04-08-2006, 03:36 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hindu Society of Minnesota
1835 Polk Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mr. Umesh Singh
Hindu Society of Minnesota
Board of Trustees
Executive Committee Member
singhuks@hotmail.com
763.416.4068
Contact: Mr. Varadarajan Chari
Hindu Society of Minnesota
Board of Trustees
Member Executive Committee Member
chari@econ.umn.edu
763.559.8159
New Temple in Maple Grove Vandalized
Maple Grove, MN --- April 7, 2006 --- On the night of April 5, 2006, the new temple being constructed in Maple Grove, MN by the Hindu Society of Minnesota was vandalized. Vandals broke in to the 43,000 square feet facility and damaged the religious deities and several other areas of the temple, including the auditorium, dining hall and classrooms. The temple, in its final stage of construction, was scheduled to open to the public in June 2006.
In light of the recent vandalism, however, this date is being reevaluated by the leadership team of the Hindu Society of Minnesota. Numerous architects have been working for over two years on the traditional Hindu design of the temple. Many pieces of the temple have been handcrafted in India and shipped to Minnesota for use. The deities in the religious altar, located on the second floor of the facility, were constructed in India and were destroyed as a result of the vandalism. These uniquely crafted pieces will be difficult to replace.
The City of Maple Grove has been enthusiastically involved in the planning and construction of the new temple and is extremely distressed about the acts of vandalism.
The City is actively working with authorities on the investigation of the vandalism.
While the Hindu community of Minnesota is deeply saddened at the destruction of their place of worship and the center of their community, they are confident that they will be able to repair the damage done to the building. `We remain positive
that our temple will be restored and that this case of vandalism will not affect the healthy and established relationship between the Hindu Society of Minnesota and the greater community,' states Dr. Shashikant Sane, Chair of the Board of
Trustees of the Hindu Society of Minnesota.
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For more information on this article or the Hindu Society of
Minnesota, please contact Mr. Singh or Mr. Chari.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
1835 Polk Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mr. Umesh Singh
Hindu Society of Minnesota
Board of Trustees
Executive Committee Member
singhuks@hotmail.com
763.416.4068
Contact: Mr. Varadarajan Chari
Hindu Society of Minnesota
Board of Trustees
Member Executive Committee Member
chari@econ.umn.edu
763.559.8159
New Temple in Maple Grove Vandalized
Maple Grove, MN --- April 7, 2006 --- On the night of April 5, 2006, the new temple being constructed in Maple Grove, MN by the Hindu Society of Minnesota was vandalized. Vandals broke in to the 43,000 square feet facility and damaged the religious deities and several other areas of the temple, including the auditorium, dining hall and classrooms. The temple, in its final stage of construction, was scheduled to open to the public in June 2006.
In light of the recent vandalism, however, this date is being reevaluated by the leadership team of the Hindu Society of Minnesota. Numerous architects have been working for over two years on the traditional Hindu design of the temple. Many pieces of the temple have been handcrafted in India and shipped to Minnesota for use. The deities in the religious altar, located on the second floor of the facility, were constructed in India and were destroyed as a result of the vandalism. These uniquely crafted pieces will be difficult to replace.
The City of Maple Grove has been enthusiastically involved in the planning and construction of the new temple and is extremely distressed about the acts of vandalism.
The City is actively working with authorities on the investigation of the vandalism.
While the Hindu community of Minnesota is deeply saddened at the destruction of their place of worship and the center of their community, they are confident that they will be able to repair the damage done to the building. `We remain positive
that our temple will be restored and that this case of vandalism will not affect the healthy and established relationship between the Hindu Society of Minnesota and the greater community,' states Dr. Shashikant Sane, Chair of the Board of
Trustees of the Hindu Society of Minnesota.
###
For more information on this article or the Hindu Society of
Minnesota, please contact Mr. Singh or Mr. Chari.
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