Largest Hindu temple of New Jersey opening with elephant-lead procession

17 June, 2012

Grand opening and Maha Kumbhabhishekam of largest Hindu temple of New Jersey, Hindu American Temple and Cultural Center in Marlboro, will be held on July one involving a live elephant, helicopter showering flowers, 50 priests, 45 days of rituals and over 10,000 people in attendance, according to reports.

THE MUHURTHAM for the Maha Kumbhabhishekam is set at 10:38 am on July 1. Consecration of about 20 India made images of deities constructed out of granite and glass-reinforced material will be held and devotees and priests from various parts of the world are expected to participate in the ceremonies to be held from June 28 to July four in this Center, also known by the names of Sri Krishnaji Mandir and Sri Guruvaayoorappan Temple, located in Morganville part of Marlboro.

Reports suggest that procession with image of Lord Guruvaayoorappan on the top of an elephant, a chariot and vahanotsava of other deities, cultural programs, recitals, etc., will form part of the opening ceremonies of the Center; which besides the main sanctuary will also have a pool, fountains, lawns, multipurpose hall for events, classrooms, barn housing a cow and a calf and residences for the temple’s 12 priests; and will hold classes for various languages of India, free health screenings, food collections for area soup kitchens and fundraisers for disaster victims. About 700 community members were involved in Center planning.

The Prathishtapana-Kumbhabhishekam of this Center will be performed by temple pundits along with scholars from the US, India and other parts of the world. Center’s daily activities include Pancharathnam, Suprabhatham, Abhishekham, Parayanam, Aarti, besides other poojas. It also holds classes in Bharatnatyam, Carnatic Music, Gita Vichara, Hindi, Kannada, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Marathi, Sanskrit, Shlokas, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Telugu, Vedic Religion and Culture, Vishnu Sahasranama and Yoga; besides activities for children. Vahana (vehicle) Pooja costs 32.

Yegnasubramanian, R.G. Krishnan and S.S. Iyer are Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively of the Board while Nandakumar Balija and V.Gundanna are President and Vice President respectively of Executive Committee.

Female majority Township of Marlboro, formed in 1848 and recognized as a “Cool City” by the Sierra Club, is known for reported visions of Virgin Mary, The Marlboro Tree and site of The Battle of Monmouth. The Lenni Lenape Native Americans were said to its first organized inhabitants, where Jonathan Hornik, Jeff Cantor and Jonathan Capp are Mayor, Council President and Administrator respectively. Notable residents include United States Vice President Garret Hobart, footballer Dan Klecko, actress Idina Menzel, actor Kal Penn and sportscaster Jim Nantz.