The availability of resources such as excellent quality of stone and depth of knowledge of skilled traditional craftsmanship which we wanted to utilize, led to the consideration of stone as the only material to use. Considering the setting of the temple in the wonderfully stark and alive canvas of the ‘Thar Desert’, the primary building material was the yellow, locally available Jaisalmer sandstone. The main innovation is in the shikhar of the temple which is supported by solid dressed stone masonry.

Rather than a solid block, the individual components of the shikhar of the temple are offset from each other using interlocking stone blocks with epoxy binder. The massive stone masonry walls designed to hold the stone shikhar had to be placed precisely in place to balance the various requirements. Heaviness of stone was to be balanced with lightness. And it was done through introduction of light. The interlocking stone joinery is employed to let light into the inner sanctum or the garbhagriha of the temple during the day and let light out during the night, transforming the temple from day to night.

At different times of the day, from different directions, the temple is heavy and light, solid and translucent, valid and void, past and present. Credits: - SpaceMatters - Amritha Ballal - SpaceMatters - Suditya Sinha