First retaining wall is built for Srila Gurudev's Pushpa Samadhi

Just up from the Temple, work has begun to prepare the hillside for the future building of the Pushpa Samadhi Mandir for our beloved Srila Gurudev. The first project was a retaining wall for the Parikram path around the Mandir.

First a trench was dug by hand using pick axes. A very hard job! Then wood and steel rebar was brought in to built the supports for the cement retaining wall.

Many devotees came out to help with this strenuous job.

Plans were made, measurements were taken,

and retaken until everyone was satisfied.

and many of the children came by to see what was happening.

after a few adjustments it was time for concrete.

3,500 lbs of cement plus 12 tons of sand and gravel.

Gaur Nataraj Prabhu was the mix master. The right mix was crucial because if it was too wet it wouldn't set properly on the sloped hillside, so a dry mix was necessary.

Sruta Srava Prabhu helped with the mixing.

Harindhu, Nowla Kishor and Shatrughna Prabhus transported the concrete by wheelbarrow down the driveway and up the hillside. These wheelbarrows weighed over 300 lb.

Hasyapriya Prabhu oversaw the project and Madhavananda Prabhu was a valuable helper.

Radhika and Vrinda Didis worked very hard until the job was finished.

The concrete needs to be tamped down so that it settles properly without air pockets which would weaken the wall.

Then the top is smoothed out.

Yes ! the last batch of cement.

Clean up time . A job well done.

Several days later after the concrete had dried the wooden forms were taken down and their steel support stakes were removed by shear brute strength. Madhavananda and Giridhari Prabhus used a special jack and chains and after tapping the stake a little to loosen it’s grip they pulled the stakes out. Amazing.

The finished 20 foot wall, only 60 more feet or so to go......