Southern States - Karnataka   

Vice-President to open 'Vishalakshi Mantap'

By Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE JAN. 17. The Vishalakshi Mantap, constructed by The Art of Living Foundation amid picturesque surroundings at Udayapura village on Kanakapura Road, 21 km. from here, will be inaugurated by the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, on Saturday. The Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani, and other dignitaries, including religious leaders from across the world, will be present.

The Vishalakshi Mantap, designed by Sri Ravishankar, founder of The Art of Living Foundation, has been constructed in memory of late Vishalakshi, Sri Ravi Shankar's mother at a cost of more than Rs. 7 crore. The money was donated by devotees from all over the world, K. Narayanan, Executive Director, Sri Sri Centre for Media Studies, says.

The five-storeyed lotus-shaped building was constructed in three years. As many as 7,000 people were employed. Craftsmen from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka joined to design lotuses on the ceiling. Each floor and door of the building has been designed in a unique way, and the visitors can enjoy the beauty of Nature from each floor, Mr. Narayanan adds.

The building was constructed keeping with the commitment towards the preservation and protection of the environment. The structure symbolises the "5 H" programme of The Art of Living Foundation: human values, hygiene, health, harmony in diversity, and homes, Vikram Hazra, teacher at the foundation, says.

The mantap has a meditation hall on all five floors. The meditation hall on the ground floor can accommodate over 5,000 devotees. The multipurpose structure, designed by Sri Ravishankar, has a mix of glass, wood, marble, and concrete. The design represents all religions and has taken into consideration Vaastu details, Mr. Harza says.

Surrounded by rocks and trees, the mantap faces an amphitheatre with a capacity of 25,000, where religious programmes will be held every day.

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