05-22-2008, 09:05 PM
<b>Hindu temple rises from Arizona desert</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In his modest workshop, he practices a craft thousands of years old, passed on through generations.
Muthusamy is a temple builder, or shilpi. For the past 32 years, he has made his living adorning more than 50 Hindu temples, seeing that the structures become not just buildings, but sanctuaries that are fit to house the gods. advertisement Shrines must conform to auspicious ratios, entrances must be built with a "magical" number of steps, and floors have to be covered with a granite found only in India.
His latest project is the Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona in Pinal County. Since December, he and five other Indian shilpis have been preparing the temple for its grand opening next weekend. Through intricate carving, plastering, molding and painting, they hope to create a place that is as architecturally and spiritually similar to the temples they grew up with in India.
"This creates an atmosphere for the devotees to come in the temple and meditate," Muthusamy said.
The architecture and decorations follow "generations of rules."
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Muthusamy is a temple builder, or shilpi. For the past 32 years, he has made his living adorning more than 50 Hindu temples, seeing that the structures become not just buildings, but sanctuaries that are fit to house the gods. advertisement Shrines must conform to auspicious ratios, entrances must be built with a "magical" number of steps, and floors have to be covered with a granite found only in India.
His latest project is the Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona in Pinal County. Since December, he and five other Indian shilpis have been preparing the temple for its grand opening next weekend. Through intricate carving, plastering, molding and painting, they hope to create a place that is as architecturally and spiritually similar to the temples they grew up with in India.
"This creates an atmosphere for the devotees to come in the temple and meditate," Muthusamy said.
The architecture and decorations follow "generations of rules."
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