From Social Media To Door-To-Door: How They Are Funding A Rs 500 Crore Temple Project In Karnataka

In the quiet village of Nangali Venkatapura, nestled within the Mulabagilu taluk of Karnataka's Kolar district, an extraordinary undertaking is underway: the construction of the Kalyana Venkateshwara temple, a project with an estimated cost of 500 crore rupees.

What began in 2009 as a humble family endeavour, a father-son duo's vision to erect a simple temple on their ancestral land with a modest budget of 10 lakh rupees, has since evolved into an ambitious quest.

The goal? To create the largest and most magnificent Hoysala temple in nearly eight centuries, not merely inspired by the grandeur of Belur and Halebeedu, but poised to rival them in scale and intricate detail.

The scheme of the temple developed to be of such breathtaking magnitude, that it, thanks to what can only be termed as divine serendipity, brought together the best of the best - be it the expert sculptors like Gunawantheshwara Bhat, (student of the renowned Ganesh L Bhat); eminent Sthapathis like Shankar Sthapathi, seasoned historians such as Dr Srivatsa Vati, and architects such as Adam Hardy and Yashaswini Sharma.

Swarajya had extensively documented in 2017 how Arvind Reddy's brainchild grew organically in both size and ambition. As the son of the founding duo and treasurer of the Shree Kalyana Venkateshwara Hoysala Art Foundation, Reddy successfully gathered this eminent group of supporters.

The publication of that piece in 2017 coincided with Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar conducting the shilavapana ceremony—the consecration of the main temple's first stone.

Eight years on, we were curious to investigate the project's progress. What challenges emerge when creating such a magnum opus? How does one fund such ambition without direct political backing or the marketing power of a renowned spiritual guru?

Seeking answers, this author traveled to Arvind Reddy's Marathahalli abode in eastern Bengaluru. What followed was the revelation that building a temple of this scale in India, particularly in Karnataka, is nothing short of what locals colloquially term "Bhagirathina Sahasa"—an effort comparable to the legendary king of the Ikshvaku dynasty who brought the Ganges to Earth.

The prequel details the remarkable journey that led the patrons to Professor Adam Hardy—a distinguished scholar of Asian architecture and Professor emeritus at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.

His unparalleled knowledge of Hoysala temple architecture proved transformative. This serendipitous encounter shifted the original plan from building a modest temple modeled after the Arsikere Chandramaulishwara temple to embarking on an ambitious quest to construct a truly grand abode for Sri Kalyana Venkateshwara.

Why specifically the deity Kalyana Venkateshwara? 

The choice of sculptural style for the main deity was always a point of deliberation.

In 2021, when the patrons approached renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj (known for his work on the Ayodhya Ram Lalla), they encountered a significant challenge. The Hoysala style, while architecturally fitting, poses a risk of wear and tear from daily worship due to the stone's delicate nature.

Furthermore, a Hoysala-style idol, when adorned, would bear a resemblance to the Belur Chaluvaraya Swamy, deviating from the patrons' desire for an idol reminiscent of Venkateshwara Swamy at Tirupati. Consequently, they engaged sculptors from Mahabalipuram, who have assured them of a faithful recreation of the Tirupati Balaji deity.

"Most people concur with this sentiment," Reddy states, "and the prevailing request is: 'Construct the temple in any architectural style you prefer, but ensure the main deity reflects the divine form of Lord Sri Venkateshwara of Tirumala.'"

The idol is expected to be completed within the next eighteen months. The foundation plans to construct a small gudi (temporary shelter) where they will begin daily worship ceremonies and associated homas until the formal pran pratishtha (consecration ceremony) can be performed in the main temple.

Architecture

Traditional Hoysala temples were constructed using soapstone with only lime and mortar as binding agents. The patrons of the Kalyana Hoysaleshwara temple made an early commitment to avoid using cement, choosing instead to build with stones rather than a concrete raft foundation. This decision was particularly important as only stone can adequately support the substantial weight of the granite that will form the entire temple structure above.

“There is a reason why our ancient temples have survived for millennia, why they have resilience and have existed for thousands of years without intervention - it is because of the use of natural materials- stone, lime, mortar and sand for packing” 

“ If you look at the original Hoysala temples at Beluru and Halebeedu, the sourcing of the stones for these temples were done many centuries ago from very nearby quarries of the region as well; unfortunately today those sources of soapstone have been exhausted.” Reddy tells Swarajya.

Initially, the stones for the temple were sourced from H.D. Kote. However, as sculpting began, dark marks started appearing on the stone, prompting the patrons to seek better quality material. Their quest eventually led them to a quarry at Karkala.

“Sufficient reserves have been found at two locations,” says Reddy. “However, if we need more, we have identified additional reserves in Andhra Pradesh.”

However, the length of the soapstone required still remained an issue “The sizes are something we have to carefully achieve because, we do not have the kind of lengths we require for this gigantic temple which is twice the size of Belur", Yashaswini Sharma one of the Principal Architects of  the project and a disciple of Prof Adam Hardy tells Swarajya.

“We came up with an innovative solution to resolve this, since the required length was unavailable at any quarry we decided that core of the beam will be made of granite while the rest would be made of soapstone”.

So far, the first phase of the garbha-gudi has been completed, and work is now set to commence on the sabha mantapa.

The gajatala will feature five massive elephants, significantly larger than those seen in traditional Hoysala temples. For comparison, the elephant band at the first level of the Beluru and Halebeedu temples measures 6 inches, while the one at the Kolar temple will measure an impressive 11inches.

What makes this temple unique in comparison to anything else witnessed before?

“It is almost as if we are re-inventing the wheel”, Sharma states emphatically. “In the absence of any written shilpa shastra texts from the Hoysala times, one can only study what is apparent - that is the existing temples themselves and then decode the principles from it. In that sense you are learning in reverse. In this process we end up documenting the details perhaps for the first time, in hopes that it will benefit the future generations and last till posterity”.

“The Hoysalas took what the Chalukyas were doing and developed it further, they used a more malleable material, that is soapstone for carving, and through that they were able to bring in the exuberance of various themes. Hoysala temples usually have two Jagathis much like the North Indian tradition of Bhumija, and they have a distinct way of manipulating the geometry - whether it is staggering or projection or gyrating (rotating) and they arrive at stellate forms. They have experimented and come up with beautiful permutations and combinations.”  

“Seating is embedded (Kakshasana) within Hoysala temples and sacred rituals are celebrated through the offering of music and dance to the deity. The client had the vision of reviving not just the architecture but also the art, as the Hoysala rajas were great patrons of art, this has been incorporated within the design in the form of a Rangamantapa”

Sharma continues: “The entire process of studying and designing the temple brought me to the realisation as to how the formless and the form truly come together and become one during the construction of Indian temples. After all, at the heart of Indian philosophy lies the cosmic being and the Pancha Bhootas and only later on do the form deities appear in worship. Thereafter an abode is built for these personified deities."

Then, Sharma speaks about the process of initiating construction -

"It all begins with the taking of permission by satiating the earth through  garbhanyasa (womb of the earth)- seeding of the deity. First the soil is prepared  to accept the deity starting with a layer of red earth, then the  seeding of navadhanya (specific set of nine grains and legumes used in Hindu rituals, believed to bring prosperity) occurs."

"The whole process of invoking all these elements through the cosmic energy within the deity was a beautiful sight to observe” Sharma remarks.

Basic Unit of Measurement 

In the Hoysala times, the height of the king, or the patron or the sthapati was measured and taken as the basic unit of measurement or what is known as the aayasadhana. This calculation is arrived at using 16 factors as well as the star of the village and the star of the kartru (person who is construction the temple) and the star of the deity as well.

For this temple, Shankar Sthapati‘s father, Ganapathi Sthapati, of the Kashyapa Shilpa Shastra and Marichi Samhitha (a master architect and sculptor in traditional Indian architecture of Tamil origin) decided the patriarch of the family (Arvind Reddy’s  father), Ramalinga Reddy's height would be the basic unit.

“This measurement is at the crux of sizing the temple, geometrically everything is linked and is in proportion to this particular measurement, on its basis we generated the stele plan of the garbhagriha, and from it the mantapa flows and the rangamantapam takes form”, Sharma reveals.

"Hoysala temples, if one observes, are usually double plinth and the bottom plinth is extruded. Then you have a circumambulation path that is set - this is the Jagathi which is drawn out."

“The grabha-griha will be home to Sri Kalyana Venkateshwara and Sapthamaathrika shrines shall be set into the Jagathi. In the Hoysala tradition smaller shrines used to be set into the Jagathi, we have decided to uphold that principle."

"The Hoysalas were very adept at managing society, for instance if it was a Shaivite temple, they would carve images of Vishnu Chaturvimshathi and if it was a Vaishnavite temple, they have depictions of the Trimurthis and stories related to Lord Shiva. Thus, bringing together different philosophies was the hallmark of Hoysala administration, and this philosophy has been kept in mind as we design the temple.”

Arvind Reddy emphasised the massive scale of the project: “Based on the aayasadhana, the measurement of the inner square of the garbhagudi was formulated, the entire temple would now revolve around this square. The Jagathi is to be 7ft tall in comparison, the Jagathi at Belur is only 4ft. Additionally, the vimanashikhara is going to be 109 ft in height.”

The land on which the temple is situated on is said to be shaped like a football. The project first began with the cutting of a 60x60 square garbhagudi to a depth of 3 ft, using a kerosene burner. Then they had to flatten the entire area. The very process of excavation itself consumed a great deal of cost.

As per the Brahma Sutra - Uttarayana and Daksinayana (terms in the Hindu calendar that refer to the sun's movement north and south), astronomically speaking, changes on March 21st. The patrons decided to fix the alignment of the temple to a perfect east using this as the reference.

After setting the same, they observed every year for eight consecutive years too see if the temple aligns perfectly east with the Sun on the 21st of March. However, when some Sthapatis came to visit the site in 2017, they did not agree with the alignment. This issue arose as these Sthapatis had used a compass to decide the alignment and not the Brahma Sutra.

A 7 degree misalignment towards the southeast was discovered and  misalignments are said to be inauspicious. Ironically, the patrons were also facing incredible challenges around this time as well - both on a personal front as well as issues related to the project.

Arvind Reddy was initially of the thought that since the earlier temples were aligned based solely on Brahma Sutras, such measurements would be the most authentic way to build the temple. After facing continued challenges for years though, he decided it was time to visit other famous Devasthanamas and check their alignment as per the compass using Google maps.

To his surprise, he discovered all of them were perfectly aligning with the compass, including the Surya temple at Konark. He also discovered that the Arunachaleshwar temple at Tamil Nadu had a 7 degree tilt towards the southeast of the Agnaya (this was eventually corrected).

Additionally, he found out that the Padmanabha Swamy temple had a 2 degree tilt  towards the northeast, while the Tirupati temple had a 18 degree tilt towards the northeast, whereas the Belur Chennakeshava temple had a 22 degree tilt towards the northeast.

Having studied the temples, the patrons decided to tilt the entire foundation of the Kolar temple 7 degrees (which made the temple incline eastwards) plus another 12 degrees to achieve that desired northeast tilt. This change in Vastu also resulted in a change in their fortunes, with the challenges faced by the patrons over the past half decade slowly and organically resolving themselves. 

Sacred Geography

In 2005, when Arvind Reddy’s father, Ramalinga Reddy, sent him to build a simple temple for Venkateshwara as a means of giving back to their village, he started out with the intention of building it on his own farm land within the expanse of about half an acre. However, when the planning began, he realised something in him was not satiated. 

“Our small village with just about 35 houses exists upon a hutta, there are 7 abandoned houses including mine which upon clearing yielded about 2 acres of land - I initially decided to construct the temple there. However, before I could completely make ready the plot and infact quite literally the day after I had performed the prescribed pooja and sankalpa, my younger brother discovered the perfect spot. At the outskirts of the village, upon a hilltop exists about 16 acres of gomala (land reserved for animal grazing). When I saw this parcel of land, I could feel it in my bones, this was it", Reddy said.

“Later, I met Prof Hardy and his sketches came to envision a masterpiece spanning over 8 acres, this location again proved to be the most ideal for the project.”

"The land is perfect both in terms of location and geography for our temple, the issue is that since it is the village’s gomala, its ownership lies with the government", Reddy states.

However, when the patrons approached the district administration for the land they were informed that it was not possible to legally part more than 2 guntas to any temple board. The patrons then approached the state government. 

"Infact, when Jagadish Shettar (the then Chief Minister) was present at a particular event organised in association with the temple, the pontiff of the Suttur mutt, on stage requested Mr Shettar to grant the land to the temple trust. Unfortunately, nothing came to fruition as Shettar was ousted two months later," Reddy reveals. 

"The district administration then told us that while it would be possible for the government to grant the eternity of the gomala to a sangha or a mutt, the rules make it slightly tricker to do so to a private temple trust. After a series of negotiations it was concluded that we have two options going ahead- one, we can either purchase the land from the government or two- we can resort to land exchange, where we trade our own private land in exchange for this sacred geography. Both options are currently being explored,” Reddy tells us. 

Brief Review of the Funding Model

The plinth of the temple was marked to be 650 x 450 feet. Therefore, the foundation of the temple would require 6,000 stones which are each 9 feet in length, 3 feet breadth and 3 feet in height. Weighing each about 10-15 tonnes, it would completely fill up a single lorry. 

Reddy revealed the journey each foundation stone traverses  “We initially began sourcing the stones from Devanahalli. We obtained about 40 to 50 stones of granite from there. However, this proved to be financially unfeasible mainly due to the high transportation costs. Then we decided to source it locally, just about 10 kms away from our village. After factoring in the cost of scouring, cutting and transporting, we arrived at the amount of  Rs 15,000 per stone, now after eight years, with inflation the amount has been raised to 22,000 per stone."

"Our hope is to reach 6,000 families who could contribute one such stone each, thus far we have been able to contribute 1,000 stones. Families who contribute are invited to see the stones they are contributing first hand and worship their donations as well.

This way we are able to create a sense of trust and assurance, that the funds they have donated have been put to correct use. We wait for about 50 to 100 stones to be donated and then conduct a function where the pooje of these stones would be performed by the donors, only after which we utilize the stone, creating a sense of satisfaction to both us and the patrons.”

This is the first model of crowd funding.

The second model is inspired on the lines of the Somnath temple. Having heard stories about how Sardar Patel mobilised public funding for the great temple, Arvind Reddy also decided that his temple would be of the public as well. If they could reach one crore families all across India, each of whom can contribute Rs 108, he concluded that he would be able to raise a substantial amount of funding.

Covid and the Aftermath

Things initially progressed splendidly well. In 2011, Ashok Singhal of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad presided over the shilanyasa programme and later in 2017, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar consecrated the upapitha, with the gajatala.

The consequent media coverage ensured a good inflow of funds. Political and governmental support too flowed in as and when there was a need for it. “When the drawings came, B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister and we somehow managed to get in touch with him. He was very astonished to see the drawings and said that if a foreigner can make such drawings then it would be an insult if we Kannadiagas do not see it to fruition. He said he was willing to give any support that was needed from the government". Even when Sadanand Gowda was the Chief Minister, Reddy said, the support was unconditional.

Consequently, they played host to a great and many variety of politicians and celebrities who paid visit. Personal money was spent on catering to such visits, accommodating their stay, organising events where speeches were delivered and grand promises were made.

Vans were organised to generate awareness and pamphlets were distributed to gather audiences. “This was all done from our end in hopes of generating both publicity and funds for the project. However, seldom did those promises transform into tangible donations. Then came the gloom of the global pandemic. 2019  was a spanner in the works”, Reddy laments.

Lessons Learned 

The pandemic brought the world to a halt and consequently the inflow of funds ran dry. The years of Covid also brought personal tragedy to Arvind Reddy’s family, leading to the loss of several close family members, including the family’s matriarch in 2022. The family decided to take a step back and take some time to recoup.

First, they realised that one of the main wounds they bled from was the organising of events. Events that were organised in hopes of raising funds and awareness lead to crores of personal money being spent. However, despite big promises made, nothing and nobody truly followed through. 

“We concluded that it would be best to completely stop investing in such events and completely shift our focus to raising money from the public", Reddy states with resolve.  

In an appeal to donors, Reddy has this to say: “We exist with no backing at all neither from any sangha nor any institution. This whole endeavour is completely self driven, with the trust consisting of primarily family members and friends.  The only way we can fund such an ambitious project is to rely on the generosity of devotees. Take for instance the ISKCON temple in Bengaluru, it was built primarily out of the donations of devotees."

Volunteer Network

Reddy decided the best way to go about things would be to build a strong  network of volunteers.

“Starting from the Kolar district, we are visiting every village, meeting the village elders, meeting the panchayat and gathering the youth. Talking to them, informing them of our mission and urging them to join hands with us. Earlier we had hired a van (equipped with speakers to make announcements) and employed a team of six members to do this."

"However, again expenditure outweighed returns. So now, we have instead two female staff at Kolar, who are making calls. We are fortunate enough to have gotten a list of gram panchayat members across the state of Karnataka. The response to this has been wonderful and we are largely able to convert 40-50 per cent of the calls made into donations. So far, we have covered the districts of Kolar, Chikkabalapur, Doddabalapur and now we are approaching Tumkur.”

This way they intend to cover the whole state, followed by the southern part of India (particularly because Mulbagilu is situated at the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka) and eventually the entire nation. As of now, through this exercise, Reddy has been able to build a network of 3,000 volunteers. 

“Our mission for the volunteers is simple: how many ever are capable of donating Rs 108 within your villages, urge them to do so. Additionally,  at least find one such person within your village who can donate a single foundation stone."

"The planned scale of our project is huge, accounting for inflation, the cost could potentially reach anywhere between 500 to 100 crores, hence the donations can not be one off and will have to be an annual commitment. Impress this message amongst your brethren.”

"My requests is only this to our volunteers: get at least a 100 of your own  people, your near and dear ones to donate Rs 108 rupees each- periodically, at the very least on a yearly basis, only then can we ensure substantial funding and make this dream a reality"

And as a token of gratitude such volunteers would be given life patron privileges once the temple is completed, with perks such as free stay at the temple, periodic darshans and prasada delivery amongst other things.

Reddy states that they have also begun to create taluk committees, inviting the MLAs within each taluk, regardless of party association, to join and contribute. 

“The ground support is overwhelming, the challenge only lies in getting the message across and generating awareness for the cause. We have created WhatsApp groups to coordinate activities within our volunteer networks and have shifted to QR codes to collect donations. We are 3,000 members strong today, but our goal is to reach a lakh volunteers, then we know we can generate substantial output”.

Power of Social Media

Earlier books containing details of the temple and pamphlets seeking funds were distributed to about 300 villages around Mulbagilu, however half the people who took them did not do good when it came to distribution.

“Money was spent on producing and publishing these books. We realised, again this was a cost that could have been avoided if we just harnessed the power of social media. No more expenditure on  books, pamphlets, autos, drivers or distribution stands - everything is now online” 

The foundation has decided to have a dedicated website for the temple project. "Through this site and platforms like Twitter and YouTube we intend to provide live and regular updates, much like the reporting system  followed by the Ayodhya temple trust”.

"Timeline for the temple completion is hard to predict. In 2012, I had very proudly declared that we can finish the foundation within two years, as the response then was overwhelming. Twenty-thousand people had attended the function. Both the RSS and the VHP had stood by us, but the reality post the event proved different."

"Grand gestures and promises made during the function were limited to only for that day, nothing carried forward. Ultimately what bore results was our outreach to the public—the kind that involved collecting donations door to door. After we ask about 10 people, one would end up donating. It’s an exhausting endeavour and often consumes entire days. Therefore, the time is not in your control."

In essence, the Kalyana Hoysaleshwara temple project stands as a testament to both unwavering faith and the formidable challenges inherent in realizing a monumental vision.

From its humble origins to its current grand scale, the temple's journey has been marked by divine serendipity, meticulous craftsmanship, and the persistent pursuit of authenticity.

Overcoming hurdles ranging from sourcing the right materials to navigating bureaucratic complexities and financial constraints, the project has evolved through a blend of traditional wisdom and innovative solutions.

The dedication of Arvind Reddy and his team, coupled with the invaluable contributions of experts like Professor Adam Hardy and Yashaswini Sharma, has breathed new life into the Hoysala architectural legacy. The temple's unique features, from its meticulously planned dimensions to its integration of art and ritual, are poised to create a spiritual and cultural landmark that will endure for generations.

Ultimately, the success of this ambitious endeavour hinges on the collective support of devotees and volunteers.