Hindu Temple of Central Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hindu Temple of Central Indiana | |
|---|---|
 The temple in 2015 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Status | Open |
| Location | |
| Location | 3350 N. German Church Rd., Indianapolis, Indiana, US |
  Location in Indiana | |
| Coordinates | 39°49′07″N 85°58′24″W / 39.818597°N 85.973448°W |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 2006 |
| Website | |
| www | |
| Part of a series on |
| Hinduism |
|---|
 |
The Hindu Temple of Central Indiana is a Hindu temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It opened in 2006 and is the oldest Hindu temple in Indiana. Local public TV station WFYI has called it "a breathtaking new monument - impressive in both scope and design, as well as a testament to the growing multiculturalism of the region." The Indianapolis Star says it is "an iconic structure that pays homage to various holy shrines across India."[1]
From 1985 to 2006, area Hindus gathered to worship in the Geeta Mandal of Indianapolis congregation. The organization was based in the India Community Center on West 56th Street, which housed its Radha Krishna deities. It held weekly pujas, biweekly prayers and lessons, and celebrations of Hindu festivals such as Diwali. In 1999, members of the group donated money and land to construct a temple. By 2005, fueled by rapid growth in the local Indian American population, the congregation's membership had increased to approximately 800.[2][3][4]
After five years of fundraising, construction of the temple's first phase started by 2005 on a 13-acre site on German Church Road on the city's east side at a cost of $1.3 million. Upon completion, Geeta Mandal's Radha Krishna deities were transferred from the India Community Center to the temple. On February 5, 2006, it opened to the public for worship, becoming the first Hindu temple in Indiana. On the same day, initiation ceremonies were performed to sanctify the temple and honor its deities. The inauguration was attended by hundreds. The Indianapolis Star called the temple's first phase "functional yet spartan."[3][5][6]
In 2011, the temple held a three-day ceremony to consecrate its new Subramanya and Ayyappa deities. The event was attended by hundreds.[7]
A $10 million expansion completed in 2015 added an 11,000-square-foot worship hall with 17 shrines, a skylight, and four carved towers. On June 3–7, 2015, the temple consecrated the new space and blessed the newly installed deities with a kumbhabhishekham. During the ceremonies, thirty priests chanted mantras and bathed the deities. Indian classical music and dance performances were held. Outside the temple, priests on cranes blessed the new towers, and a helicopter dropped rose petals and holy water on the temple as onlookers cheered and waved. The five-day event was attended by approximately 5,000.[1][6][8]
In 2016, local public TV station WFYI aired The Temple Makers, an hour-long documentary on the temple. The program follows the temple's journey from its initial design to its inauguration. WFYI calls it "a breathtaking new monument - impressive in both scope and design, as well as a testament to the growing multiculturalism of the region."[9]