NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, October 29, 2006: Over a year has passed since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, but an area Hindu temple still struggles to repair its damage. The 40-year-old Hindu Temple of Greater New Orleans, once a vibrant meeting point for the area’s nearly 2,000 Indian Americans, lies derelict and empty; its future uncertain.
In 2003 — two years before Katrina — devotees raised over $100,000 to refurbish the temple and to purchase a new altar and Deities from India.
On August 23, 2005, everything changed. Not much besides the altar, and the Deities of Ganesha, Rama, Krishna, and Mahavir, were spared from the storm. The temple, located in hard-hit Metairie, La., was mired in two to three feet of floodwater for over a week. High winds tore off the roof and caused part of the ceiling to collapse into the main hall. The air conditioning and heating systems were completely destroyed, as were light fixtures and electrical circuits. The brick wall that surrounded the compound collapsed.
“It was like a war zone, to put it mildly,” said temple manager Sid Munshi.
By dipping into its coffers and procuring donations from Rajan Joshi of Richmond, Ky., and Dilip Shah of the Dallas Hindu Temple, among others, leaders of the Hindu Temple of New Orleans were able to drum up $60,000 for repairs. Members from the local community managed the renovations on a day-to-day basis, getting bids for a new roof and new walls, and overseeing their construction. To date, the roof, the moldy inside walls, and the outer brick wall have been replaced.
According to Munshi, the reconstruction process has been slow partially because temple leaders and devotees were forced to flee to various parts of the U.S. when Katrina hit, and many have been slow to return. “We missed the opportunity to point our need out to the Indian community,” Munshi told India-West. “The right time to announce that we need money, we weren’t here. We had all scattered. Even I had moved to Atlanta. Our treasurer went to Mississippi.” The temple received no aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Munshi said he does not expect to in the future. “The government doesn’t help religious organizations,” he said. For information on how to help, write: Hindu Temple of Greater New Orleans, c/o Siddharth Munshi, 55 English Turn Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70131.