Studio International

Published 14/10/2005

The announcement of a vast, new, Indian monumental and religious complex at Delhi, set on the banks of the river Yamuna, a healthy distance from the catastrophic earthquake zone of northern India can only be welcomed in the Hindu world, and far beyond. A great, pink, sandstone temple-monument (12,000 tons of it), embellished with white marble from Rajasthan is planned, replete with carvings of Indian deities, indigenous plant species and images of animal life, including elephants. There will be two great exhibition spaces and the cultural heritage and history of the sub-continent will be amply displayed. There will also be a great sculpture garden. The Hinduja brothers' sect involved with the plans are no strangers, fortunately, to the risks of earthquakes, given their previous engagement with the state of Gujarat.