PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This MPR article provides a good backstory of the vandalism that was the catalyst for the Hindu Society’s request for design help from AFH MN. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/07/14/hindutemple
AFH MN connected with the Hindu Temple http://www.hindumandirmn.org through Shivanthi Sathanandan. She is a very active member of the Temple and thought of AFH MN when they started talking about designing a Memorial Garden for the burial of the icons (deity statues) damaged in the vandalism of 2006. Over the summer of 2007, a small group of AFH MN members had 2 meetings with Shivanthi, Byron Byraiah, a member of the Temple and an electrical engineer who was instrumental in the design and construction of the Temple and site, and Dr. Sane who is on the Temple’s Executive Committee. AFH MN learned that the traditional way of burying icons is to immerse them in water. Due to State and City code limitations, the temple will not be allowed to bury the icons in this way and has asked for some creative ideas for their burial and a concept design for a memorial garden next to the temple. The garden will be a place for people to reflect on the events that occurred at the temple and will honor the memory of these important deities. AFH MN held a design charrette at the Temple on October 12th and 13th, 2007 to design the garden. Conceptual ideas from the charrette are now being further developed for presentation to the Temple's Executive Committee in December.
