COLUMBUS, Ind. — Dedication of a new 299-seat Hindu temple in a heavily Lutheran Christian community such as Columbus is one newsworthy angle for Sri Ganesh Mandir, the $1.2 million, 10,000 square-foot structure at 7930 W. Goeller Road, next to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus.
But another angle is that most Hindus get to witness no more than once such consecration in their lifetime, according to Anuja Mazgaonkar, treasurer of the local Hindu Society of Southern Indiana expecting some 2,000 local and visiting Hindus to use the facility. More than 500 Hindu families currently reside in Bartholomew County, according to the society.
“In one way, I am a little nervous,” said Prasad Kondapi, president of the society’s board, referring to the responsibility that comes with such a structure. “But in another way, I am definitely excited.”
Sri Ganesh Mandir literally means a temple for Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu deity of wisdom, intelligence and the remover of obstacles. The temple’s introductory activities, unfolding from Friday through Sunday, coincide with the annual local Ganesh Festival, a religious and cultural celebration that attracts about 1,000 people on its busiest day at The Commons in d0wntown Columbus. It runs through Sept. 4.
One of the central temple events for the general public this weekend is the inauguration celebration and community open house from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Organizers say that gathering is expected to attract 1,000 people and community leaders including Mayor Jim Lienhoop, city council members, county officials, Cummins Inc. executives, local faith leaders, and others. When the Hindus broke ground on the project in August 2019, more than 1,000 people gathered on the property.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
