project overview
The landscapes of the Navgrah Shani Mandir, Mangalnath Temple, Bhookhi Mata Temple, and parts of the Mahakaleshwar Temple are currently being reimagined through a series of landscape interventions. These exploratory sketches, presently in the stages of approval, detailing, and visualisation, aim to prepare these sacred precincts for the significantly larger public expected during the 2028 Kumbh Mela.
project type
Temple landscape design
year
2026
project status
Ongoing
project location
Ujjain
project area
not-applicable
A thematic garden is envisioned for the Navgrah Shani Mandir, where each of the nine celestial planets is represented through carefully selected plant species inspired by its color, energy, and symbolism. Native and regionally adapted trees form the foundation of the landscape, creating an ecologically resilient garden that celebrates local biodiversity. The result is a spiritual and sensory journey where mythology, astronomy, and nature come together in a landscape rooted in Indian tradition.
The extended premises for Mangalnath Temple begin with a careful reading of the existing landscape, its tree fabric, and the natural movement of water. The proposal responds gently to these conditions, allowing the site itself to guide the intervention rather than imposing upon it. Existing trees are retained wherever possible, while new elements are woven into the landscape with restraint and sensitivity.
The landscape draws inspiration from the experience of being on planet Mars, expressed through its vegetation, material palette, and spatial character. It creates an immersive environment that invites exploration while quietly narrating the story of Mangal, its planetary identity, mythological significance, and cultural legacy. The proposals the aimed at hosting larger number of people coming to Ujjain Sinhastha.
A landscape envisioned for the extension of Bhooki Mata Temple, set gently along the edge of the sacred Kshipra River. This site is deeply embedded in layers of mythology and lies in close proximity to the revered Harsiddhi Shaktipeeth. The design seeks to narrate the origin of the Shaktipeeths through space, water, and movement. At its heart lies a central waterbody, holding a powerful sculptural moment, Nataraj, Shiva in his Rudra Tandav, carrying the lifeless body of Sati upon his shoulders. This becomes the emotional and visual anchor of the landscape. Emerging from this water are 51 fragmented islands, each representing a part of Sati’s body, dispersed by Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra. These islands collectively form a spatial retelling of destruction, loss, and cosmic transformation, echoing the mythological origins of the Shaktipeeths. Scattered across these islands are Deepmalikas, not in rigid order but placed in a seemingly restless rhythm, reinforcing the narrative of chaos and destruction. Movement through the landscape becomes experiential, one traverses not just space, but story.
