TROY, MICHIGAN, April 20, 2006: The Hindu community in south-east Michigan has been served well since 1981 by religious ceremonies in a utilitarian brick facility. Through the years the congregation has grown and the 1,000 members now want to build a 35,000-square-foot addition in traditional Hindu style with domed shikars.
The news release explains, “The new temple is being designed by the Farmington Hills architecture firm METCO, in conjunction with Dev Nagar, a Pittsburgh consultant who provided the Hindu aspects of the design. Construction will follow the concepts of Vasthu, which, like feng shui, emphasizes the science of harmonic construction and design. The design reflects the input of members and is intended to capture the diversity of the congregation by fusing the distinct styles of southern India, where temples tend to be more ornate than their counterparts to the North. Artisans from India will do carving inside and outside the building. Indian sculptors will create statues representing the different Deities recognized by Hindus.”
In October of this year the temple will hold a ground-breaking ceremony, but before this a special week-long puja honoring Mother Earth and culminating in a Bhoomi Puja will take place on June 18. Rao Chalasani, chairman of the temple board, explains, “The primary Deity at the Bharatiya Temple is Lakshmi Narayana, but the temple will include representations of Rama, Seeta, Shiva, Durga, Ganesha and Balaji. You have to pray to Mother Earth before you disturb the ground for construction. We don’t want the temple to be only a place of worship, we want it to be a cultural, spiritual and educational center as well.” That is why the present structure will be converted into a community center and a meditation center. Also expected to preside over the week-long June ceremony is Swami Adyatmananda.