User:Wikidas/TVP
| ToVP | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | West Bengal |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Vary |
ToVP | |
|---|---|
city | |
  ToVP Location in India | |
| Coordinates: 23°23′N 88°23′E / 23.38°N 88.38°E | |
| Country |  India |
| Website | http://tovp.org/ |
The Temple of Vedic Planetarium, also known as Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, Temple of Vedic Planetarium is an unfinished project of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and is the claimed to be become the largest Hindu temple in the world, when completed. It is expected to complete in 2016, and is being built in Mayapur, which lies in Nadia district of West Bengal, India. [1] [2]
Description[edit]
Proposed to be located in the new ' Vedic City', under construction it is the central building that some suggest was proposed to be be a flower-shaped stupa in memory of Prabhupada who died in 1977, with a Vedic planetarium inside.[3]
Originally designed by Surabhi and approved by founder of ISKCON, Prabhupada, the buidling is expected to reach the height equivalent of 35 storey's and making it only a smidgeon shorter than the Great Pyramid of Giza.[4]
ISKCON is one of the developers of the actual temple building that they have had designed to symbolise the Indian ideas of the cosmos and man's place within the universe. They are currently joined by partners, including the Alfred Brush Ford Foundation who are providing the bulk of the capital. [4]
Alfred Brush Ford, great grandson of Henry Ford and Senior Trustee of Ford Motor Company Fund, expressed his support "religious tourism project" for the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. [5]
Background history and prediction[edit]
One astounding temple will appear, from which Lord Gaurasundara's eternal service will be spread all over the world.
At the end of the 19th c, a visionary and a magistrate of the British administrative service by the name of Bhaktivinoda Thakura undertook the personal mission to locate the original settlement of Mayapur. He has studied ancient maps and historical records, as well as Hindu and Vaishnava texts and took the help of the saintly seers of the area. Its is believed that one night he had a vision of a light shining on a grove of Tulasi trees, that are particularly sacred to the Vaishnava faith. Bhaktivinoda Thakur invited his spiritual master to confirm that this was, indeed, the actual birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His teacher, Jagannatha dasa Babaji, was believed to be over 120 years old and was so weak and frail that he had to be carried in a basket. Upon arriving at the grove, Jagannatha dasa Babaji leapt from the carrying basket crying out Chaitanya’s name and dancing.
Bhaktivinoda then according to his wish, has personally begged from over 50,000 homes a donation of Rs 1 each to establish the first shrine to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapur. The neem tree at the location has long since gone, but a new one has grown in its place and is the sacred place that pilgrims circumambulate, tie threads, and take the holy dust from its roots on their heads. The name of this location is Yoga-pith - or a place which connects the mundane earth to the spiritual world in Gaudiya Vaishnava faith.
Bhaktivinoda’s son and sucessor Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati continued to develop areas of Mayapur. He researched further into the history of the dhama, called Nava-dvipa "the sacred land of nine islands", in ancient Hindu texts, and, as it is believed among his followers, uncovered dozens of lost historical places of profound significance to Vaishnava heritage and understanding.[6] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (1896–1977) defined the size and design details of the new temple and town. He also bought the land, laid the cornerstone, and left the royalties from his numerous books to help fund the construction.[7]
History of design[edit]
Original ideas[edit]
First design was drawn up by Ranchor in London. It had little resemblance to the Hindu contemporary architectural styles, but was drawing largely from early periods of Hindu temple architecture, with pyramidal forms of Dravida style, part resembling Thanjavur temple, Tamil Nadu, and part pre-Gupta period multi level pagoda forms. That design was made before the idea of a planetarium.[8] Other persons involved with the production of this early design were Nara Narayana Dasa and Vasudeva, who were meant to be sent to Mayapur, India to proceed with the construction, Bhavananda's name is also mentioned in the regard of possible construction, but not the design:
I have already engaged Nara Narayana, Vasudeva and Ranchor to prepare a grand scale plan for the Mayapur land and as soon as it is prepared, Nara Narayana will go there. Bhavananda is coming here on his way to India. He will reach here on the 19th August. Bhavananda and Nara Narayana, they have got good experience in building affairs so I think if we engage professional masons and supervise the work ourselves, we can save so much money.
— Letter to: Tamala Krsna, 71-08-14[9]
But the earliest mention of the plans for the temple in Mayapur appear in Prabhupadas letter to Gopal Krishna Goswami in July of 1969, who was asked to 'look after the Mayapur-contemplated temple'. [10] The earliest known date that Srila Prabhupada talked about a planetarium is c. 1973 in a recorded conversation with his godbrother BR Sridhar Swami.[8]
It is then a description of the design appeared in the Back to Godhead magazine, 1973, stating: "The proposed temple in Māyāpur, 350 feet high, will have 108 domes. A swirling mural surrounding its central staircase will depict elevation from the material world to the topmost spiritual abode."[11]
Designs approved before 1977[edit]
Designs under directorship of Ford[edit]
Alfred B. Ford, also know as Ambarish Das, a devout Vaisnava, married to a Bengali doctor is an active member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness of Gainseville, Florida. He runs art galleries and attends Ford family board meetings.
He has been involved in directorship of the development of the Vedic Planetarium at Mayapur, and is the campaign chairman and main donor. [12]
Current version[edit]
The current under construction temple of vedic planetarium is completely different temple then the previous temple proposed by surabhi. The ideas of this temple are taken from various monuments around the world namely Taj Mahal, St Paul's Cathedral etc.
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Times of India article of 2013
- ^ official website
- ^ Michel Vatin (1998). Insight Guide Calcutta (Insight City Guides-Foreign). Langenscheidt Publishers. pp. p. 65. ISBN 0-88729-632-7.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ a b "Article - 802 - West Bengal India Starts Largest Hindu Temple". www.skyscrapernews.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ "The Hindu Business Line : Ford plans `religious tourism project' in Bengal — Vedic planetarium in Mayapur on cards". www.thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^ Akhandadi Dasa AKA Fleming, Martin. "ISKCON Mayapur Design - Hare Krishna". www.iskcon.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
- ^ Abhirāma Dāsa, A Temple for the Next Millennium, Back to Godhead Magazine #33-06, 1999
- ^ a b Hari, Sauri. "A reply to concerns about the current design of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium". www.dandavats.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ^
Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Swami. "Letter to: Tamala Krsna 71-08-14". krishnascience.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
{{cite web}}: Check|first=value (help) - ^
Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Swami. "Prabhupada Letters :: 1969". www.prabhupada1969.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
{{cite web}}: Check|first=value (help) - ^ Back to Godhead Magazine #60, 1973, ISKCON news
- ^ Lahri, Nisha. "The Telegraph - Ford scion in Krishna temple overdrive the corporate Pilgrim - Monday, December 30, 2002". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
References[edit]
- Thompson, R.L. (2003). Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy. Motilal Banarsidass,.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
- Bozeman, J.M. (2000). "ISKCON's Extensive Reform Efforts". Nova Religio. 3 (2): 383–391. doi:10.1525/nr.2000.3.2.383.
- Khosla, R. (2002). The Loneliness of a Long Distant Future: Dilemmas of Contemporary Architecture. Manohar Publishers and Distributors.</ref>
External links[edit]
- "ISKCON Mayapur Design". www.iskcon.org.uk.