07-19-2008, 01:41 PM
http://www.ghanapathytemple.org.uk/history/history.htm
In 1979, a few Sri Lankan Hindu Saivite families, living in and around Wimbledon, began to meet together at a local hall to worship Lord Ghanapathy. They had a single statue of Lord Ganesha, hired a priest to conduct the service, and began regular Friday worship, gaining spiritual comfort that helped them to relive the happy times of religious harmony that they had once shared in their homeland. As the months went by, more and more devotees began to attend the service, and the need for a permanent, sanctified building, dedicated to Hindu worship, became a priority.
In 1980, one of the families found and bought a property in Wimbledon and offered it for community worship, and thus the Shree Ghanapathy Temple was born. It began life as an abandoned and dilapidated Christian Church, then an under-used Community Centre and, within a year, was transformed internally to become a Hindu Temple. It had its Maha Kumbabishekam in September 1981, and became the first ever consecrated Hindu Temple in Europe. The adjoining church hall was converted into a Sai Mandir - the first of it's kind in the U.K., and thus began a union of ancient and modern Hinduism that has grown from strength to strength over the past 19 years.
The Temple met with much opposition at the beginning, from the local community and, unfortunately, from certain members of our own community! The council attempted to close the Temple down on the very day of the Maha Kumbabishekam and thus began a legal battle that continued to the High Courts and beyond. However Lord Ghanapathy heard our prayers and protected his Temple and devotees. We won the legal battle and were allowed to continue our worship without restriction.
Over the next few years, we struggled to build bridges with the local community, and we did this through their children! The ILEA recommended us as the best Temple to visit to learn about Hinduism and, every year, over 3000 children and teachers from local schools would visit the Temple to learn about Hinduism, about our customs and traditions, and to dispel any fears or misconceptions they might have about us and our faith. The children educated their parents and gradually the local community grew to accept us.
In 1979, a few Sri Lankan Hindu Saivite families, living in and around Wimbledon, began to meet together at a local hall to worship Lord Ghanapathy. They had a single statue of Lord Ganesha, hired a priest to conduct the service, and began regular Friday worship, gaining spiritual comfort that helped them to relive the happy times of religious harmony that they had once shared in their homeland. As the months went by, more and more devotees began to attend the service, and the need for a permanent, sanctified building, dedicated to Hindu worship, became a priority.
In 1980, one of the families found and bought a property in Wimbledon and offered it for community worship, and thus the Shree Ghanapathy Temple was born. It began life as an abandoned and dilapidated Christian Church, then an under-used Community Centre and, within a year, was transformed internally to become a Hindu Temple. It had its Maha Kumbabishekam in September 1981, and became the first ever consecrated Hindu Temple in Europe. The adjoining church hall was converted into a Sai Mandir - the first of it's kind in the U.K., and thus began a union of ancient and modern Hinduism that has grown from strength to strength over the past 19 years.
The Temple met with much opposition at the beginning, from the local community and, unfortunately, from certain members of our own community! The council attempted to close the Temple down on the very day of the Maha Kumbabishekam and thus began a legal battle that continued to the High Courts and beyond. However Lord Ghanapathy heard our prayers and protected his Temple and devotees. We won the legal battle and were allowed to continue our worship without restriction.
Over the next few years, we struggled to build bridges with the local community, and we did this through their children! The ILEA recommended us as the best Temple to visit to learn about Hinduism and, every year, over 3000 children and teachers from local schools would visit the Temple to learn about Hinduism, about our customs and traditions, and to dispel any fears or misconceptions they might have about us and our faith. The children educated their parents and gradually the local community grew to accept us.