Akshardham architect sends up a prayer

‘‘The temple has been made out of pink sandstone from Bhansipahadpura town in Rajasthan. About 6,000 metric tonnes of sandstone and 1,10,000 cubic feet of carved stones were used for the temple that stands on 33,000 square metres. It is 240 feet long, 131 feet wide and 108 feet high, including the ghummats,’’ he says.

One hundred and seventy eight carved pillars, 57 windows in the Rajasthani design, eight jharokhas, 46 beams and four ghummats adorn Akshardham, he adds.

When asked why no metal was used, he says: ‘‘Iron rusts. A structure in which RCC and iron is used can last for 100 years at the most but Akshardham can stand for 1,000 years if there’s no natural or man-made disaster here…Iron forms a magnetic field that saints say is a barrier between devotees and God. Temples constructed without metal are usually famed,’’ he adds.