Assembling the skills
SCULPTORS
Apart from the experts on board and their teams, as far as young sculptors are concerned , Reddy's main concern was originality. And being an artist himself, this was one sphere where he clearly knew what he wanted and so started looking for people who had been doing work around the Hoysalas. Though there are many who have created replicas of what has already been done by the Hoysalas, Mr Reddy's discontent was because, in his own words, “ No one thought of how to create something new in the Hoysala style of architecture. Most people go to Belur or Halebeedu, click pictures and then reproduce it. But with reproduction, even the best can only try and recreate the original excellence,” he muses.
Also given that it was no joke that it would require the sculptors to go back in me, almost 800 years back in me, he began his hunt for sculptors. “In cities it is more about how much a work can fetch, but fortunately we found few sculptors in places like Puri Jagannath who are still pursuing the traditional way of doing things. The commercialisation hasn't touched them yet. That gave us hope that we can indeed revive and bring the class back, “explains Reddy, who is positive about getting such artist to train in the Hoysala tradition and groom them to work on the temple. At present a team of sculptors from Karkala headed by Gunawantheshwara Bhat, a student of Ganesh L Bhat, is working on the initial pieces.
As far as the overall monitoring is concerned, it will be handled by Shankar Sthapathi, an eminent Sthapathi trained and belonging to the lineage of Tamil Sthapathis, who although comes from an entirely different school of architecture is pleased to be on this venture.
DESIGN
With the site, stone, and sculptors sorted, it was akin to setting up a kitchen, sourcing ingredients, and recruiting cooks. All that remained was a master chef, the Architect, capable of translating Mr. Reddy’s vision into reality.
“Even at this stage, the plan was for a small temple. Since we hadn’t actually begun construction since the project’s inception (YEAR), we started showing the plot to vastu experts who kept relocating the plot to different locations. Initially, it was planned for a half-acre plot, but it was later expanded to a two-acre stretch,” Mr. Reddy recounts about the first significant change.
During this period, other members of the Reddy community of Bengaluru, relatives of Mr. Aravind Reddy, who were also constructing temples in Bellandur and Munnekolal in the city with a significantly larger budget, joined the project to build this Hoysala-style temple. Their involvement increased the project’s scale and expanded the budget from a few lakhs to approximately Rs. 20 crore. The model they had in mind was the Arasikere Chandramaulishwara temple.
In 2009, a core team was already being assembled, including historian and scholar Dr. Srivatsa Vati, also from Belur. Through Dr. Vati, Mr. Reddy met Yeshaswini Sharma of Estheque Architects, who was then studying and taking measurements of the Chennakeshava Temple at Belur. When asked if she could design a Hoysala temple, she declined, but she led the team to her guide, Prof. Adam Hardy, from Cardiff University, who had over four decades of scholarship in Hoysala architecture.
THE MEETING THAT CHANGED IT ALL
Professor Adam Hardy, a renowned Asian Architecture professor at the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University, found himself in India for a research study when Mr. Reddy and Dr. Va arranged a meeting with him in Delhi. Mr. Reddy fondly remembers his first encounter with Professor Hardy, describing it as unforgettable. He recalls that Professor Hardy, a man of immense erudition and experience, displayed no airs about his accomplishments. The first words he uttered when they met were, “Before I speak, let me show you my work.” Professor Hardy then proceeded to sit down, pull out a book, a pen, and begin drawing. When he drew himself, Mr. Reddy knew they had found their architect, a sense of pride evident in his eyes.
Professor Hardy was delighted to join the project, recognizing that it would be a significant achievement for him as well. He had dedicated countless decades to his work, and sadly, there was no one to acknowledge his efforts, especially in India.
The architect, the final and pivotal element, was finally in place. However, this marked the turning point of the project, as the scale, nature, and overall concept of the project underwent a remarkable transformation.
Mr. Reddy expressed his gratitude to Professor Hardy, describing him as a true godsend. He explained that they had in mind a small temple modeled on the Arasikere temple and asked Professor Hardy to provide them with a drawing of the temple. Professor Hardy, who had conducted extensive research on Hoysala temples for his doctoral thesis, agreed, stating that it would be a one-day task.
This was no small task, given that a search for temple drawings at the Archaeological Survey of India had yielded only one drawing. The department itself had limited resources, and Mr. Reddy’s query was met with a response that they only made drawings of structures that were in need of repair. Where could they go to study the architecture of temples? Professor Hardy, however, went above and beyond, providing not just one or two drawings, but all five.
That wasn’t the point. Professor Hardy, who had been discussing the temple plan, which involved a ‘2-acre-20-crore’ project, remarked that the Arasikere temple was merely one of the many and a mere glimpse of the architectural prowess, abilities, and excellence of the Hoysala dynasty. They had proven themselves in those days with the Belur, Halebeedu, and the other five unique temples, each with its distinctive feature that set it apart from the rest. “So, Mr. Reddy, consider this. Given our technologically advanced era, if financial constraints aren’t a factor, why not surpass what has already been accomplished?” he asked. He was confident in his design and had thoroughly studied all 52 temples, well-versed in their specialties.
It was a significant question. “Think about it. I’m prepared to sketch. Are you ready to make it happen?” he mused.
That implied it would have to be larger and more magnificent than Belur, an ambitious task indeed.
As the meeting with Prof. Hardy concluded, Mr. Reddy informed him that he would get back to him and, along with Dr. Vati, would visit the Akshardham temple. A day-long tour of the temple, which provided a comprehensive view of its premises and the meticulous work that had gone into it, seemed to have left a profound impression on Mr. Reddy’s mind. Before departing the city, he had made up his mind. “I decided that we would pursue it,” he chuckled. “Even Dr. Vati was astonished and asked me if I was serious.” “The date was April 2010. The meeting with Prof. Hardy took place at 11 am, and by 5 pm that evening, everything had changed. The temple would now be what it would have been if the Hoysalas had constructed another one at that time.” But would it be feasible? “Yes, it is possible,” Mr. Reddy declared firmly. “Having visited the Akshardham temple, I was resolute. The magnitude, the budget, the artwork—everything is achievable. We decided to make it happen. Perhaps we will seek public funding, but this is definitely feasible.”
The project had grown into a massive undertaking with a budget that would undoubtedly surpass Rs 300 crore and span an area of 8 acres.
