The Radha Krishna Temple is designed to be a tall structure just a few inches shy of 69 feet in height. At this height it will be among the tallest buildings in Allen and will stand out for miles around. The temple will only have 2 stories of useable space. However, like jewels adorning a beautiful face, the temple will have 4 shikhars enhancing its beauty. The shikhars were designed and manufactured in India and will be shipped to the USA and readied for installation on the ground and then hoisted by crane onto the roof once the roof is constructed. The largest shikhar will be 37 feet high including its base, including the kalash itself which will extend over 9 feet in height. The laws of engineering dictate that the taller the building, the deeper and more substantial its foundation must be laid. The piers, under the foundation slab, extend 12 to 15 feet deep and are 2 feet in diameter. The piers extend into the hard bedrock of blue shale that lies deep below the surface.
For Texas land, which typically has quite expansive soils, geologically, Mother Nature by herself already provided quite a solid foundation for the temple to stand on. Just below the top soil is clay, high in lime (a calcium based substance) giving strength like calcium does to our bones. Below that is extremely dense blue shale. The temple design has evolved into a lofty and ever more beautiful structure requiring ever more profound depths that we must go to lay the groundwork for this heavenly home to Shri Radha Krishna. The effort to get us this far may not be so visible, like the foundation lying below the surface, but the meticulous care, patience, the uncountable hours of work, combined with the giving hearts of so many supporters will soon blossom into a magnificent temple!
