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Charting the Progress
PHASE ONE, 1975: Gurudeva's vision of Lord Siva births the temple. Project begins, raising $400,000 for purchase and clearing of land, building access roads and creating the San Marga straight path to the stone that Siva sat upon in the vision.
1979: Rudraksha forest and fruit orchards are planted, fences and a parking lot added. Architectural plans are acquired from India.
1985: Two four-foot-long sandalwood scale models of Iraivan are carved in India.
1987: The central murthi, an extraordinary 700-pound crystal Sivalingam arrives on Kauai.
PHASE TWO, 1989: New US$16 million fund-raising drive begins. Each US$5 contribution sponsors one pound of granite--3.2 million pounds--including an endowment.
PHASE THREE, 1990: December 21, Gurudeva chips the first stone in Bangalore with the patronage of Sri la Sri Trichiswami and blessings of Goddess Rajarajeshwari. Sri Sri Sri Balagangadharanathaswami grants use of 11 acres of land. A village and workshops are built for craftsmen and families.
1991-92: Seventy artisans begin carving full time on blocks quarried from Bangalore's mountains. Excavators clear along the Wailua River on Kauai, creating Wailua Botanical Gardens, with ponds and paths.
1992: September 11, hurricane Iniki hits, delaying the Kauai efforts. Relief funds pour in from thousands of supporters. Work in India continues uninterrupted.
PHASE FOUR, 1995: Foundation design is gifted by Honolulu engineer James Adams in consultation with V. G. Sthapati. County of Kauai issues foundation permit. Ground-breaking ceremony conducted April 4-5 by Sri Sambamurthi Sivacharya from India.
1995-6: The foundation base, 187 feet long by 82 feet wide, 3 feet deep, is filled with compacted gravel at a cost of $230,000.
1997: First container of 43 stones arrives from India, with Kauai press coverage.
1998: Bangalore Gallery, a display of completed stones, is inaugurated on Kauai. Island Temple is published in Hinduism Today. Exquisite art and Indian sacred plants are gifted to San Marga Sanctuary.
PHASE FIVE, 1999: August: a monolithic 4-foot-thick concrete plinth was poured, requiring 108 cement trucks working two separate 12-hour days.
2000: In February the cement foundation was "surcharged" for six months, requiring 4 million pounds of soil to to loaded with earth equalling the full weight of the temple.
2000: In September the building permit for the temple is received from the County of Kauai. First container of 43 stones arrives from India, with Kauai press coverage.
2001: In January, a new house with lot was acquired to accommodate the six master craftsmen, siplis, and their cook and helper.
2001: In May, six containers arrived from India with stones for the first six courses of the temple.
2001: May 31st, Prathama Sila ceremony: the first stone of the temple is laid on the foundation in a grand ceremony. Craftsmen complete seventh layer of the main sanctum by December. Door frames installed on December 9th, an important phase of agamic sacred architecture.
2002: By the end of 2002 the silpis had complete as high as the 16th course of the main garbhagriham, the central sanctum. Containers with roof beams and pillars from India had arrived and the stones were layed out on the foundation ready to be raised.
2003: The first four of the Chitra pillars were installed on the east side of the sanctum and the sand retaining wall structure around the sanctum is being removed, level by level. Later in the year eight more pillars went up, so all 12 pillars around the sanctum were in place. Then began the installation of the giant ceiling beams. A new team arrived from India.
2004: Work progressed on the vimanam tower, up to the 25th course by February of 2004. The base stones for the three smaller golden towers were put in place, anticipating the arrival of the related Lion Pillars. Four more containers arrived from India in May, and the final few courses to the top were begun, as the team made ready the 8-ton capstone to be installed in the summer months.
2005: Through April The Vimanam tower was completed and the capstone was gold-leafed. The East Chinna Gopuram was also complete. The scaffold over the vimanam was removed, revealing the main sanctum in all its glory.
2006: Through AugustThe North and West Chinna Gopurams were completed. Extension of the roof from the Vimanam tower to the outer edges of the temple completed and the concrete slab for the Nandi Mandapam at the South Entrance area was poured.
2005-2010: (projection) During the next few years, over 85 more containers of stones will arrive at the Iraivan site. Indian artisans will fit and assemble the 4,000-stone monument and sculpt final details. Temple will be consecrated when all funds are raised.
