Planned Palace of Gold Renovations
The Palace of Gold steps with the higher steps finished and lower steps in progress.
Thanks to our tireless construction teams 2015 was a productive year for New Vrindaban. In December of last year they completed an expansion to the parking lot located across from the temple entrance; bulldozing, leveling and shaping a first class parking area. Guests will now have ample parking to see the Palace and receive Prabupada’s mercy.
The steps leading to the Palace started renovation last summer, the upper portion is now complete. The stairs were expertly rebuilt by repurposing the original material for the risers, pier facings, and adding polished two-inch thick Absolute Black domestic granite for the treads and pier caps. The treads were flamed for traction and made extra thick for long-term endurance. Project manager Gopisa Prabhu mentions, “The end result is stunning and will soon be duplicated on the lower section of the front steps.”
The Palace steps made with Absolute Black granite and flamed treads for traction.
During fall of 2014, the ISKCON New Vrindaban Board endorsed the renovation of Prabhupada’s Palace wall. Since then, the wall structure was stripped of its rock, siding, and though still standing strong, was filled with cement and stabilized with rebar on the inside to secure its structure. The next step is to layer the wall with EIFS material which is basically a combination of wire, stucco and plastic helping with insulation efficiency and the external appearance. Each column of the wall will be decorated on top with an original lotus pattern casted in concrete, while each section of the wall will hold newly casted window frames with their original design. This project is currently being organized.
Prabhupada’s Palace wall is still being stripped of its brick and siding for renovation.
If there is room for more restoration projects, the red railing outlining the inside path entrance to the Prabhupada’s Palace will be renovated too. Gopisa Prabhu estimates the lower section of the stairs and the wall will be completed by the end of 2016.
Gopisa Prabhu also plans to fabricate the decorative wrought iron hand railings for the Palace steps this year as an offering to his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, for the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON. Gopisa Prabhu reflects by saying, “My hope is to be a productive tool in Krsna’s hands, after all, he is doing everything anyway.”
