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TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, January 20, 2004: The 250,000-strong Hindu community in Greater Toronto has undertaken the task of building a museum in honor of Hindu culture and traditions. Mastermind for the project, Budhendra Doobay, says, “Young people do not understand Hindu rituals, customs and heritage. Some of them are learning it from people who don’t fully understand the religion, and they are bored by going to the temples.” Doobay helped found Richmond Hill’s Vishnu Temple in 1983 and he feels the museum will engage the younger generation into Hinduism. The community has already collected half the money for the five million dollar project which is scheduled to open in April of this year. Attached to the existing Vishnu temple, features of the Yonge street museum include, “Artefacts and displays dating back to 2,500 bce for the period of Indus Valley Civilization, covering the Smriti/Shruti and Indo-Aryan periods. Classical and medieval theism with displays explaining Hindu symbolisms, rituals and their origins. Displays of the contemporary living culture of Hindu heritage.” There will be no shortage of the use of modern technology in the museum. The article explains, “A cosmic theatre will be built on the second level, cutting through the top level, using a 3-D visual medium to show visitors the birth and evolution of Hinduism.” Doobay, a native of Guyana and former head of vascular surgery at Hamilton Civic Hospital, says, “Our goal is not only to bring Hindu civilization to the Hindu people but also to all non-Hindu people who are interested in our religion and philosophy.” Asha Seth, a director of the museum, adds, “The museum will simply enrich the multicultural fabric of Canada.”

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