In the early morning hours of December 15, 1990, the foundation stone was laid for a unique building, the Bhagavad Gita Mandir.

The huge structure was made possible by generous gifts from devotees around the world who were inspired to sponsor Guruji's vision of a Temple where several thousand people could gather for prayer and satsanga.

Local workers were grateful to be employed constructing such a holy project. Most of the rock sizing and other stone building materials were created manually on site and carried to the installation skillfully balanced on steady heads.

The first floor starts to rise. The octagonal shape of the structure is becoming evident.

In July of 1994, on the occasion of Guruji's 60th birthday, the nearly completed Mandir is dedicated as a world peace pilgrimage center.

Crossing the threshold into the Mandir invariably makes a visitor gasp.

Not long after the Mandir is complete, the stunnning chariot is installed. It is on a scale to complete the mythic metaphor Guruji first described when he conceived the project--the Mandir itself, flag snapping in the breeze, is the chariot pulled by these magnificent steeds.

A monkey horses around!

The divine dialogue is the Bhagavad Gita, a Song of the Lord, 700 stanzas which teach wisdom eternal, and illumine the heart of Hindu philosophy.

The view from the entrance to the Mandir.

Vishwarupa, the Universal Form, towers over the heads of the devotees.

The enormity of the soaring space to the peak of the roof is breathtaking.

Note the two small forms at the base of the statue, just over the visitors' heads.

Here are those "two small forms". It is Krishna, over six feet tall, once again offering wisdom to his devoted disciple Arjuna.

Encircling the grand room are black polished granite plaques engraved with all 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita in four languages--Sanskrit, Hindi, English and Kannada.

Below the Mandir, on the ground floor, Rama Mata takes her turn with the pick. It is the joyful and holy day to dedicate the Gayatri Temple and University.

Guruji envisions year long retreats; teacher training workshops in yoga and katha-kirtan; instruction in classical Indian spiritual arts and science including health; and camps for the children of Western students and Indians living abroad.

Sri Gayatri Devi greets visitors from Her beautiful rose marble altar in the Temple.

Guruji illumines the mysteries of the holy Gayatri mantra and personally initiated thousands of students all over the world into the practice of this powerful prayer for enlightenment.