SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLORIDA, December 12, 2005: Another milestone for Hindus in America took place in December with the opening of the South Florida 10,000-square-foot Hindu Temple in Southwest Ranches. Nine Deities were ceremoniously installed with elaborate pujas. One thousand Hindus attended the event. The temple is expected to serve 70,000 Hindus in the South Florida area. Rajendra Gupta, one of the temple’s founding members, said, “Organizers spent nearly a decade raising almost $5 million to build the ornate temple, which was partly designed by silpies, or stone craftsmen, from India. The temple will be open daily for Hindus to perform pujas, or worship rituals.” Eleven-year-old Faren Rajkumar sums up the event, “I think it’s beautiful, a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I’m proud to be a part of this.”
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