Trinidad-Tobago to build one-of-a-kind Lakshmi-Narayan Hindu Temple

NEVADA - A 14-million dollars Hindu temple and community center has been planned for Freeport in Trinidad and Tobago, according to reports.

Construction of this proposed Lakshmi Narayan Temple will reportedly begin early next year. Custom carved marble from India will be imported for the construction which will follow ancient Vastu tradition. One-of-a-kind architectural marvel on this side of the Atlantic, this Temple will serve as a link between India and Trinidad-Tobago, reports suggest.

Besides Lakshmi and Vishnu, it plans to install statues of other Hindu deities also like Ram, Krishan, Hanuman, Ganesh, Saraswati, Parvati, Durga, Radha, etc. Major Hindu festivals like Diwali, Navratri, Ramnavmi, Krishna Janmashtmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc., will be celebrated in this temple complex. It is also being considered to house a school to train new Hindu priests.

Meanwhile, well known Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of Trinidad-Tobago community who were trying to raise this wonderful Hindu temple complex.

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 complex would focus in this direction. He 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.

D. Raja Sekhar is reportedly the Chairman of the Lakshmi Narayan Temple Executive Committee while Kavindra Balgobin is the President. India-born religious leader Jyoti Shacharya Sri Sri Gajendra Kumar is also attached to the project.

Trinidad-Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bisssessar took the Oath of Office on ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord) on May 26 last in a ceremony at Knowsley (Port of Spain).

Said to be settled at least 7,000 years ago, dual-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago in southern Caribbean, heavily influenced by petroleum industry, is known for Carnival, mesmerizing beaches and calypso music.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents. (ANI)