QUEENS, NEW YORK, December 9, 2007: The Himalayas come alive at Divya Dham temple. The model, with its tiny temples is planned to open at the end of next year. The Himalayas, the towering, snow-clad mountain range in southern Asia, is considered to be one of Hinduism’s most sacred sites, also revered by Buddhists. According to some Hindu scriptures, Hindus are encouraged to make four pilgrimages to the region in their lifetimes. But because not many Hindus in Queens have the wherewithal to trek to the Himalayas, the resident monks of Divya Dham temple are bringing the Himalayas to Queens. Since 1994, the Woodside temple has been building a replica of the colossal mountain range. The model spans almost the size of a basketball court, with the mountaintops almost touching the temple’s nearly 20-foot ceiling. After years of delays, monks predict the model – fashioned from wood and plaster and decorated with oil paint – will finally open to the faithful next year. “In a sense, they can still be in Queens and go to the Himalayas by going to the temple,” said Swami Shiveshwarananda, a resident monk at Divya Dham.
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