The Temple Makers

The Temple Makers
Rising from a cornfield on the east side of Indianapolis, the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana is a breathtaking new monument -impressive in both scope and design, as well as a testament to the growing multiculturalism of the region. Explore its construction from design to dedication, and learn how how a building goes from a simple block structure to a holy temple.
TRANSCRIPT
[Announcer reads words on
¶ ¶
>>NARRATOR/MICHAEL HUSAIN:
Perfection.
Today, for one day in a
lifetime, this man will chase
In a new Hindu temple, he will
create the eyes of God.
Those eyes of a soon to be
living God will lock with those
of thousands of worshipers.
Eyes full of hope, ambition,
Will the eyes of the deities and
the temple that holds them
reflect a purity of purpose?
Will this place be perfect?
How many of us ever truly
Are we so bold?
So audacious?
Or is the secret "the truth" of
perfection to be humble?
To believe in and accept the
will of forces bigger than you.
For where else can we find
¶ ¶
>>NARRATOR: The Indian
community in central Indiana-an
estimated 10,000 families
strong-- was not always robust.
In the 1980s and 1990s it was
barely large enough to support
>>NARRATOR: Temple creation is
part art, part ritual--and must
follow sacred instructions for
The build in Indianapolis is led
by temple architect or Sthapati,
Umanandam Mahankali Nagarajan.
Uma learned the process from his
>>NARRATOR: Yes, for 10
generations, members of this
family have been building Hindu
temples.
>>NARRATOR: As Uma began the
work.
His art did the talking for
him...erasing all doubts about
>>NARRATOR: Uma was faced with
the challenge of not only a
blank canvas box of a building,
but also 17 places for deities
that were not much more than
cinder block walls.
He would need to turn each into
a shrine worthy of a form of
God.
Even before that the shrines had
to be placed properly according
>>NARRATOR: Each curve, each
symbol needed to flow from
inspiration to drawing to cement
>>NARRATOR: The drawing for the
Monkey had been done days
earlier, so he could now inspect
>>HUSAIN: Now that you see it,
what do you want to change?
>>HUSAIN: What did you change?
>>NARRATOR: The work of the
temple architect was hard to
imagine 15 years prior.
6 Hindu families had pooled
resources to donate land for the
temple.
Then, the community gathered for
a prayer to get to rest of
funding to build the first of
what would be three phases of
>>VASANTHI VASUDEVAN: And we had
and the whole community said
"om" together.
I think then I understood why we
needed a temple.
And you know "om" is the
beginning of all things for us,
so that was a very beautiful
moment, because it felt like
there was one giant breath that
the whole group had taken
together.
And it was a moment of great
>>NARRATOR: And one of their
first meetings was perhaps the
most critical to what the temple
became a decade and a half
>>NARRATOR: A core belief in
Hinduism is that there just one
God, but that God is represented
in many ways.
Each of these is a deity.
And different regions of India
pay particular attention to
different deities.
With a modest-sized Indian
community in Indiana, the board
decided to put as many shrines
to as many deities as possible
in the new temple.
The idea was to make everyone
feel at home.
To keep the potentially
splintered Indian community,
>>NARRATOR: Phase 1 opened in
>>VASANTHI: Even at that time I
felt like we had already
outgrown the space.
There were people waiting
outside to get into the, just
>>SHAYANI: I'm not one to take
performances lightly.
But that's just because there's
a certain standard you have to
meet and maintain to uphold the
elegance of the dance.
Not to say that I made it, I
I'm spinning a lot in this one.
Indian classical dance is very
A lot of dances are focused on
telling a story, and that's
what, that's how dance evolved,
especially for Indian classical.
At first it would be in temples,
and areas where you would tell
That's where it began.
The eyeliner is to show
expression, and a lot of the
very accented makeup comes along
with that.
And then the rest of it, where
I've got bangles on, and I've
got the whole Indian gear, that
is just based culturally, I
believe.
You'll see these moments of
mythology in the architecture
and I know the way that I do it
is through dance.
That's my way of worship, my way
of connecting those stories to
what I am and what's going on
It was just something my parents
signed me up for and that I went
to and then it became my thing.
I had to go to dance class.
I had to go to Balgokulam Hindi
class.
And yeah there were some
mornings I didn't want to go.
But that's like not wanting to
eat your vegetables.
Your parents will be like, well,
you've got to do it.
And then you realize afterwards
that that was really important.
I think I grew into it a little
bit, but now I love it.
I was born in Indianapolis.
So I've been connected with this
specific community my entire
life.
For the longest time, I thought
coming to the temple was being
Indian, not necessarily being
Hindu, but just being Indian,
because we'd come here and we'd
speak the language and we'd have
the food.
I would dance Indian classical,
and I'd pray in a very Indian
environment.
>>NARRATOR: For younger
Indian-Americans being deeply
rooted in Indian culture made
perfect sense to them inside
>>SHAVANI: I don't know if I can
speak for the entire generation
when I say this, but because my
parents when they came here they
had to prove how American they
could be, because they were from
India.
And for us it's a little bit of
the opposite.
We kind of have to prove how
I would come home from school
and I would say certain things,
I would act a certain way, which
wasn't appropriate at home.
It was a growing experience for
sure.
And I think I'm still trying to
figure that out here and there,
but especially going into
college and going through high
school when I established how
Indian I am and how American I
>>NARRATOR: The phase one
building had opened in 2006 and
within 6 months it was
completely paid for.
They set out to build phase 2
with a nearly 5 million-dollar
Phase two would be a larger
"box" attached to the back of
the phase 1 building.
This new, larger space would
become the "bones" of new
temple.
But fundraising was challenged
as the great recession of 2008
With patience the second phase
was completed in 2012, 6 years
after the first.
>>NARRATOR: After having created
two industrial feeling, boxy,
buildings in phases 1 and 2, the
temple builders turned to the
final step, phase 3 which would
transform the simple structure
into something ornate and
instantly recognizable as a
>>NIKHIL JAIN: I saw the
pictures and designs and what
they wanted to do and thinking
we're in America, in Indiana,
that could never happen.
It only happens in India.
>>NARRATOR: The "Indianization"
of the temple, as they called
it, would require great
>>NARRATOR: The hands on
construction and creation of
Uma's designs is done by nearly
30 artisans.
All are from India and
specialize in the art of
temples.
Many come from the same town in
India, speak little to no
English, Yet they have come to
live in
Indianapolis...committing nearly
two years of their lives to
¶ ¶
>>VASANTHI: Each of the,
the carvings that were
made for the temple were done,
not simply with chisel and
hammer, there is a process of
meditation that each of the
artists does to realize
something.
One of the most interesting
conversations I had was with
Umananthem the architect of the
temple.
He was telling me how many
things had changed from his
original drawing because the
artists are internalizing, they
are meditating, and then what is
actually carved is the fruit of
¶ ¶
>>NARRATOR: While they created
their work, there
were some new things to get used
to, including American
construction safety standards
insisted on by construction
>>NARRATOR: Sathya is a constant
presence during construction.
He was critical in helping Uma
come up with the proper mix of
concrete that would allow for
deftness in the artistry, yet
also hold up through the cold
weather that differentiates
>>NARRATOR: The future to Sathya
means 12 years worth of
>>NARRATOR: Everyone here is
working to have the temple ready
for a consecration ceremony
called the kumbavisekam in which
Hindu priests from across the
country will come, at great
financial expense, and bring the
temple deities--from a Hindu
Once the God is alive, no
repairs or alterations can be
made for 12 years without a new
>>VASANTHI: The two children,
and they're dressed in modern
clothes, and they're sitting
there with their little book
bags, and they each have a book
open, and I believe the little
girl has it open in Sanskrit,
and the little boy has it open
in English.
And it's the translation of the
Sanskrit verse that says, the
truth is one.
And that's a saying from the
Vedas.
The truth is one, though the
wise may call it by many names.
That's what we want our children
to understand.
We want them to understand as
they grow up here that their
faith doesn't divide them from
the community, but actually
binds them to it.
And not just the Hindu
community, but also the larger
community.
>>NARRATOR: The integration of
Hindus into the larger community
is happening daily.
Sathya's son Hari found
integration through sports at
his local high school.
A state champion, he became one
of the most decorated athletes
in their school history, and a
He credits the classes at the
Hindu temple for helping him
>>HARIHARAN: Yeah, I've been to
remember.
Its been great and its built me
as a person helped me
communicate more because when I
was younger I used to be shy.
This has really helped me open
up with the people around me and
¶ [child singing] ¶
>>KAMNA GUPTA: In my younger
years, I always
to be, and putting a label on
who I'm supposed to be.
Am I Indian?
Am I American?
I think that was a really
pivotal moment in my life where
>>ARYAMAN GUPTA: It's tough, I'm
not going to lie, it was a
When you are younger kids are
curious they want to know but
the often say the incorrect
thing and you have to explain,
why do we worship cows or why do
we pray to an elephant god.
It was a lot of not only
explaining to others but that
meant I had to understand it
>>CHAD BAUMAN: I've interviewed
a lot of young Hindus in
Indianapolis, and one of the
things they always seem to
struggle with is how to present
their Hindu faith and practice
to their non-Hindu neighbors.
And it was particularly hard I
think when they didn't have a
worship space.
>>NIKI JAIN: One of my friends,
he came in, and he drove himself
there, and he came in and he was
just, and he just looked around,
because at this point the
outside had pretty much been
built and he was just looking
around and saying "This is
incredible!
This is crazy.
I didn't know this existed!
And I was like, yeah, this is
where I come every Sunday.
You come here every Sunday."
That's Awesome!
and I'm like I Know!
It was so cool to see his face
light up when he saw all of
these new and interesting
>>NARRATOR: The leaders of the
temple had been planning the
consecration ceremony and
celebration for temple almost
since the beginning of Phase 3
The ceremony takes 5 days.
Its purpose is no less than to
transport the energy of God from
the old temple to the new one,
and in doing so, bring all the
intricately designed deities to
life.
It requires over 20 priests
being flown in and housed from
around the country, food for
tens of thousands of meals over
the 5 days, not to mention food,
flowers and other offerings for
It has long been planned for
June third through the 7th.
All the work of Uma and his team
have been directed with that
deadline in mind.
And, after recovering from some
weather delays, he is ahead of
schedule.
What he has created are
beautiful shells...housing, for
statues representing deities
that will "come to life" in this
final ceremony.
But those statues--coming by
boat from India--are running
late.
In mid-May, good news came that
the statues had arrived into US
customs in Virginia.
But now, creeping toward late
May, they still have not been
>>NARRATOR: 7 am, May 28.
After weeks of worry and furious
calls to get it released, the
>>HUSAIN: Do you have concerns?
Did you look at the crate and
open those doors and think...
>>NARRATOR: The priests begin
arriving for the beginning of
the 5 day ceremony to consecrate
the new temple.
A kumavikushakem is a
tremendously important ritual in
Hindu religion.
It is considered nothing less
than giving life to a form of
For the past several years,
worship services have been held
in the old phase 1 building at
the front of the temple
structure.
Now the energies from the
deities of that smaller altar
will be transferred via ceremony
and prayers to what is
essentially a holding area in a
pavilion outside the buildings.
Here prayers from priests and
the community will invigorate
the energy and help open the
>>NARRATOR: The energy is moved
in a couple of ways.
One is via containers of holy
water and other sacred materials
inside a sort of pot called a
kalasha.
Another is, ceremonially, via
strings which convey energy of
prayer and divine power from the
old deity location to the
holding area and then into the
>>RAMASWAMY BHATTAR: When we do
service to God, that, what we
chant, all the mantras, it will
will be is toward there.
That power will come all over.
Circular, yes, circular.
>>NARRATOR: The temple grounds
are bathed in sounds of chanting
and music.
Fire.
Oils and other offerings.
The young, the old and the in
between...the devout and the
playful...
a community has come to see its
>>NARRATOR: One figure roaming
the grounds has particular
significance.
73 year old Mahankali Nagarajan
has come to Indiana.
To see his son, and, his son's
work.
And Uma's work is far from
complete.
While the shilpies still have
some final clean up and polish
to do, Uma still has one
incredibly important task before
him.
Because in Hindu beliefs the
deities are living, their
eyes--what they see--worshipers,
offerings, anything--is
dependent upon their creator,
the temple architect.
All the majesty of the
surroundings.
All be fantastic carving of the
shilpis.
All will be diminished if
>>HUSAIN: Are you checking his
work?
>>NARRATOR: First he will mark
the eyes in pencil.
Only a few may see this process.
There is an intensity within the
>>NARRATOR: In Hindu culture,
the temple architect, because he
is the creator, is the only one
who can cut the eyes.
He is seen as the mother of
these deities, and is the first
The cutting of the eyes may not
be seen by cameras.
Once they are cut, they are
covered with a special
Tomorrow, the paste will be
removed by the "father" of the
temple building process--the
[shouting]
>>NARRATOR: Outside,
golden caps have been placed on
each of the 3 towers.
Each tower is an extension of
one of the three main shrines
below in the temple.
These caps marking the upward
limits of the temple, must now
>>NARRATOR: Inside, there is
tremendous excitement running
through a crowd that is lined up
out the door.
The deities will be awakened
soon.
>>VASANTHI: There were lots of
people outside, they were all
praying and meditating.
And the energies that are
focused through that prayer are
held as vibration in these, in
these pots of water, certainly
the water held that vibration.
The vibrations of all those
prayers, all those wishes, of
the whole community coming
together, that was being poured
>>NARRATOR: A line of young
girls is set up by the priests.
They will present some of the
first things the deities will
see as the sandalwood paste is
>>NARRATOR: And then, it begins.
The community and the deities
>>NARRATOR: Outside, a
helicopter approaches.
Rose petals.
And then, a hawk appears.
>>NARRATOR: And nearby, the 11th
generation of temple builders is
already growing up before the
>>SHAVANI: The executives
especially have made it a point
to say that this will be yours
in the future.
This will be your place to come
and feel comfortable and express
your religion and express who
you are.
And I found solace in that.
And so I think a lot of people
in my generation will also find
that as they see that they are
Indian.
They have to connect somehow,
and they need to find a place to
do that.
¶ [singing] ¶
>>CHAD: I think its
significant that this temple was
called the Hindu temple of
central Indiana and not the
temple of Indianapolis.
It really does serve that larger
This temple is a temple that
very intentionally has in its
construction and in the way its
presented itself attempted to be
a temple for all Hindus.
And that is really quite a feat.
You can imagine making a place
where Methodists, Baptists, and
Catholics would all be happy to
worship at the same time.
And maybe it is even more
difficult than that because
regionally speaking, in India
these folks are speaking
different languages, different
regional languages.
So actually a better parallel
maybe getting Methodists from
England, Catholics from Spain,
and Lutherans from Germany to
all worship in one space
¶ ¶
>>NARRATOR: October, 2015.
All clean up and final work has
been completed.
For the Uma and for shilpis it
¶ ¶
>>NARRATOR: The parting
is difficult.
Bittersweet.
They'll likely see each other
again, sooner or later...the
goodbyes are only temporary.
What they built will last much,
[Announcer reads words on