The Temple (Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona series)

Joseph Pennell

"The Temple" is the sixth of eleven large lithographs Pennell did of the Grand Canyon in Arizona in 1912.

The Grand Canyon, located in Arizona, USA, is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and contains several natural features named after various deities. These include Vishnu Temple, Shiva Temple, Ram Temple, Krishna Temple, Brahma Temple, Deva Temple and Manu Temple. These natural temples are known internationally for their majesty, and for many people of the Hindu faith, a visit to Grand Canyon is both a pilgrimage and a vacation.

In 1880 Major Clarence Dutton, while surveying the Grand Canyon, was tremendously impressed by the majestic butte rising about seven thousand feet above the riverbed. It reminded him of Hindu temples and so he named it Vishnu temple. In front of the Vishnu temple are the Krishna temple and Rama temple.

Vishnu temple is a particularly awesome sight, standing out from others due to its unique shape and location. It is about nine miles from the South rim of the Grand Canyon from where you can see it.

The foundation rock of Grand Canyon is considered to be about 1.8 billion years old and it is called Vishnu base rock.