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Where two cultures meet

A pyramid-shaped Nataraja temple is a new landmark on the ECR. DEEPA H RAMAKRISHNAN reports

UNIQUE STRUCTURE Dr. Karan Singh and his wife Yasho Rajya Lakshmi outside the Nataraja temple PHOTO: T. SINGARAVELOU

`Man fears time, yet time fears the pyramids,' so goes an ancient Arabic proverb. Perhaps the waves will fear the pyramid this time. The disastrous waves of the tsunami washed away the pyramidal Nataraja temple near Puducherry tollgate, on the East Coast Road. But anything can rise from the dust if there is a will. Today, a new and stronger temple stands in its place.

This temple is the third to come up on the same spot. (The first fell to rack and ruin, the second was washed away by the tsunami.) Built by Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman of the Auroville Foundation, Karan Singh, and his wife, Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, the temple is located at Pudhukuppam village. "For years, I've had a vision of building a pyramidal temple dedicated to Lord Nataraja. The pyramid is sacred to the Egyptians and Nataraja to the Hindus. For the first time in history, the pyramid and Nataraja have been brought together. The temple has been constructed mainly for the purpose of dhyan (meditation) and there will not be many rituals like in other temples,"

said Dr. Singh.

A Sanskrit scholar (he gave a talk on "Vedanta Today" at the Pondicherry University recently) and a devotee of Lord Siva, Dr. Singh says he has always been fascinated by Lord Nataraja. "I have built three temples so far. The first one is in Jammu constructed 30 years ago (the first Nataraja temple in North India), the second one is in Yogaville in Virginia, USA, and the one in Pudhukuppam is the third. It is our homage to Lord Siva," said Dr. Singh.

The Pudhukuppam temple is situated on the beach. The sound of the waves and cool breeze add to the ambience. Hindustani vocalists Durba and Shantanu Bhattacharyya (students of Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty) performed to mark the opening of the temple. Dr. Singh also sang two songs that he had penned in his mother tongue Dogri.

Unlike other temples, this one does not have a kalasam on the top and figures on the gopurams. Inside the pyramid, the idols of Lord Nataraja and his consort Goddess Sivakami, a Lingam, Lord Ganesha and Lord Muruga have been installed. But like in other temples, there are three paths for pradakshina. Satprem Maïni of the Auroville Earth Institute has rebuilt this temple on the base of the old one and the pyramid has been oriented exactly towards the magnetic North, to generate maximum energy.

According to Satprem, "the architecture of the temple follows a numerological system based on the significance of numbers given by the Mother. For instance, seven steps lead to the temple and that number stands for realisation. The height of the pedestal, on which stands Lord Nataraja, is such that the distance from the Third Eye to the base of the pyramid is one-third. At this point is concentrated the most powerful energy of the pyramid."

The main material for the dome and the pyramid is compressed stabilised earth blocks (CSEB) and stabilised earth concrete (stabilised with cement) that is disaster resistant. "The pointed square dome is called the Cloister Dome. The foundation was made with reinforced concrete and rests 1.15 m below ground level, to protect it from natural calamities such as tsunami."

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