Residents of The Woodlands in Texas (the United States) will have access to a huge Hindu temple which opens in June.
The 8.35 acre temple will enshrine Hindu gods Ganesha, Balaji, Shiva, Lakshmi and Radha-Krishna and will provide yagna facilities, classrooms, a library, a large lobby and a kitchen. Hinduism reportedly has one billion followers worldwide.
In addition to puja (worship) services and celebrations of various festivals, the temple plans to offer discussions on Eastern philosophy and Vedanta; weekly classes about Indian languages, arts and scriptures and health care. Currently, it is conducting fortnightly scripture class.
The Woodlands is a master-planned community in Texas which has won a Special Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute. Notable people associated with The Woodlands include NFL players Danny Amendola and Gerald Irons, porn star Teagan Presley, country musician Jack Ingram, rapper Chamillionare, wrestlers Torrie Wilson and Nick Mitchell, basketball player Lance Blanks, and Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson.
Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new temple would help in this direction.
Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.
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