Church in Indiana becomes Hindu Temple

04 September, 2012

Maintaining that the temple would be used as a cultural center besides holding community events and prayers, Rajan Zed hoped that at least one religious function would be held each month in the temple.

BHARATIYA TEMPLE & Cultural Center of Greater Lafayette (BTCCGL) has purchased a Christian Church in West Lafayette, which is reportedly being converted into a Hindu temple.

Until the conception of this first Hindu temple of the area, devotees were worshipping in houses or rented halls. Before BTCCGL bought the building for $415,000, it was Northview Christian Life Church, reports suggest. It will be renovated and refashioned to become a Hindu temple.

Meanwhile, Hindu leader Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada on Monday applauded efforts of BTCCGL leaders and area community to realize this Hindu temple complex.

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 temple complex would focus 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.

Besides worship services, this temple would also hold community events and classes and would also serve as a cultural center. It hopes to organize at least one religious function each month. Umesh Patel and Jagdish Patel are President and Treasurer respectively of BTCCGL.