MARICOPA, ARIZONA, May 20, 2008: (HPI note: This temple was formally dedicated on May 18 with Hinduism Today publisher Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami as chief guest.) Outside a double-wide trailer in the desert west of Maricopa, Kulandaivel Muthusamy crouches in a makeshift tent of blue plastic tarp strung to thin metal poles. He stands over intricate, decorative molds caked gray with concrete and plaster, his hands dry and ashy from working all day. In his modest workshop, he practices a craft thousands of years old, passed on through generations. Muthusamy is a silpi, temple builder, and for the past 32 years, he has made his living adorning more than 50 Hindu temples, seeing that the structures become not just buildings, but sanctuaries that are fit to house the gods. His latest project is the Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona in Pinal County. Since December, he and five other Indian silpis have been preparing the temple for its grand opening which began on May 10 and continued through the 18th.
For more than five years, devotees at the Maha Ganapati Temple have worshiped out of the modest double-wide trailer, which will be converted into a cafeteria when the temple is complete. Many are looking forward to the completion of the building, which will be the first in Arizona designed according to ancient South Indian Hindu architecture. Aravind Thayaparan, who helps oversee construction, said he expects 3,000 devotees to come to the grand opening. Thayaparan said work will still continue on the temple after the grand opening to adorn the exterior and complete other phases, including a garden and priests’ living quarters.
“Although God is everywhere, there is something to be said about being able to worship in a temple with the ancient carvings like the ones in his home country,” Ravi said. “When you see a building in the traditional look, a certain amount of religious feeling comes to you. I am glad we have a place like this to pray.”
Please click here to view photos from the Prana Prathishtapan Maha Kumbabisham and directions to the temple.