ORLANDO, FLORIDA, March 13, 2006: State investigators said they believe an electrical problem sparked a fire at a Hindu temple in Orange County. It’s still standing, but on the inside the damage is extensive. Worshippers hope to return Sunday to salvage what they can and clean up. Most of the damages occurred near the origin of the fire, but those who worshipped there may be able to return to the temple. For nearly two decades, the Shanti Mandir on 31st Street has sat in the center of a growing Hindu community. It’s name, Shanti, means peace and a number of other temples have grown from the seed planted there. “It’s very devastating. I could hardly move when I heard it this morning,” said worshipper John Ramdin. The damage to the temple is extensive, but worshippers said that does not take away from the many souls who have passed through there, including a swami (spiritual leader) who took up residence there for two years. He painted a number of pictures for the worshippers. “This was the first Hindu church in this area,” Ramdin said.
“We try not to get too attached to anything. We’re trying to get to the spiritual world,” said spiritual leader Trivikrama Swami. Until Monday morning’s fire, the largest threat to the temple was the expansion of I-4. Worshipers were already in the process of finding a new home when the fire happened. Now it appears they’ll be forced to move on much sooner than anyone could have realized. “Maybe it’s God’s way of telling us what’s going to happen here,” Ramdin said. One group that uses the temple for worship had a special celebration planned Tuesday. It’s likely now they’ll be setting up a tent outside the temple, but they have no intention of cancelling their plans.