A $1.5 million and 10,600 square feet Hindu temple has been planned for Tampa (Florida, USA), which hopes to complete construction in 24 months.

Existing Sanatan Mandir in about 4,000 square feet, whose history goes back to 1989 and which has been a Jewish synagogue, will be reportedly remodeled into a Community Hall when the new temple starts functioning.

According to reports, a permit has been obtained to build this new temple which will have five shikhars visible from Interstate 275 and a state-of-the-art audiovisual system, reports suggest.

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.

Dr. Pawan K. Rattan is Board of Trustees Chair; Pankaj Patel is President; Raman Patel is Manager; and Manikya Sharma and Rushi Vyas are both priests of Sanatan Mandir, whose tagline is “Home of Spirituality”, reports suggest.

Sanatan Mandir conducts daily Aarti; weekly Sai Baba Bhajan, Hanuman Chalisa and Sundar Kand; and holds annual festivals of  Lohri, Diwali, Dussehra, Janmasthmi, Uttarayan, Holi, Ram Navmi and Navratri. Holi will be celebrated this year on March 17.