Excerpt from DNA, reported By Baljeet Parmar on Aug 3, 2010, : Read Full Article
For the Ganeshotsav celebrations this year, the Sahyadri Krida Mandal of Tilak Nagar, Chembur, is erecting an exact replica of Hampi’s historical Vitthala temple for the astronomical sum of Rs2 crore — a record.
The mandal has always been in the news for two reasons: its elaborate pandals and its clandestine funding by underworld don Chhota Rajan — though the organisers deny this.
To meet the September 11 Ganeshotsav deadline, more than 300 workers, including engineers, architects, tracers and carpenters, are doing double shifts. When ready, the replica will be 130 feet long, 40 feet wide and 35 feet high, and will be housed in the colony’s community hall.
The Vitthala temple — Vitthala is an avatar of Vishnu — is the most ornate of the temples in Hampi, which is near Hospet in Karnataka. The temple was constructed in the 15th century. Its front portion consists of a huge mahamandapam (pillared hall).
