Dhyanalinga - Construction of the Temple
Construction of the Temple
The dome that encloses the Dhyanalinga is a section of an ellipse - like a section of the globe. The technical aspects involved in the making of the dome are very interesting and its construction, an epic by itself.
It was Sadhguru's wish that all the visitors to the temple be allowed directly into the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum. As a result, the garbhagriha had to have a very large free spanning structure. Conventional buildings built of cement, steel and concrete were ruled out, as the life span of such structures is not expected to be beyond a hundred years. Eventually, it was decided to build a dome using only traditional materials like burnt bricks, mud mortar stabilized with lime, sand, alum and some herbal additives. Huge blocks of granite were extensively used, eliminating steel and concrete.
The dome, weighing about 700 tons, measures 33 ft from the ground level and has a diameter of 76 ft at the bottom. Approximately 250,000 bricks were used in making this dome, each of which had to be measured to the millimeter. The first course of brick starts at 13 degrees to the horizontal and the last course ends at an almost vertical angle of 82 degrees to the horizontal. The base of the dome is 20" thick and tapers off to 8" - the thickness of a single brick at the top.
The dome rests on a circular stone masonry wall 6 ft high including a ring of stone lintels 2 feet tall. This entire structure is built upon a foundation that is 10 ft wide and 10 ft deep. The main entrance to the dome is in the form of a stone vault 9 ft 6 inches wide and 8 ft tall. Twenty-eight ventilators are placed on the top of the lintel beams with stone slabs arranged in the shape of the triangle. These triangular stone ventilators at the base of the Dome provide light and ventilation. The central opening is covered by a gold plated Linga-shaped copper dome, which blocks direct light and acts as a ventilator at the top. The copper Linga above the dome vents out hot air from the dome so that the cool air passes in through the vault and ventilators.
Below the lintel beam, twenty-eight energy cubicles called the 'aura cells' are embedded in the inner wall. Each 'aura cell' is approximately 4' x 4' and provides an intimate space for a person to sit and meditate facing the Dhyanalinga.
Since it was the first time ever that such a large structure was being raised without any form-work, ring-beams, steel or concrete, each aspect of the building had to be worked out afresh, researching and experimenting to derive a safe, viable and feasible methodology for each of the aspects. This often amounted to an interesting blend of ancient and locally available material and techniques.
Burnt bricks were placed in the elliptical shaped dome in positions determined precisely by modern mathematics and verified by computer calculations, granite slabs from traditional quarries went through modern gang saws for precise fitting. For the eighteen months it took to complete the temple from the foundation, the usually quiet and serene surroundings had been transformed into, among other things, a brick kiln and a granite quarry. For the eight weeks it took to construct the dome as such, it resembled a large anthill - hundreds of people going up and down, gradually accomplishing a mission much larger in size and importance than themselves.
The Dome
At the heart of the temple, in the sannidhi or sanctum sanctorum, the visitor finally stands before the immense and awe-inspiring Dhyanalinga. Vibrating with the power of the primordial, casting its spell on all those who enter its enigmatic presence, the Dhyanalinga towers up to a height of 13 feet, 9 inches. It rises out of the seven-coiled receptacle, the avudaiyar, which has been designed in such a way that every part of the avudaiyar is 3 feet 3 inches in length and the total length of the avudaiyar is 13 feet 9 inches, the same as the height of the Linga.
Surrounding the Linga is the jalaseema, a water body that has a cooling effect on the Linga and gives the impression that the Dhyanalinga is floating on water.
The Inner Parikrama
The Dhyanalinga Temple layout is geometrically a simple fusion of shapes, but experientially a profound space for meditation. The peripheral dimension of the structure is a congregation of modulated spaces subtly preparing the visitor for meditation at every step. The unusual sunken reception engages the viewer with the 17 feet white granite monolith, the Sarva Dharma Sthambha. Symbols of major religions of the world are inscribed on three sides of this Sthamba forming an appropriate sign of welcome for one and all, beyond religious divide.
The back of the Sthamba is inscribed with the schematic of the seven chakras of the human body, in the form of lotuses that represent different levels of consciousness. The chakras are flanked on either side by flowing forms of snakes, representing the Ida and Pingalanadis, the masculine and feminine or the logical and intuitive energy states. The central stem connecting all the chakras at the center is the Sushumnanadi, the principal channel of energy according to the yogic sciences. A rising sun carved in stone crowns the Sthambha, symbolizing a new dawn and the pattern of fallen leaves beneath the sun symbolizes the death of the past. The Sthambha area of the temple is built in the form of a yantra, which is closed on three sides and gives the feeling of an open-arm embrace to the visitor.
The stone gateway or the Thorana is designed according to the principles of traditional Indian Temple Architecture. It safeguards the temple and acts as the main entrance. To reach the open pathway, the parikrama, the seeker crosses the three entrance steps symbolizing the gunas - Tamas, Rajas and Sattva, which are the three basic qualities of the mind. The unusual height of the steps forces the visitor to press the sole of his feet on the pebbled surface of these steps, which in turn activate certain nerve centers in the body - a preparation of the system to make it more receptive to the energies of the Dhyanalinga.
The parikrama, leading to the Dhyanalinga, communicates a sense of both artistry and spirituality. It comprises a central pathway, which is open to the sky, establishing a visual connection between the entrance and the dome, reinforcing the integrity of the relationship of spaces. The central pathway is flanked on either side by covered aisles.
As one enters the parikrama, on the left is the statue of Pathanjali, the celebrated author of Yoga Sutras, regarded as the father of yogic sciences. The eleven-foot tall statue is deliberately placed in a sunken shrine, thus establishing an immediate relationship between the colossal identity of Pathanjali and the dwarfed viewer at the same level. The statue sculpted in black granite depicts a fusion of snake and man, symbolizing the dual nature of life. It also symbolizes the divine nature of man evolving from his earthbound nature. Hence, the sunken shrine depicts the snake below the earth and the man above it. The snake covering the head of the statue with its hood represents the raising of energies through the seven chakras, thus reflecting the objective of yoga.
On the right is the Vanashree shrine, the feminine deity of the Dhyanalinga temple and a counterpoint to the Pathanjali shrine. In contrast to Pathanjali's sunken base, the Vanashree shrine is placed at a higher level than the pathway. The Vanashree, made of green granite, is a sculptural relief of a peepal tree. A gold leaf at the center symbolizes warmth and prosperity. The energies of the deity are such that it is especially beneficial for women and children to meditate in the vicinity of the shrine. The traditional KeerthiMukha, the glorious face, finds place above the shrine of Vanashree.
Six artistically sculptured granite panels cover the aisles, illustrating the stories of six South Indian sages who attained enlightenment. Each panel captures a moment in these extraordinary lives. On the threshold are six images of meditative postures each carved into a triangular form, which indicate the Siddhi State of six spiritual chakras. The form of a yogi prostrating before the Dhyanalinga suggests the sense of surrender that is required to enter the Dhyanalinga space.
The parikrama ends at a vaulted tunnel that leads to the dome of the Dhyanalinga. Carved on the threshold of the entrance are two snakes with a single raised hood, indicating the non-dual nature of the Dhyanalinga. Over the vault is a seven-hooded monolithic snake, symbolizing the seven dimensions of life reaching the peak of consciousness.
The earth colors, the natural granite, irregular surfaces and the shapes that form the Dhyanalinga temple create a very earthy and ethereal ambience, blending with the surroundings and intensifying all elements of nature; a smooth prelusion to the warmth and womb-like feel of the Dhyanalinga Dome.
The dome that encloses the Dhyanalinga is a section of an ellipse - like a section of the globe. The technical aspects involved in the making of the dome are very interesting and its construction, an epic by itself.
It was Sadhguru's wish that all the visitors to the temple be allowed directly into the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum. As a result, the garbhagriha had to have a very large free spanning structure. Conventional buildings built of cement, steel and concrete were ruled out, as the life span of such structures is not expected to be beyond a hundred years. Eventually, it was decided to build a dome using only traditional materials like burnt bricks, mud mortar stabilized with lime, sand, alum and some herbal additives. Huge blocks of granite were extensively used, eliminating steel and concrete.
The dome, weighing about 700 tons, measures 33 ft from the ground level and has a diameter of 76 ft at the bottom. Approximately 250,000 bricks were used in making this dome, each of which had to be measured to the millimeter. The first course of brick starts at 13 degrees to the horizontal and the last course ends at an almost vertical angle of 82 degrees to the horizontal. The base of the dome is 20" thick and tapers off to 8" - the thickness of a single brick at the top.
The dome rests on a circular stone masonry wall 6 ft high including a ring of stone lintels 2 feet tall. This entire structure is built upon a foundation that is 10 ft wide and 10 ft deep. The main entrance to the dome is in the form of a stone vault 9 ft 6 inches wide and 8 ft tall. Twenty-eight ventilators are placed on the top of the lintel beams with stone slabs arranged in the shape of the triangle. These triangular stone ventilators at the base of the Dome provide light and ventilation. The central opening is covered by a gold plated Linga-shaped copper dome, which blocks direct light and acts as a ventilator at the top. The copper Linga above the dome vents out hot air from the dome so that the cool air passes in through the vault and ventilators.
Below the lintel beam, twenty-eight energy cubicles called the 'aura cells' are embedded in the inner wall. Each 'aura cell' is approximately 4' x 4' and provides an intimate space for a person to sit and meditate facing the Dhyanalinga.
Since it was the first time ever that such a large structure was being raised without any form-work, ring-beams, steel or concrete, each aspect of the building had to be worked out afresh, researching and experimenting to derive a safe, viable and feasible methodology for each of the aspects. This often amounted to an interesting blend of ancient and locally available material and techniques.
Burnt bricks were placed in the elliptical shaped dome in positions determined precisely by modern mathematics and verified by computer calculations, granite slabs from traditional quarries went through modern gang saws for precise fitting. For the eighteen months it took to complete the temple from the foundation, the usually quiet and serene surroundings had been transformed into, among other things, a brick kiln and a granite quarry. For the eight weeks it took to construct the dome as such, it resembled a large anthill - hundreds of people going up and down, gradually accomplishing a mission much larger in size and importance than themselves.
The Dome
At the heart of the temple, in the sannidhi or sanctum sanctorum, the visitor finally stands before the immense and awe-inspiring Dhyanalinga. Vibrating with the power of the primordial, casting its spell on all those who enter its enigmatic presence, the Dhyanalinga towers up to a height of 13 feet, 9 inches. It rises out of the seven-coiled receptacle, the avudaiyar, which has been designed in such a way that every part of the avudaiyar is 3 feet 3 inches in length and the total length of the avudaiyar is 13 feet 9 inches, the same as the height of the Linga.
Surrounding the Linga is the jalaseema, a water body that has a cooling effect on the Linga and gives the impression that the Dhyanalinga is floating on water.
The Dhyanalinga is made up of a single high-density black granite stone and the Avudaiyar is made of white granite whose density is 30% less than that of the Linga. Both the Linga and the avudaiyar are energized with the qualities of the seven chakras; hence the Linga has seven copper rings and the Avudaiyar is in the form of a seven-coiled snake.
The Dhyanalinga is kept constantly wet to enable the meditator to easily receive the energies emanating from it. Water drips onto it from a hemispheric copper dome coated with gold, which is suspended above the Linga. The resonating sound of water dropping over the Linga, the shimmering reflections of the oil lamps on the golden dome, the subdued interiors, and the all-pervasive silence makes the entire structure ethereal. The natural draught of air and the choice of natural materials make the dome a cool and soothing space, which breathes through every pore.
Time loses itself.
Time loses itself.
The Inner Parikrama
The Dhyanalinga Temple layout is geometrically a simple fusion of shapes, but experientially a profound space for meditation. The peripheral dimension of the structure is a congregation of modulated spaces subtly preparing the visitor for meditation at every step. The unusual sunken reception engages the viewer with the 17 feet white granite monolith, the Sarva Dharma Sthambha. Symbols of major religions of the world are inscribed on three sides of this Sthamba forming an appropriate sign of welcome for one and all, beyond religious divide.
The back of the Sthamba is inscribed with the schematic of the seven chakras of the human body, in the form of lotuses that represent different levels of consciousness. The chakras are flanked on either side by flowing forms of snakes, representing the Ida and Pingalanadis, the masculine and feminine or the logical and intuitive energy states. The central stem connecting all the chakras at the center is the Sushumnanadi, the principal channel of energy according to the yogic sciences. A rising sun carved in stone crowns the Sthambha, symbolizing a new dawn and the pattern of fallen leaves beneath the sun symbolizes the death of the past. The Sthambha area of the temple is built in the form of a yantra, which is closed on three sides and gives the feeling of an open-arm embrace to the visitor.
The stone gateway or the Thorana is designed according to the principles of traditional Indian Temple Architecture. It safeguards the temple and acts as the main entrance. To reach the open pathway, the parikrama, the seeker crosses the three entrance steps symbolizing the gunas - Tamas, Rajas and Sattva, which are the three basic qualities of the mind. The unusual height of the steps forces the visitor to press the sole of his feet on the pebbled surface of these steps, which in turn activate certain nerve centers in the body - a preparation of the system to make it more receptive to the energies of the Dhyanalinga.
The parikrama, leading to the Dhyanalinga, communicates a sense of both artistry and spirituality. It comprises a central pathway, which is open to the sky, establishing a visual connection between the entrance and the dome, reinforcing the integrity of the relationship of spaces. The central pathway is flanked on either side by covered aisles.
As one enters the parikrama, on the left is the statue of Pathanjali, the celebrated author of Yoga Sutras, regarded as the father of yogic sciences. The eleven-foot tall statue is deliberately placed in a sunken shrine, thus establishing an immediate relationship between the colossal identity of Pathanjali and the dwarfed viewer at the same level. The statue sculpted in black granite depicts a fusion of snake and man, symbolizing the dual nature of life. It also symbolizes the divine nature of man evolving from his earthbound nature. Hence, the sunken shrine depicts the snake below the earth and the man above it. The snake covering the head of the statue with its hood represents the raising of energies through the seven chakras, thus reflecting the objective of yoga.
On the right is the Vanashree shrine, the feminine deity of the Dhyanalinga temple and a counterpoint to the Pathanjali shrine. In contrast to Pathanjali's sunken base, the Vanashree shrine is placed at a higher level than the pathway. The Vanashree, made of green granite, is a sculptural relief of a peepal tree. A gold leaf at the center symbolizes warmth and prosperity. The energies of the deity are such that it is especially beneficial for women and children to meditate in the vicinity of the shrine. The traditional KeerthiMukha, the glorious face, finds place above the shrine of Vanashree.
Six artistically sculptured granite panels cover the aisles, illustrating the stories of six South Indian sages who attained enlightenment. Each panel captures a moment in these extraordinary lives. On the threshold are six images of meditative postures each carved into a triangular form, which indicate the Siddhi State of six spiritual chakras. The form of a yogi prostrating before the Dhyanalinga suggests the sense of surrender that is required to enter the Dhyanalinga space.
The parikrama ends at a vaulted tunnel that leads to the dome of the Dhyanalinga. Carved on the threshold of the entrance are two snakes with a single raised hood, indicating the non-dual nature of the Dhyanalinga. Over the vault is a seven-hooded monolithic snake, symbolizing the seven dimensions of life reaching the peak of consciousness.
The earth colors, the natural granite, irregular surfaces and the shapes that form the Dhyanalinga temple create a very earthy and ethereal ambience, blending with the surroundings and intensifying all elements of nature; a smooth prelusion to the warmth and womb-like feel of the Dhyanalinga Dome.
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