e-Krishna
The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium—The website www.tovp.org describes an ambitious project to make the vast culture and philosophy of the timeless Vedic tradition accessible to everyone.
Being built on the site of ISKCON's world headquarters at Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur, West Bengal, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will contain a giant representation of the universe as described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The temple will also have museums and exhibits that will teach visitors about Vedic culture and the science of the Vedas.
The menu across the top allows access to all the information available on the site. Under the Media Gallery link you can look at videos, plans, and images of the temple construction. A three-dimensional moving model shows the universe as described in the Vedic literature.
The Vedic Science section explains the ancient cosmology behind the planetarium. There is also a description of the exhibits that will be installed, as well as the Vedic Science Centre, where expositions of Vedic cosmology will detail the mathematical and scientific rationale supporting the Vedic planetary model. Read also about the 200-seat Planetarium Theatre, with its twenty-meter hemispherical dome.
About Us introduces you to the team working on the temple project, from the directors, to the design team, the 3D modeller, project managers, and everyone involved. A message from the chairman, Ambarisa Dasa, discusses Srila Prabhupada's desires for the development of Mayapur.
A section called The Vision contains a talk by Jananivasa Dasa of Mayapur Academy describing how the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium project started and how Srila Prabhupada left instructions for many of the details of the planetarium.
Click on News and read the blog to keep up to date with the latest information on the continuing construction of the complex. The news section includes an Upcoming Events link.
The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) link provides answers to the basic questions you might ask about the development. Click on the Donate link and find out how you can assist the project.
Don’t forget to watch the fascinating video by managing director Sadbhuja Dasa, where he shows how the temple foundation is being constructed.
—Antony Brennan