Anand Sai’s career in movies though was at peak, he yet looked forward to challenges that would grow him philosophically. A sense of void was always felt in spite of his architectural finesse even while he was involved in the best projects. After the movie Yevadu, Anand Sai took on to a spiritual path that brought him to Sri Ramanuja Charyulu project. It was the best time of his life is what he says to Telugu360.com with a sense of satisfaction that he seems to have achieved while creating the drawings for the project as he interacted with Chinna Jeeyar Swami. Read what Anand Sai is saying more about the Yadadri Temple project..
As Yevadu was nearing completion I received multiple offers on both the film and events. I had the pleasure in designing many celebrity weddings such of Junior NTR, Allu Arjun, Lokesh and Ram Charan to name a few. During this time I had the privilege to be associated with ‘My Home’ Rameshwar Rao garu. This got me professionally acquainted with Mr Rao Garu as I designed the family weddingsand they were essentially designed on ethnic and traditional grounds and architecturally resembled our ancient temples. My avid interest in temple architecture was the foundation to my creations. As Hon. Chinna Jeeyar Swamy is a close contact of Mr. Rao’s family, I was fortunate to have him witness the Vaishnava weddings that I created for the ‘My Home’ family. The reason my designs have created a niche in the market is that I not only look for eye appealing decoration but preserve our traditional shastram be it on the live mandap or to the scale. The fortunate day arrived when I received a call from Swamyji himself. He briefed me regarding the Ramanuja Charyulu project – a huge statue would be erected of Sri Ramanuja with 108 Divya Desa temples around to be constructed. An experienced architect who worked on Puttaparthi Sai Baba temple worked on the drawings. These drawings captured the structure needed. The trust felt a need for temple ambience to be incorporated in the drawings. I tried to work on them. I was on one hand extremely happy to be connected with this divine project and on the other was receiving projects of films. My work style is to take off as soon as I connect with the project. Grabbing my sketches I went to meet Mr. Jagapathi Rao (brother of Chairman Mr. Rameshwar Rao) at the ashram. As I was waiting for him, I worked on the sketches. The outcome to me was not satisfactory. That’s when I approached Swamyji and expressed that these sketches were missing the spiritual feeling.
I expressed to him that we should recreate something that would take us back to ancient era. Swamyji was leaving to the USA in 20 days and agreed to take a look at my drawings. After spending about four hours he expressed his liking towards the drawings. No turning back from there. The project had me in it. Every minute spent in this project was bliss in my life. Fortunate was I to spend time with Swamyji everyday. Mr. Rao is very encouraging. My working in the films simultaneously never was an issue with them. In due course Maharaj Patro, a famous Staapathi from Orissa had visited Hyderabad and in association with him I showed one of my initial the drawings. Maharaj Patro gave me words of wisdom and said he would teach me a few lessons on drawings of temple architecture. Not all great people come from institutions. They inherit a legacy and hail from it.
Later on, I got myself enrolled in Mahabalipuram college of Temple Architecture. During this time I focused intensely on the one and half year program and kept my other personal avocations at bay. I would need to mention at this point the unconditional support my wife had rendered and believed in my choice of path. She was there for me, reassuring and keeping my dreams alive.
Chinna Jeeyar Trust with the consent of Swamiji had given me the permission to visit temples around India to comprehend and learn the various architectural designs. My first trip was to Tirumala. Generally, no sketching is permitted inside the Garbha Gudi. But due to the grace of Swamyji I was immediately given the permission and that vision cannot be erased from my mind. The 50 odd temples that I visited thereafter only further amazed me the work of the Stapathis’.
The Ramanuja Charyulu statute is 108 feet and was ordered from China. Around the statue, you will find 108 Divya Desa temples on the thirty acres of land. Each temple is 12 feet tall and today this design is complete. The temple is completely Vasthu compliant. The sketches are complete and is now ready for execution. During my temple tours I have made a note of all the minute designs and detailing of the Vaishnavaite temples as every temple architecture is different from the other.
My attitude is and has always been to give my best whatever I am working on. Be it the movies or the temple my perception never changes. My values are seen in my work. I occasionally reflect and ask myself how am I giving back to the society and I keep coming back to the answer, happiness is in enjoying what I do. And I enjoy every bit of it. Speculations as to what next in pipeline is put to rest once the announcement of the Yadadri project made headlines.
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