The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Research conducted by The University of Michigan Dearborn Pluralism Project

History

In the early 1970s, Hindus in metropolitan Detroit began to make plans for a religious center to fulfill both the spiritual and cultural needs of people in their community. On January 25, 1975, approximately thirty individuals met at the Northwood Inn located in Royal Oak, Michigan, to discuss this possibility. From this meeting, a committee of seven people was formed to begin fund raising and drawing up a constitution and bylaws for the group. The constitution and bylaws were adopted at the first fund raising event, which was held at the Kingsley Inn on March 21, 1975. A total of approximately $140,000 in pledges were made by 200 families. A new committee was then charged with selecting a site for the temple. Based on recommendations, 18 acres of land in northwest Troy, a middle-class suburb, located in Oakland County, north of Detroit, were acquired at a total cost of $70,000. The temple, located in a residential neighborhood, is a modern brick structure in a largely natural setting of grass, trees, rocks, and hills. The only hint of Indian architecture is in the design of the arches of the outdoor passageways at the entrance to the temple.

Initial plans called for a $500,000 budget which would allow the building of that would accommodate 350-400 people. On July 4, 1976, the Bhoomi Puja was performed. The organization of puja and celebration was undertaken under the guidance of Sri Satguru Sant Keshavadas and Dr. T. K. Venkateswaran, Professor of Hindu Studies at the University of Detroit. Under the Sant Keshavadas, Brahmacharini Pavitraji and Acharya Sampat Kumar, the groundbreaking ceremonies, were performed on June 1, 1980. With approximately $105,000, the construction of the temple began on October 2, 1980, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

The formal inauguration took place on July 19, 1981 by Swami Chinmayananda and Satguru Keshavadas. On November 19 and 20, 1983, there was the installation of the deities, Sri Lakshmi Narayana, Sri Ganesh and Sri Hanuman, under the guidance of Sri Janaki Rama Sastry of Raja Rameshwari Peetham and Swami Alamlokananda of Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat at Ganges, Michigan.

Description

Since then, the temple has grown significantly in terms of activities, building expansion as well as the size of the congregation. Currently the complex includes the main puja hall, which can seat approximately 400 devotees, a multi-purpose hall with Yagna facilities, a kitchen and dining hall, and a small apartment for priests and guests. Current plans call for the construction of a traditional Hindu temple apart from the present building.

Activities and Schedule

The annual operating budget of the temple is approximately a million dollars. The temple currently has about 600 dues paying member families. The vast majority are of Indian descent, although people of all nationalities are welcome. The variety of religious services and poojas are performed during the week, daily each morning from 9:00 A.M. to Noon and evenings from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Aradhana Program (the devotional music) is at 8:00 P.M. every second and fourth Friday of the month, after puja. The most notable is the service on Sunday morning (10:30 A.M. - 12:00 Noon), which is typically attended by a large congregation of 400 or more people. Often the language used before and after the services is English, although members speak a number of different Indian languages.

In addition to religious services, the center offers lessons in traditional Indian music and dance, has art shows, teaches Yoga, and provides Sanskrit and Hindi language lessons. While many of these are organized specifically for young people, they are open to people of all ages. For young students, there are classes to help with academic subjects such as math and to prepare for the SAT. The Bharatiya Temple is a member of the Indian League.