Temples are an extension of people’s homes, beliefs and practices,” says Vinit Mirkar, principal of IES College of Architecture in Bandra. This observation laid the foundation to the Deulkathan project that will take stage at the Kala Ghoda Art Festival that begins today. 

“The project was an effort to encourage first-year architecture students to understand what lies beyond the form of the temples, to push them to go beyond the textbook understanding of architecture,” shares Mirkar. In some ways, it has been a personal crusade. He adds, “I know of my gramdeivat (village deity) temple in Konkan that underwent a renovation, and transformed into a concrete uniform structure. It has lost a bit of its charm.”