Spread on 1.5 acres, the ISKCON temple is tucked away at Injambakkam, far from the din and bustle of the city. Just a month after consecration, it looks new, saffron flags fluttering atop the vimanas. It is built in the Pallava style, Arivazhagan being the sthapati from the Mamallapuram school of architecture. The entrance to the shrine is through steps that represent the six chakras or energy centres. The seventh chakra, sahasrara, is at the centre of the worship hall. Made of translucent onyx marble, it is lit up underneath in the evening to give a beautiful glow.
“A temple represents the visva rupa, the universe, in the form of a man,” says Bhanu Swamigal, citing the Angor Wat temple in Cambodia as an example. “The feet are the main gate and the head is the sanctum sanctorum, housing the deities. Mount Meru, representing the principal deity, is symbolised by the sikharas (peaks) over the deities,” he elaborates. At this temple, the sikharas are in (Odisha style).
The worship hall has huge windows embellished by Vijaya Govinda Dasa’s paintings that shimmer in the streaming sunlight. The avatars of Vishnu are depicted, each representing a direction with the corresponding yantra… Rama for East (Sun), Nrisimha for South (Mars), Krishna for North-West (Moon) and so on.
The cow and the nursing calf at the entrance form a symbol too. “The cow is a giver; it nurtures life and is a personification of Dharma. Here it stands for the Earth. You take care of it, it gives. You abuse it, it stops producing,” the Swami explains.
Expansion plans are on the anvil, including a marriage hall with a full-fledged kitchen. Work will progress as and when funds trickle in.
