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‘Man-made God’ by Matharoo Associates defies traditions and encourages inclusivity

A temple and a guest house, designed by Gurjit Singh Matharoo in Ajmer, India, redefines religious architecture with an ‘open-wings’ concrete temple for seven different religions.

by Meghna MehtaPublished on : Sep 14, 2020

In the history of architecture, we have seen many iterations in the way religious architecture has been re-imagined. Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Cathedral in France, Tadao Ando’s Church of Light in Japan, Douglas Cardinal’s St. Mary’s Parish in Canada and many others have further inspired to move away from using traditional elements of Church architecture into their designs.

The space with the temple in the centre and the accommodation blocks on both the sides | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
The space with the temple in the centre and the accommodation blocks on the sides Image: Dinesh Mehta

In India - a place with multitude of religions and sects - the creation of these buildings is usually left in the hands of traditional followers of the religion, and on rare occasions you see an architect involved in the design. The architectural movement for religious structures in India has taken its own time and despite the ever-growing places of worship, baby steps have been taken to maintain comfort and familiarity for the users while also attempting to redefine norms - Sameep Padora’s Shiv Temple and Sanjay Puri’s Iskcon Temple are a few of such examples.

  •  The windows of the accommodation units, framed with geometric <em>jalis</em>, opening toward the central space | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
    The windows of the accommodation units, framed with geometric jalis, opening toward the central space Image: Dinesh Mehta
  • The windows from the accommodation unit extruded at an angle to overlook the city and the temple | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
    The windows from the accommodation units extruded at an angle to overlook the city and the temple Image: Dinesh Mehta

Recently, the progressive Guru of the Sindhi community sect approached Matharoo Associates to design a temple, an ashram (pilgrim guest house) and associated spaces for visitors to stay in Ajmer, Rajasthan. Named by the studio as ‘Man-made God, Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House’ is “host to gods from seven different religions and as the spaces could not have had a specific orientation, this posed both a challenge and a cue for the design," says Gurjit Singh Matharoo of Matharoo Associates

The space between the guest houses and the temple | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
The space between the guest houses and the temple Image: Dinesh Mehta

The layout of the complex maximises the total area of 55,435 sqft (5,150 sqm) on the small 23,680 sqft (2,200 sqm) site. The accommodation blocks have been aligned to the three skewed site boundary edges, while the front road side and centre have been left as an open courtyard where the main temple stands in the heart of the courtyard with an ‘open-wings’ form in concrete. “The open-endedness of the temple symbolises the belief that religion should always be inclusive and personal,” adds Matharoo. The gesture also creates a sense of welcoming depicted as ‘hands joined as forming a lotus’.

The long views towards the Aravali mountains and hills | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
The long views toward the Aravali mountains and hills Image: Dinesh Mehta

The connecting passages for all 50 guest rooms look toward the exterior of the side, amplifying on capturing views of the Aravalli hills and the city. The windows that overlook the temple on the inside have are covered in jalis (local lattice stonework) and extruded at an angle to cut off direct views into the revered centre.

  • The idol within the temple has also been designed by Matharoo Architects | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
    The idol within the temple has also been designed by Matharoo Architects Image: Dinesh Mehta
  • The idols within the temple with the natural light falling in from all sides | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
    The idols within the temple with the natural light falling in from all sides Image: Dinesh Mehta

The congregation hall for sermons is situated at the ground level, providing easy access for the 800 people it is intended to accommodate. The basement includes a kitchen and a large dining hall that can be used during events, and also doubles up as a parking space when not in use. A ramp and staircase circumambulate the hall up to the temple where the cube has been extruded into an open-ended volume that is curved in plan and section. Between these walls, a concave roof inverts and establishes the ‘open-wings’ form of the temple. With a skylight all around the periphery of the central temple space, it appears suspended in space and allows the sun to bathe the warped surfaces with constantly changing natural light. The main idol within the space has also been designed by the architects, and the four-tonne shivling carved in stone represents birth and energy.

A circumambulatory staircase from the congregational hall travels up to the temple | Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House Ajmer by Matharoo Associates | STIRworld
A circumambulatory staircase from the congregational hall travels up to the temple Image: Dinesh Mehta

Matharoo Associates is known for their experimental approach and applying its modulations in various kinetic forms. In this project, the design respects the serenity of its setting while attempting a secular interpretation of a religious structure. The gestures, geometry and expression bring freshness and progressiveness that can be considered a step ahead for religious architecture in India.

Project Details

Name: Man-made God; Prem Prakash Ashram – Temple and Pilgrim Guest House
Location: Ajmer, Rajasthan, India  
Project team: Gurjit Singh Matharoo (Principal Architect), Mohit Maru (Project Architect)
Structural design: Rajendra Singh Matharoo (Principal Designer), Hitesh Rathi, Matharoo Associates
Interior design (incl. idol): Matharoo Associates
Electrical consultant: Jit Engineering Services Ltd
Plumbing consultant: Aqua Utility Designs and Management Pvt. Ltd
General contractor: Mayur Enterprise
Site area: 23,680 sqft (2,200 sqm)
Total floor area: 55,435 sqft (5,150 sqm)

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