Appeal of Indian art is not to eye and to the mind through the eye, but to the soul through the eye and the mind as it has never been content with minor realities of sensation and major realities of emotion but has striven to find the supreme realities of the spirit.
Hereditary Architect and Sculptor Director, Institute of Sacred Architecture Kumbakonam-612001 K.P.Umapathy Acharya did Post graduation in Public Administration, but there was never any doubt in his mind, that one day, he would follow in the footsteps of his ancestors, the traditional sthapati from the Viswakarma community. His Grandfather Brahma Sri. K. Vaiyapuri Acharya and father Acharya N.Panchapagesan are well known Vedic, Silpa Sastras scholars and architects. His father taught, to Umapathy Acharya, not only the nuances and practical aspects of temple architecture but also about the foundation that this science has in our traditional texts. Sri. K.P.Umapathy Acharya, have presented research papers at many seminars and have authored articles on temple architecture and Silpa. He recently published two Silpa Sastras "Silpavidya Rahasyopanishad” and Ratha Laksana. Apart from such academic work, he is constructing new temples and helping to restore old ones. In 2004 he was given Best Artist Award by Govt. of Tamilnadu and 2008 he was honored by the Shanta Prasad Award for outstanding excellence in traditional knowledge and skill by the Crafts Council of India. In the year 2013, he had awarded with prestigious title” Abhinava Sarvasiddhi Acharya” in Badami, the capital of Chalukya kings. In the year 2016, he was awarded “Sri TV Kapali Sastry Award” instituted by Sakshi Trust, Bangalore. Sri. Acharya always interested to teach Vedas and Silpa texts and practical intricacies of Temple architecture.
