India is a land of diverse cultural and religious hubs, and temples have always been sites of cultural importance. The state of Karnataka is well known for its temples at Hampi, Beluru, etc., which are architectural marvels. Inheriting these values, proposing a contemporary temple complex on this site, which abuts the Hubballi–Bengaluru highway, was a challenge.
This temple complex is dedicated to Lord Shiva, where the main temple and the smaller shrines dedicated to other deities are built respecting the Dravidian temple architecture by Sthapati Swaminathan and his team.
The requirement from the clients was to propose a temple complex with facilities such as a guest house, kitchen, dining hall, priest accommodation, and other Dravidian temple elements incorporated accordingly, such as the Gaushala, Kalyani, etc.
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The temple journey is articulated in four parts: The Arambha Patha, the Parivarthana Patha, the Adhyatmika Gola, and the Avalokana Patha.
As one approaches the temple complex from the highway, they are guided to the “Bazaar Street,” where they initiate their path to approach the divine—“The Arambha Patha.” The Arambha Patha encompasses some shops and refreshments, and also, the queue of people is directed towards the next path slowly here (Figure 5a).
Following this is the ‘Parivarthana Patha,’ where one enjoys their walk towards the main temple complex through a series of covered colonnades and pavilions. These pavilions engage people with the stories of the Lord embedded in them, also giving sneak peeks of the Rajagopura. The Rajagopura unveils itself as a magnificent structure as one enters the East Pavilion and glances towards the main temple complex. This path conditions one’s mind to connect with their spirit.
As one steps further, they will approach the ‘Adhyatmika Gola’—the spiritual sphere where the temple is located.
As one visits the main and smaller temples, they are guided towards the Ratha Beedi, from where they can approach the ancillary buildings, the guest house, and the dining hall.
The ‘Avalokana Patha’ is the path that allows one to contemplate their journey so far. Here, again, we get to witness the North Pavilion, where one can approach the Gaushala. As one steps forward towards the colonnades and pavilions, they gets to witness the cultural events held at the amphitheatre. As one proceeds further, they approach the Kalyani—the sacred pond. Moving on, they reach the exit.
The Process For Ancillary Window
The windows of the ancillary buildings were required to match the “temple architecture” (Figure 5b & 5c). The challenge was to mask the modern window systems (uPVC windows). To achieve this, we initially explored WPC boards with floral patterns (Figure 5d). However, the white-coloured WPC did not complement the material theme.
The client’s fabrication team suggested CNC-cut panels (Figure 5e) with powder coating, but the patterns created sharp edges that could pose a risk to occupants. Subsequently, a simple MS grill pattern was proposed as a solution. The temple’s Stapati recommended a stone jali with floral patterns (Figure 5g). While this option appeared aesthetically pleasing, it proved to be expensive and time-consuming for the project.
Eventually, we proposed a simple diamond-shaped stone jali that provided a similar aesthetic value by effectively concealing modern window systems. The stone also allowed for optimal daylight penetration into the interiors while acting as a security grille.
