VISIT TOVP GIFT STORE · EXPLORE BOOK MARKETPLACEDONATE CRYPTO

Temple of the Vedic Planetarium

  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Archives
    • Architecture Dept. Reports
    • PMC Reports
    • TOVP in the Press
  • THE VISION
    • Founder’s Vision
    • Jananivasa Prabhu Speaks About the TOVP
    • A Landmark Spiritual Project of Universal Significance
    • Revealing The Heart of ISKCON
    • Prabhupada TOVP and Mayapur QuotesNew
  • VEDIC SCIENCE
    • Vedic Science
      • Vedic Cosmology
      • Vedic Cosmology Videos
      • Vedic Wisdom Videos
      • Vedic Science Essays
      • Vedic Science Channel
      • Shabda Media
    • TOVP Highlights
      • Cosmic Chandelier
      • Vedic Science Center
      • Planetarium Wing
      • Exhibits
    • Learning Centers
      • The Bhaktivedanta Institute
      • Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies
      • Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha Research Center
      • Institute for Science and Spirituality
    • Book MarketplaceNew
  • MEDIA GALLERY
    • Flipbook Collection
    • Photos
    • Visions of the TOVP
    • TOVP Artwork Collection
    • Archival Photos
    • Archival Videos
    • Videos
    • Vedic Science Channel Videos
    • Vedic Cosmology Videos
    • TOVP Talks – Vision of the Parampara
  • ABOUT US
    • Chairman’s Message
    • Meet the Mayapur Team
      • Construction Department
      • Fundraising Department
      • Planetarium Department
    • Meet Our Worldwide Team
    • TOVP Foundation
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • DONATE
    • Fundraising Director’s Message
    • Donate Now
      • PRABHUPADA 2024 MARATHON MEDDALIONS
        • ARCHA VIGRAHA SEVA MEDALLION
        • HARINAM SEVA MEDALLION
        • BHAGAVATAM SEVA MEDALLION
      • TOVP / PRABHUPADA TROPHIES
        • VAIKUNTHA SEVA TROPHY (BRONZE)
        • GOLOKA SEVA TROPHY (SILVER)
        • SVETADVIPA SEVA TROPHY (GOLD)
      • PRABHUPADA AWARDS
        • PRABHUPADA SEVA AWARD (BRONZE)
        • TOVP SEVA AWARD (SILVER)
        • SADHU SANGA SEVA AWARD (GOLD)
      • GIVE TO NRSIMHA CAMPAIGNNew
      • 31 DRESSES CAMPAIGNNew
      • PRABHUPADA MURTI NITYA SEVA
      • PRABHUPADA SEVA 125 COIN
      • PANKAJANGHRI DAS SEVA
      • GRATITUDE COINS
        • RADHARANI COIN
          • RADHARANI COIN – INDIA ONLY!
        • CAITANYA COIN
          • CAITANYA COIN – INDIA ONLY!
        • NITYANANDA COIN
          • NITYANANDA COIN – INDIA ONLY!
        • ADVAITA COIN
          • ADVAITA COIN – INDIA ONLY!
        • GADADHAR COIN
          • GADADHAR COIN – INDIA ONLY!
        • SRIVAS COIN
          • SRIVAS COIN – INDIA ONLY!
      • STEPS OF SURRENDER
      • ROOMS OF WORSHIP
      • PILLARS OF DEVOTION
        • ATMA NIVEDANAM PILLAR
        • SMARANAM PILLAR
        • KIRTANAM PILLAR
        • SRAVANAM PILLAR
      • RADHA-MADHAVA BRICK
        • RADHA-MADHAVA BRICK – INDIA ONLY!
      • MAHAPRABHU BRICK
        • MAHAPRABHU BRICK – INDIA ONLY!
      • GURUPARAMPARA BRICK
        • GURUPARAMPARA BRICK – INDIA ONLY!
      • NRSIMHADEVA TILE
        • NRSIMHADEVA TILE – INDIA ONLY!
      • DAILY FLAG FOR TOVP DOME
      • SQUARE FOOT OR METER
        • SQUARE FOOT OR METER – INDIA ONLY!
      • GENERAL DONATION
        • GENERAL DONATION – INDIA ONLY!
      • PLEDGE PAYMENTS
        • PLEDGE PAYMENTS – INDIA ONLY!
    • Donate in Crypto Currency
    • Donation Details / Pledge Payments / Contacts
    • Russian Donations Details
    • Donation Hotlines
    • Bank Transfer Details
    • Donor Dashboard
    • Donor Lists
      • Our Trustees
      • Gratitude Coin Donors
        • Radharani Coin Donors
        • Caitanya Coin Donors
        • Nityananda Coin Donors
        • Advaita Coin Donors
        • Gadadhar Coin Donors
        • Srivas Coin Donors
      • Rooms of Worship Donors
      • Pillars of Devotion Donors
        • Atma-nivedanam Pillar Donors
        • Smaranam Pillar Donors
        • Kirtanam Pillar Donors
        • Sravanam Pillar Donors
      • Brick Donors
        • Radha Madhava Brick Donors
        • Mahaprabhu Brick Donors
        • Guruparampara Brick Donors
        • Nrisimha Brick Donors
      • General Donors
    • Financial Reports
      • 2013
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022New
    • FCRA Reports
      • Quarterly Report Apr – Jun 2021
      • Quarterly Report Jul – Sept 2021
GIVETO NRSIMHA
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Architecture Dept. Reports
  • TOVP – Answers to Questions About Temple Design
Sunanda Das
Mon, June 07, 2021 / Published in Architecture Dept. Reports

TOVP – Answers to Questions About Temple Design

In a recent TOVP video entitled, A Look Inside the Completed Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, which went quite viral on YouTube, there were a number of comments saying that the temple design looked more like a mosque or had a European or Western feel like a Cathedral or church, rather than a Vedic emphasis.

While the positive comments far outweighed the negative ones, let’s take a closer look at the causes of this division of opinion, and hear what ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada had to say about the matter. Also linked below in this article is a recent report from the TOVP Architecture Department that addresses these same points in more detail.

There are, in fact, a mixture of International designs in the architectural elements of the TOVP, and this is, literally, by design. It is no accident that there are elements that appear Western, European and even Islamic in the architecture. And the reasons for this are many from both the philosophical and practical side. However, it still remains prominently Vedic in style and is true to that form.

For example, the main dome which towers 350′ into the Mayapur sky is intentionally designed after the US Capitol building in Washington, DC. And specifically, it was Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to do so:

Prabhupada: We are just attempting a big planetarium in Mayapur. We have asked government to acquire land, 350 acres. That is negotiation going on. We shall give a Vedic planetarium.

George Harrison: Is that the one you were talking about? With all the…

Prabhupada: In the Fifth Canto.

Gurudasa: The planetarium will be 350 feet high and show the cosmology of the spiritual world.

Prabhupada: The construction will be like your Washington Capitol, like that.

George Harrison: A big dome.

Prabhupada: Yes. Estimated eight crores of rupees.

Room Conversation — July 26, 1976, London

 

Prabhupada: …and it is a fact, he did not fix it. I wanted both of you to take various detailed photographs of that Capitol.

Yadubara: The Capitol Building. For what purpose, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: We shall have picture, planetarium in Mayapur. [aside:]

Room Conversation — July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.

Here’s what Srila Prabhupada said about what he wanted the interior to look like:

“We must have a nice center at Mayapur because we are expecting there students from all over the world. Plans of the temple have already been made and you should have received them by now. The buildings should be exactly in the same pattern. The size may be changed according to the engineering technology. I have shown in London the Westminster Abbey to Syamasundara, Bhavananda and Nara Narayana. Perhaps you have also seen it. I want the inside just like the Westminster Abbey. You will understand from the plans what is my desire in this connection.”

Letter to: Tamala Krsna — Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971

From these few examples it should clear Srila Prabhupada was not overly concerned with the temple looking 100% ‘Vedic’. His real intention was to make the TOVP an International temple by combining the best of all worlds, and thus draw the attention of the worldwide community. Based on the saying, “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door”, Srila Prabhupada knew exactly what he was doing. The most important thing to him was that it present the true Vedic knowledge of the material and spiritual worlds, and the philosophy according to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Brahma/Gaudiya sampradaya without any change or deviation. The externals were not as important to him in that regard, but rather were a means to be innovative to attract the public.

On the practical side, there are a few reasons for the TOVP design:

1. Within the main dome will hang a gigantic, 300′ tall cosmic chandelier of the universe and the spiritual world. To fit such a model it is necessary to use a different shaped dome than most Vedic shikaras.

2. The main temple room in front of the altar must accommodate thousands of devotees and worshipers in kirtan and therefore has to be as expansive as possible.

3. The West Wing/Dome is a dedicated planetarium with multiple levels of exhibits and a sit-down planetarium theater.

4. The East Wing/Dome is the temple of Lord Nrsimhadeva and must be large enough to facilitate thousands of devotees and worshipers.

Please click the link below to access the complete TOVP Architecture Department Report on this subject:

Click here to see the Report in your browser or download a copy to your desktop for offline reading.

 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
Follow: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch: www.youtube.com/c/TOVPinfoTube
View at 360°: www.tovp360.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOVP2022
Instagram: https://m.tovp.org/tovpinstagram
Telegram: https://t.me/TOVP_GRAM
App: https://m.tovp.org/app
News & Texts: https://m.tovp.org/newstexts
RSS News Feed: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/

Tagged under: Weekly Inhouse Progress Report

Recent Posts

  • Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching FundraiserGive To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser
    The TOVP 36 Day Matching Fundraiser is about to begin, offering devotees another opportunity …
  • TOVP Maha Nrsimhadeva Homa 2023TOVP Maha Nrsimhadeva Homa 2023
    The TOVP management is pleased to announce the auspicious Maha Nrsimhadeva Homa during the …
  • The Wonderful Papamocani Ekadasi and the TOVP, 2023The Wonderful Papamocani Ekadasi and the TOVP, 2023
    Papamocani Ekadasi falls on the 11th day of the Krishna Paksha (the waning phase of moon) in …
  • TOVP Nrsimhadeva Wing Opening October, 2023: Get Ready! Get Excited! Get Involved!TOVP Nrsimhadeva Wing Opening October, 2023: Get Ready! Get Excit…
    The historic Grand Opening of Lord Nrsimhadeva Wing in October, 2023 (date to be announced) is …
  • Puranic Time and the Archeological RecordPuranic Time and the Archeological Record
    By Michael A. Cremo (Drutakarma Dasa): The Forbidden Archeologist This paper was delivered at …

Categories

GET IN TOUCH

Ph: +91 908-343-3981
Email: info@tovp.org

ISKCON Mayapur
TOVP Seva Office Sri Dham Mayapur, District Nadia West Bengal India 741313

NEWSLETTER/TEXTS SIGNUP

Sendinblue Subscription Form

DOWNLOAD TOVP PHONE APP

Get it on Google Play

Download on the app store

DOWNLOAD TOVP SMART CARD

Download TOVP Smart Card PDF
  • GET SOCIAL
Temple of the Vedic Planetarium

A project of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Founder-Acarya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The ISKCON Mayapur City and Temple of the Vedic Planetarium welcome visitors of all nationalities, ethnicities, races, creeds, genders and religions.
© 2009 - 2023 Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. All rights reserved.

TOP
en_USEnglish
arArabic bn_BDBengali zh_CNChinese fr_FRFrench de_DEGerman hi_INHindi it_ITItalian pt_BRPortuguese ru_RURussian es_ESSpanish en_USEnglish