The evening of 25th April saw a 3D laser extravaganza like none other

New Delhi: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the event online as the 55-foot giant Hanuman Statue at the Seetaramaswami Temple came alive before a stunned audience and media. The show is produced and presented by T S Pattabhiraman, Trustee Sri Seetharamaswami Temple Trust.

The crowds were ecstatic. They saw Lord Hanuman roar into life in a manner that was purely the stuff of dreams.

This laser projection mapping show was a culmination of years of effort in understanding classical religious art forms in the language and metaphor of high technology.

Filmmaker, tech expert and Guinness world record holder MANI SHANKAR, of 16 December, Tango Charlie and Knock Out fame, visualized, designed and directed the 3D Laser Projection Mapping show.

Speaking about the music, Bollywood composer Roshin Balu said that “The director wanted to deliver a feel of “Thrissur Puram”, the festival of elephants for which the city is famous. So I added the ‘Mund’ percussions and Nadaswaram to give a distinctive feel to the soundtrack.”

Anjali Joshi, the production designer, added, "The director wanted to present the show with a dominant theme of gold. Thrissur being India’s leading city of gold jewellery. So we added a gilt edge to the visual fabric, making the show an integral part of Thrissur landscape.”

Mani Shankar describes his effort as ‘Re-imagining Divinity with Reverence’. “There’s a concept known a Praana Pratishta in Hindu Ritualism, where a statue metaphorically comes to life by performing the correct procedures. In this show, we have re-imagined that in visual emotive terms. As they watch, if people feel an added wave of bliss and reverence to Lord Hanuman, our efforts have borne fruit,” he adds.

Shri. T S Pattabhiraman, the temple's trustee, added, “We want to ignite the fire of devotion in the younger generation, and this beautiful laser show has contributed so much to that cause.”

The co-producer, Shri Ramaswamy (Kanna) adds, “This is the first laser projection mapping show on a religious icon in Kerela.”

The end part has a Phala Sruthi with a soft trance chant of Ram Ram, leading the viewers to a serene silence. The visual fabric has been inspired by the ancient & powerful ideas of Purusha Suktam of the Rg Veda, the vibrant lyrics of Goswami Tulsidas ji and Valmiki’s storytelling of Ramayana. Mani Shankar and his associates have created a visual, emotional metaphor of both the Invisible Divinity of the Nirakaara Purusha and its Visible Manifestations as Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman.

Mani Shankar and his team are Mobile 3D Lifesize holography experts, for which he holds the Guinness world record. They also work with AI-integrated Augmented reality and Virtual reality.