POLAND, October 10, 2022 (Notes From Poland–old story): A new Hindu temple has opened close to the city of Kraków – the first in the region and one of few in Poland – at a ceremony attended by local dignitaries and the Indian ambassador. The Radha Govind Bhakti Yog Mandir has been under construction in Brzegi – between Kraków and the nearby town of Wieliczka – since 2017. As well as serving a growing local Hindu community, it also aims to spread knowledge about India’s cultural and spiritual heritage. As Poland has attracted unprecedented numbers of immigrants in recent years – among the most in the European Union – Indians have made up many of the new arrivals. Almost 8,000 received first residence permits last year, making them the fifth largest national group of new arrivals.

The temple is the first to be built by the international Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat in Europe and is a copy of the Radha Madhav Dham temple and ashram complex in Austin, Texas, reports Dziennik Polska. The building, with a golden cupola, features an altar, space for prayer, rooms for meditation and yoga, library and shop, as well as a large garden. The complex also has an ashram including guest rooms, which was opened in 2006 when the society first acquired the site. The two-day inauguration of the temple also included washing of its walls and floors with holy water, a fire ceremony, and Deity establishment. In addition to its religious activity, the Radha Govind Society also promotes Indian culture, and this summer Brzegi hosted an Indian fair organized jointly by the society and the Indo-Polish Cultural Committee. At least eight Hindu temples already exist in Poland, with the first having opened in 1980. The largest, the Hindu Bhavan Temple near Warsaw, was opened in 2010.

https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/10/10/first-hindu-temple-opens-near-krakow-in-poland/

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