With 5 suitcases – 4 of which were filled with Murti models – a busy agenda and lots of happy anticipation in my luggage, I set off on my 3-week trip to India from Zurich on 20 February.
15 doors and 8 large temple portals
After a short night, my first appointment in Delhi was with D.S. Doors. Over the years, a warm and friendly working relationship has developed with the Managing Director Dinesh Jangid.
Some of the frames for the gates and various doors have already been installed in the Temple.
The main gate for the west entrance is now finished and all the other entrance gates have also been completed and are just waiting for their individual brass inlays, varnishing and polishing. The fittings, handles and locks for each individual gate have been selected.
During my stay in India, several doors and gates were delivered and installed.
Four chrome steel entrance portals
Various details were discussed with the company Kunwar & Bros and all four entrance portals are expected to be delivered and installed within the next three months.
This means that the entire Temple area with all its walls and gates will be surrounded and protected.
Sacred sculptures for indoor and outdoor
On 22 February 2024, Virendra Aswal and I took a taxi to the Dhoot company in Jaipur/Rajasthan. We brought the 4 murti models with us and after a long introduction meeting with Mr Dhoot and a visit to his showrooms, we discussed many details and dimensions of the 74 murtis.
You can find an interesting report about the Murtis by Christian Schneider here…
After Rajasthan, I travelled on to Bhairava Nagar.
A lot has changed around the Temple, has been completed or started during my stay.
An immense amount of work has been done by the site manager Mahipal Negi and his staff as well as all the employees of Bhairava Nagar.
New road from Mala to presumably Rishikesh alongside the temple grounds
Shocking pictures were shown to me of how the road construction interfered with Nature and at the same time the Bhairava Nagar areas were endangered.
Only the immediately taken measures of Rohit, Dilbar, Mahipal and the employees as well as a very active women’s group under the leadership of Meheraban the ex-boatman could prevent worse.
Intensive work began on the construction of various holding walls and the Anand Lok restaurant was secured with a wall for the start. All this work must be completed before the Monsoon, as there is a risk of the loose earth material slipping away.
The work on the road, which now runs directly past the Temple grounds, is expected to be completed by mid-May. On the one hand, it is certainly useful for all the heavy transport – such as large gates, large sculptures etc. – that this road exists. – On the other hand, we have to wait and see what else this road will bring.
Window work for the Parikrama
This 7-year intensive and very extensive work on the windows for the Parikrama, including the long overseas transport with packaging work from Überlingen/Germany to India, was successfully completed at the end of September 2023.
Inside these windows, the wonderfully designed glass windows by the French glass artist Gérard Lacraz will then find their protected place.
The impressive pictures show the enormous and high-quality work of David Fuchs and his employees in co-operation with glass artist Andreas Dierig.
Bathhouse
The building, entrance area and also the shading on the side facing the Temple are largely complete.
The interior work is in full swing and many details have been discussed.
The Hanuman Temple is under construction
Suryaplatz has been built and planted. A large bronze sculpture will be placed here as soon as we have the funds available.
Further paths and walls were created
Welcome area
Window and door frames have been installed, windows will be fitted soon.
The floor tiling work in the main entrance area has been completed.
The shoe and mobile phone depot is now a 2-storey building in rough construction
Painting work
by the Morales company of Stefano and Gabriele are in full swing, both outside and inside, giving the temple a colourful look.
My extensive and very successful trip ended with the inauguration of the statues of Shin and Nagaraji, a wonderful Shivaratri celebration together with the course participants and staff, and a meal with the villagers.