Work gets underway on Welsh-designed Indian temple
After almost eight years of designing and planning, construction has finally begun on an ancient Indian temple designed by Cardiff architect Professor Adam Hardy. The first carved soapstone block was laid by the Maharaja of Mysore at a special ceremony earlier this month in Ventakapura in the Indian state of Karnataka. The block now stands on a platform of granite blocks, already erected, with the full construction of the temple expected to take around 12 years to complete. Spanning over seven acres with the main tower reaching over 108ft tall, the temple is intended as a new manifestation of the ancient Hoysala style that became prominent between the 11th and 14th centuries in south western parts of Karnataka. There are over 100 surviving Hoysala temples scattered across that region. Once built the temple will revitalise regional cultural traditions, becoming a religious centre and providing a setting for music and dance performances, as well as hosting thousands of worshippers and tourists every year. The temple has been dedicated to Shree Venkateshvara, a form of Vishnu.
