The foundation stone for the Krishna Lila theme Park (KLP) to be built by two organisations, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) Charities and the Indian Heritage Foundation was laid on Kanakapura Road.
The massive canvas for the Rs 350 crore project to be built on an expanse of 28 acres was unveiled in a ceremony on Sunday. Speaking at the inauguration, Minister for Transport, who is in-charge of Bangalore South, R Ashok lambasted the forceful religious conversions taking place in the country and called it a social evil.
He appreciated the efforts of the Iskcon but also reminded that a state-of-the-art temple and theme park will not suffice for posterity. “We need to remember that all kinds of people including those from the lower caste and other religions should be able to access the temples”, he said.
The head of the Adi Chunchungiri Math Balagangadharnath Swami wished well for the construction of the temple and hoped that the complex will be completed in the stipulated three years.
Swami Harshanandji Maharaj, City president of the Ramakrishna Ashram said that the future generation of Indians were being misled with the influence of English and western culture. “I hope that such constructions will bear fruit in bringing them back to the Indian fold,” he said.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living (AoL) hoped that the KLP will succeed in keeping the Indian tradition alive for the future generations.
The vast temple complex will host three temples of Lord Krishna - a Radhakrishna temple, a Puri Jagannatha temple and a Krishna temple with a Parmaparika gopura. Atop the traditional 500 ft gopura an idol of Lord Venkateshwara will be installed.