Ahmedabad-based octogenarian architect Chandrakant B Sompura might have gained global traction for designing the architectural marvel of Ram Temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, but he is already an established name in the field of temple architecture in India. With many feathers in his cap, Sompura has a long list of aesthetically crafted temples to his credit in India and abroad. To name a few are Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar; Swaminarayan temple in Mumbai; Birla Mandir in Kolkata; Sun temple in Gwalior; BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London; North American Hindu Union temple in Pittsburg, USA, and many more. He is currently working on Sita Maiyya temple at Sitamarhi, one in Ahmedabad, and a 700-ft Ram temple in Perth, Australia.
The Sompura family, which has centuries-long tradition of designing temples with exclusivity, has played a significant role in influencing temple architecture in India by building more than 200 temples. At present, he is assisted by his architect sons – Nikhil and Ashish Sompura – who oversee their father’s design work.
In an exclusive interview with Science India, Chandrakant Sompura (82), a 15th generation architect, discusses the long and arduous journey of the making of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Excerpts:
Image Courtesy: PIB
Q. When you were first approached for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, did you anticipate how long it would take for the actual construction to begin? Given the political situation of the time, how realistic was the idea of this temple then?
The inception of the temple took place in 1988 when the president of VHP, Shri Ashok Singhal, intended to design a temple in Ayodhya. As Ashokji did not know any specialist in the field of temple architecture, he contacted industrialist Shri Ghanshyam Das Birla. As our family designed temples for Birlaji, who had many temples in his factories too, he contacted us for this project and introduced me to Ashokji. That’s how I got on board for this project and later, visited the site with Ashokji.
From 1992 to 1996, the work was in full swing at three sites — one at the Ayodhya Karyashala and two in Pindwara (in Rajasthan). After 1996, the work was carried out only at the Ayodhya Karyashala.
The big question then was on the completion of the project. I too wondered if the project would be completed. After 2000, the chances of completion became minimal as the case went to the Supreme Court, but I still kept the hope. And the rest is history.
Q. Could you talk in detail about the genesis of the temple’s design to the actual works to give our readers an insight into the making of this iconic landmark?
As the temple had a religious feud, there were heavy security and army personnel present on the site. Due to security reasons, no instruments were allowed on the site. As measuring the area of the site was essential for the design, I started to measure with my footsteps. All the measurements needed were taken by footsteps and later converted to a plan. This was contrary to the regular practice of measurement in any architectural work.
This site plan was used for the design. I made three iterations of the design, of which one was selected in a meeting with the VHP. A wooden model was made and presented to the sadhus at the Kumbh Mela, and we received their blessings.
The design of the temple was always according to the shastras; any temple I design, the family follows it. As the temple was an important project for many people, the temple had two mandaps that could take care of the footfall. The principles of temple design which have been present for generations are always followed and I did the same for this project.
Q. Could you name some chief treatises of ancient Hindu temple architecture that you consulted while making the design of the temple?
As a temple architect, following the Shilpa Shastra is very important. Shilpa Shastra is an ancient collective body of texts that primarily deal with the practice of art, including architecture.
All Images Courtesy: C B Sompura
As temples are a part of religious faith and precise calculation in terms of its ratios, following the Shastra becomes integral. The knowledge of the Shastra was coupled with the experience gained by my grandfather, Padma Shri Prabhashankar Oghadbhai Sompura, one of the leading designers of the Nagar style — he designed the modern Somnath Temple — and who wrote 14 books on temple architecture. These books are also the ones that I referred to. The books talk about every element in detail, where the dimensions, the iconography and the placement of these elements are outlined.
I worked with my father for 15 years and got trained under him, which was an enriching experience for me.
I referred to Agam Shastra, where the temple architecture is outlined as a whole. The Shastra was one that holistically talked about temples. I used Samranganam Sutradhar which is a detailed account of temple architecture highlighting the elements in detail, putting them into different parts and expressing how they should be designed concerning all the elements keeping the architecture language the same. There are also Vedas that talk about temple architecture and referring to them was also important as they highlight the essence of the temples and their creation.
Q. How much creative freedom did the commissioning agency give you while designing the temple?
I had full freedom to design the temple and the trust always encouraged it as they knew that our work is always according to the Shilpa Shastra and any changes made by me would also follow the Shastra principles. This was also the reason why I was able to design three iterations as their help and feedback helped in the creative process. Oness decision that I still remember is where I suggested an octagonal Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) for the temple and the trust agreed to it.
Other temples designed by Sompura: (Left) Ganpati Temple, Alibaug, near Mumbai ; (Right) Sun Temple, Gwalior ; (Below) Swaminarayan Temple, London
All Images Courtesy: C B Sompura
Q. Is there any ancient Hindu temple that the Ram Janmabhoomi temple comes close to in terms of its design?
The design of this temple does not resemble any temple, nor has a design from previous works been repeated; it is uniquely thought of and designed.
Q. What makes this temple the most unique Hindu temple in the world?
We see some design elements that make this temple unique, the octagonal Garbhagriha which was done to represent Vishnuji; it is something not commonly seen. We see there are five mandaps in the temple, with Sabha mandap and Kirtan mandap added for the visitors. It is the first temple intended to last at least 2,500 years. A 3D analysis of the structure was done, which also favours the temple to withstand calamities and stay erect for 2,500 years. One of the very unique features of the temple is the Surya Tilak. We have seen that the sunlight falls on the murti (idol) in ancient temples, but that is calculated through solar days. As the sun’s position is marked nearly the same every year, the Surya Tilak can be seen in some ancient temples. But Ram Navami, when we see the Surya Tilak in this temple, follows the lunar days, which means that the Sun’s position every year will change on the day of Ram Navami and so a unique technique was also devised for the Surya Tilak.
Q. Did the delay in the construction of the temple affect the design in any way?
There were changes made in the temple design as we progressed from 1998 to now. As the scale became larger and there was traction from the media and public, the temple had to go through some changes. In the design first selected, there were two mandaps (Gudh mandap and Rang mandap) and now, to cater to the increased footfall at the temple, we have five mandaps (Gudh mandap, Rang mandap, Nritya mandap, Sabha mandap and Kirtan mandap). These resulted in changes in all the dimensions and scales. This also created a challenge for the design. As the work for the temple started way back, 60000 cubic feet of work was done, and we had to use it, but it was also to be kept in mind that the image of the temple, the beautiful ornamentation and the presence that was there in the minds of people from so long had to match.
All Images Courtesy: C B Sompura
Q. What makes the architecture of Ram Mandir different from that of all other temples?
The architecture of the temple is very different in comparison to other forms of architecture. This is due to the conceptualisation of the temple with qualitative aspects and fractions involved in its design. The temple is built with adorned elements so that the devotees feel its sanctity. The designing and construction of a temple is governed by a ‘sacred’ mathematics on which the positions, proportions and symmetry are vital and integral parts of the temple’s design.
Temples are governed also by religion, like Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. The styles of temples also depend on the place they are built, such as the north of India, south of India or the eastern part of India. Temple architecture is a combination of beliefs and techniques. The beliefs and faith that people have in the deity and the technique of precise calculations and ratios complement the aesthetics of the temple. It is a form of architecture present from ancient times and has evolved as the needs and lifestyles of people change. The architecture that we see around, where things like ventilation, space making, climate-oriented designs, are things that have always been a part of temple architecture with its unique use of carvings and details that are in precise measurement to one another.
*The interviewer is Editor, Science India
