the world spiritual map It is where Hindu deity Krishna is said to have spent his childhood.The construction is expected to be completed over the next five years.
A look-alike of the verdant forests of Vrindavan will be recreated around this magnificent temple.
The temple will have four halls each designated to Acharya Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKON, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, Radha Krishna and the Astha Sakhis, and one for Sri Krishna Balaram,
A devotee will have to walk 1.2 km for ‘darshan’.
ISKON -International Society for Krishna Consciousness ,the Hare Krishna movement devotees of Bangalore are behind this venture and project.
The temple is being constructed to fulfill the wish of Srila Prabhupada.
The temple will be made vibrant with festivals and it aspires to provide an impetus and facilitate the transformation of society and to inculcate spirituality.
The area surrounding the temple will consist of the twelve forests of Braj, with varieties of lush vegetation, green pastures, elegant vistas of fruit bearing trees to transport the visitors to Krishna times as spelled out in the ancient texts on the lines of Vaastu knowledge.
The 26 acre area around temple would re-establish the glory of forest of Krishna period.
It will include a musical fountain, Bhagwat discourse centre, a kund, boring in holy water of Yamuna creek, Brij heritage village ,Bhagvad Gita Expo , Krishna heritage museum and cow shelter that would form the part of theme park.
The temple is being worked on by 25 specialist consultants from across the world. The core architectural team comprises of people from different faiths.
The principal architect’s team is lead by Jagminder Singh, a Sikh, while Misam Imam heads the structural design team.
Chris Meering, in-charge of the team handling vertical transport is a a Christian.
In terms of funding and logistical support it is being supported by people of several faiths and nationalities.
The structural design for this temple has been given to M/s Thornton Tomasetti,Leonard Joseph ,who is presently designing the Kingdom Tower at Jeddah, the world’s tallest upcoming structure.
The fire safety system of the temple is being put up by Sunil Sahani, who designed a similar system for the Burj Khalifa.
Narsimha Dass, the senior vice-president and project director says the the temple is coming up for people of all faith and not just Hindus.
The temple’s foundation stone was laid by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in March 2014. Later that October, President Pranab Mukherjee visited the site for the Ananth Sesh Sthapna poojan. Work for the temple finally began in 2015, with the deadline set for 2022.
Touted as the first LEED Gold certified temple building, it is designed to have minimum radiative heating of the internal environment.The temple structure is being designed to withstand an ultimate wind load of 226 kilometer/hour.
It is also being designed to withstand intense earthquake tremors twice the intensity of the earthquake that Mathura faced was on September 1, 1803, which measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale.
Architecturally, a capsule elevator is being included in the core temple structure that will take visitors through different planetary systems in the universe
The elevator experience will be enhanced with sound, light and diorama.
