Area Hindus are reportedly planning to open a new temple in Katy (Texas, USA) by May next.

Named as Shirdi Sai Durga Shiva Venkateswara Temple (Hindu Temple of Katy), it will be built on 2.39 acres of acquired land. Community plans to conduct fundraisers to cover the cost. This temple will be termed as Adhamottamam (Best of the least), reports suggest. Texas already has dozens of Hindu temples.

Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of Temple leaders and area community to realize this 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 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.

Currently Sai Durga Shiva Vishnu Temple, reportedly open seven days a week, conducts pujas of various deities, havans, discourses, chanting, story-telling, Veda classes; offers Veda mantra chanting lessons, Vedic astrology, Vastu Vedic architecture, Panchangam; besides various priestly services for homams, marriage, house-warming, namakaranam, samskaras and pujas. Sudarshan Homam costs $501.

Mission of the Temple includes to “provide a forum for scholarly discussions of the Vedas, Hindu philosophy and Sanatana Dharma” and it plans to conduct/sponsor various charitable, educational, social and cultural activities for the benefit of Hindu community, besides regular religious services.

Udayakumar Gullapalli is the priest and other community leaders associated with it include Ram Cheruvu, Santosh Guha, Vivek Natrajan, Chandra Gannavarapu, Durgaprasad, Usha Kavarthapu, etc.

City of Katy, west of Houston, which started as hunting ground of the Karankawa Indian tribes, was settled in 1872 and incorporated in 1945. Its tagline is “a City with a heart” and it is known for annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival. Notable residents associated with Katy include actresses Renee Zellweger, Kimberly Caldwell and Renee O'Connor; football player Andy Dalton; ice hockey player Tyler Myers; and professional female bodybuilder Iris Kyle. Fabol R. Hughes and Johnny Nelson are Mayor and City Administrator respectively.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

By:IANS