Source: www.startribune.com
MINNESOTA, U.S., June 26, 20009: Eleven years after the Hindu Society of Minnesota picked out a cornfield near Maple Grove as the spot for its new home, one of the largest Hindu temples in North America celebrates its completion this weekend.
Crowds of up to 1,500 are expected each day of the three-day festival at the Minnesota Hindu Temple, which serves as a cultural and spiritual hub for about 30,000 Hindus in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and the southern part of Manitoba.
Officially known as the Raja Gopuram Mahotsav (Celebrating the Divine Gateway), the celebration’s focal point will be the just-completed 65-foot-high sculpted tower, the Raja Gopuram, that stands as an archway over the temple’s main entrance.
The building, which houses 19 small shrines as well as an auditorium, dining room, classrooms and office space, had its grand opening three years ago when five of the shrines were ready.