The Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON recently approved the temple design for a massive structure to be built in Mayapura, India. I have some doubts about the design and the general conception of the project, which I discuss here.
I appreciate that many ISKCON members spent considerable time and energy working on the project. I have been to Mayapura many times and I love what ISKCON has done with the area so far. I would love to see the desire of Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, to have a world-class temple community in Mayapura come to fruition. However, I have a number of concerns about the design and the overall conception of the project.
In my impression, ISKCON is not ready to take on this project:
Firstly, we haven’t developed an understanding of “Vedic” architecture, translated relevant texts or developed a view on how we, as Caitanya Vaishnavas, wish to relate with those texts. Then we try to mix in Western architecture, again without a developed understanding. Have ISKCON devotees even written about the relationship between theology and architecture? I have never seen a sophisticated body of literature from ISKCON that treats these issues. Nor is there a developed tradition of literature in ISKCON that discusses the relationship between the Sanskrit texts on which it is based and the Western culture in which it hopes to have an influence.
Secondly, it seems the directors did not consider the impact this large structure on the environment; I don’t mean that in merely an ecological way. Do we want to turn Mayapura into a major boat port, with a highway running right next to the temple? How will that impact the local Vaishnava culture? From my visits to ISKCON Mayapura I know that there is a great gap between the local Bengal Vaishnavas and the non-Indian Vaishanavas who live and visit Mayapura. I think this temple will only widen the gap, and thus harming the local culture.
Thirdly, I believe ISKCON is not ready for this project in terms of its social, intellectual and spiritual development. ISKCON has been assailed by a major crisis in leadership since influential Gurus began leaving ISKCON, often in unpleasant ways, since the late 1980s up to the early part of this century. There is a lot of healing and repair that needs to take place in that regard, and I don’t believe ISKCON has properly begun those processes. Moreover, a large group of devotees who were born into ISKCON recently issued a major lawsuit against ISKCON, costing tens of millions of dollars. This further indicates social problems that are still unresolved. Yet another problem is the lack of education. Although projects are developing, ISKCON is still weak in the areas of training and education; at the rate things are moving, it could remain weak up until the end of this century. Lastly, I would say that at this point none of the ashramas (brahmacari [student], grhasta [householder], vanaprastha [retired], and sannyasa) are well-established. Students are not properly educated, divorce is just as high in ISKCON, if not higher, as in the rest of society, retired life does not exist yet, and I have already discussed the problem of fallen sannyasis. Hence, there is major social development to be undertaken.
Taken together, I believe that these three reasons strongly suggest ISKCON should halt its project in Mayapura until it has further developed itself socially, intellectually and spiritually.
“Firstly, we haven’t developed an understanding of “Vedic” architecture, translated relevant texts or developed a view on how we, as Caitanya Vaishnavas, wish to relate with those texts. Then we try to mix in Western architecture, again without a developed understanding. Have ISKCON devotees even written about the relationship between theology and architecture? I have never seen a sophisticated body of literature from ISKCON that treats these issues. Nor is there a developed tradition of literature in ISKCON that discusses the relationship between the Sanskrit texts on which it is based and the Western culture in which it hopes to have an influence”.
Thats quite strong argument which I agree to.
Rafal Gendarz
Who cares about architecture? What authentic source mandates that a particular style of architecture must be used in a certain way througout history? If you mean picking up on various aspects of Indian architecture which relate poorly to the core of Vaisnavism then forget about that – we’ve no interest in being Indian for its own sake. I saw use a style of architecture that is innovative, respectful and suitable for the area.
You wrote: “I would love to see the desire of Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, to have a world-class temple community in Mayapura come to fruition. However, I have a number of concerns about the design and the overall conception of the project.”
Do you even know what Srila Prabhupada said and did himself regarding the construction of this temple project?
From your writings I seriously doubt it.
Srila Prabhupada himself installed the cornerstone for this temple well over 30 years ago, and he instructed his disciples to build it- without having architectural drawings, without proposing a “Vedic Architecture”, without waiting for solutions any of the ‘objections’ you make.
This type of thinking is becoming a major impediment- trying to ‘rationalize’ what Srila Prabhupada told us to do. His instructions were clear, and his meaning was clear. He wanted this temple built and he started it himself- without plans, without drawings, without engineering documents.
While you may (or may not) be correct in your observations, you are advocating NOT following Srila Prabhupada’s direct instruction and desires.
Devotees now-days really need to read more of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures, morning walk conversations, and books. Only by hearing from him will you really know what he wants- and only by serving him will you truly understand what he says.
And why do you disrespect the very senior devotee Amburish prabhu like this? Your mentality needs rectification. Remember that you were named “…….. dasa”.
Well I think you hit one of the nails right on the head. A temple is not just bricks, stones, and glass. It is devotees who really make a temple. Until we seriously take up the task of healing our devotee community, there is no hope for a temple. If the amount of money and effort were spent on trying to come up with a plan for this temple were directed at trying to enliven our devotees, the temple will build itself. Otherwise SMDC just means Sri Mayapur Dream Committee.
As far as your comments about architecture, Srila Prabhupada sometimes commented that he liked modern achitecture. So I don’t think is so neccessary to take up the research you suggest although some guidance from relevant texts could be helpful. I think the Bangalore temple represents a wonderful blend of ancient and modern architecture.
On the other hand, the new design is totally unimaginative and I don’t see why people are going to go all the way out to Mayapur when they can see the similar thing at the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta or St. Peters in Rome. The previous design was a hundred times better than this dredful design.
And yes although Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do something wonderful at Mayapur, in light of recent considerations, doing something more evironmentaly sustainable would probably be more appreciated than just a grand building. Even the marvelous temple at Angkar Wat has recently been demonstrated to have collasped due to not being environmentaly sustainable. Some more thought should be done in this regard.
In service to the Vaisnava,
Deena Bandhu Dasa (ACBSP)
*This message was sent to me by Rasananda Dasa (ACBSP). He was unable to post it on our blog, so I have done so.*
Dear Janakirama,
I was moved by your presentation and will offer a few words:
As for ‘Vedic’ architecture I would just like to mention to you that
beginning about 1980 up to about 2001 I was ostensibly engaged in designing,
building and researching (not necessarily in that order) raths and one
concept i learned early in mr investigations is that rath and temple are
conceptually one. I should maybe also mention that I have been practically
continuously in India for decades and that all the large raths in India are
designed and built, or the construction supervised by, me. I spent about two
years researching the concepts, architecture, history and lore of raths and
published a manual on their construction. Almost from the beginning of my
days in India I puzzled over the origin (architecturally) of temples and I
am pleased to say that by the time I was ready to start writing the book, I
was satisfied that I had basically ‘cracked’ that problem. Once in the early
’90s I made a little presentation to Padasevanam das and he appreciated it
very much.
In view of the above you may wonder why I nevr became one of the Mayapur
project team. The reasons are those you have enumerated: especially the
background of defective guru leadership and the sums of money being spent
including for such things as bringing western architects over to India… to
do what, I could not fathom.
As far as the impact the effect of the project will have on the environment
I think much depends on the favourableness or lack thereof of the West
Bengal government. The local people will have to brought up socially and
economically and the the non-Indian devotee community will have to become
more culturally integrated to traditional Indian ways… the former by a
gradual process that will have to include lots of genuine charity and
education on the part of the devotees at Mayapur. If the government remains
as stubbornly atheistic as they are at present however, I don’t see how any
of these will be able to happen. Perhaps Ambarish might consider putting
some of his millions into the hands of the WB govt leaders as inducement for
them to take up some activity other than politics.
Definitely we don’t want a highway right next to the temple. But with the
price of petrol being what we can only imagine it will be by the time any
project is in place, traffic might not be so much of a problem.
As far as tradition of literature in ISKCON that discusses the relationship
between the Sanskrit architectural texts and Western culture in which it
hopes to have an influence I don’t think that is a justified concern as i
think transcendence needs no introduction. I do agree however that the
devotees involved with design should be individuals who have at least gone
through the important texts and that some should be translated. (My vote for
“Number One” in this regard would be the Samaranganasutradhara of Bhojaraj.)
> Thirdly, I believe ISKCON is not ready for this project in terms of its
> social, intellectual and spiritual development. ISKCON has been assailed
> by a major crisis in leadership since influential Gurus began leaving
> ISKCON, often in unpleasant ways, since the late 1980s up to the early
> part of this century. There is a lot of healing and repair that needs to
> take place
… and growth … of knowledge and behaviour.
> … none of
> the ashramas (brahmacari [student], grhasta [householder], vanaprastha
> [retired], and sannyasa) are well-established. Students are not properly
> educated, divorce is just as high in ISKCON, if not higher, as in the rest
> of society, retired life does not exist yet, and I have already discussed
> the problem of fallen sannyasis. Hence, there is major social development
> to be undertaken.
>
> Taken together, I believe that these three reasons strongly suggest ISKCON
> should halt its project in Mayapura until it has further developed itself
> socially, intellectually and spiritually.
and culturally I would say.
As far as being polemical I don’t think you need feel apologetic. It has
always seemed to me that preaching Krishna consciousness _means_ being
polemical.
Yours,
Rasananda das
hare krishna, i m a student of architecture, i want to know about architecture of iskcon and is there any devotee who is an architect or any group which is involved in designing of iskcon temple.
for the project of mayapur, i think it need not any special direction, rather it needs to understand the concept of iskcon and philosophy of provupada and a design can change the behavioural pattern of the users. so it is very important to have a very well designed temple complex based on theme and context.