Chicago Daily Herald
GRAYSLAKE, LAKE COUNTY, USA, June 02, 2004: Hundreds recently blessed the ground on which the Hindu Mandir, Lake County’s first temple, will be constructed. Sheltered from the rain by a white tent, traditional prayers were held before a fire and an icon of Ganesh, the Hindu God of Beginnings. “It’s very important, before we start any work, to have the ground blessing,” said temple leader Anand Upadhyay. “We will actually break ground tomorrow.” Music, hymns, children’s programs and traditional Indian food followed the prayer. “This is going to be a good addition to the area . . . the closest temple is 50 miles away in Lemont,” added Neera Dhaon of Mundelein. Arun Kumar, of the Consulate General of India, was scheduled to give an address. About 15 years ago, the Lake County-based Indian Cultural Association purchased nearly 20 acres just west of Route 83 in Grayslake for the $2.5 million temple. Fundraising for the construction is still ongoing. Sunday religious services are held in a temporary temple in an onsite trailer which is visited by about 180 families, although several thousand Hindus are estimated to live in Lake County. Association President Harsh Kumar, a Lake Forest surgeon, said they had planned to build a temple for almost three decades. The two-story, 17,000 square feet mandir will be designed according to North Indian Hindu architecture, with one of its domes 39 feet high. Hindu temples are opening throughout the suburbs, including in Aurora, Bartlett, Bensenville, Glen Ellyn, Itasca, Lemont, Medinah and Wheeling.