Mahabodhi Temple

In the lighting of this wondrous UNESCO World Heritage Site, as we strived to shine light on the 50m tall facade, the gold-clad kalash and the sculpted Buddha effigies, we tried also to create a comfortable night-time environment for monks and devotees to read / pray / perform their rituals anywhere they choose to be! Under the aegis of Siddhartha’s Intent India and Khyentse Foundation, conceived by D Rinpoche, this sacred endeavour is one of the largest and planned as the longest lasting light offering for Buddhists everywhere. It entailed a reworking of the entire electrical system and infrastructure - a highly complex task given the religious and archaeological significance, the monumental scale and the fact that it was a living site always welcoming devotees and believers through-out the year . The lighting scheme was initially visualised by a foreign design team based on the lunar cycles. But was soon indigenised as well as adapted, tweaked and sometimes re-designed over numerous site visits, discussions with the trustees and other stakeholders as hitting ground became like the opening of Pandora’s box!