Hindus nationwide have welcomed plans to transform a former 38,000-square-foot theater in Hoover (Alabama) to a Hindu temple.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that in view of reportedly rising population of Hindus in Alabama, raising more Hindu temples would help the community to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society.
The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission, in its September 14 meeting, reportedly recommended approval of a Hindu temple in an erstwhile theater in the city.
This Hindu temple proposal, requested by Pritesh Patel on a property owned by BAPS Birmingham, will now be forwarded to Hoover City Council for final nod. Besides the sanctuary, this place of worship will also include about 14 classrooms; reports suggest.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Hoover Mayor Frank V. Brocato and City Council to unanimously approve Hindu temple plans, thus expressing warm welcome to the caring Hindu community who were known for their charitable and humanitarian causes and developing communities wherever they lived.
Our ancient scripture Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord) clearly stated: Strive constantly to serve the welfare of world—by devotion to selfless work, one attains supreme goal of life. Do your work with welfare of others always in mind; Rajan Zed noted.
There is a BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Temple in nearby Birmingham (closed right now due to COVID-19) which before the coronavirus pandemic reportedly opened daily and organized weekly assemblies for children, teenagers, youth and women; satsang; and Gujarati language classes for children.
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), established in 1907 and headquartered in Ahmedabad (India), has 3,850 centers and over a million followers worldwide. A “socio-spiritual Hindu organization with its roots in the Vedas”; “five lifetime vows” of its followers include: No Alcohol, No Addictions, No Adultery, No Meat, No Impurity of body and mind.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.