This week the construction team passed the halfway mark of the number of piles hammered into the sacred ground of Sri Mayapur dhama. Over 1,300 in the first six months.

According to Sadbhuja prabhu, the project Director, Gammon expect to have completed the sinking of the piles by December 2010.

Many piles have already been capped with concrete, and these cappings will form the basis for the plinth to be laid. If the schedule remains as it is we could see the first slab by next Gaura Purnima festival. If that happens there will be a huge kirtana organized on top of it to further invoke the blessings of Lord Caitanya!

Here’s a few pics.

Five pile drivers are working from early morning till late at night:

All piles are load tested to 250 tonnes, about twice the required capacity, and above ground columns are now being constructed:

These piles are being prepared for capping:

Stainless steel cages being prepared for piles:

I visited Sadbhuja prabhu in his office where he showed me a scale model under construction of the main dome. Hanging from its apex is a simple scale replication of one of the possible designs of the planetarium ‘chandelier’ which will demonstrate the movements of the main planets according to the Srimad Bhagavatam.

This one resembles an inverted orrery, and is one of several ideas currently being considered.

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