Hindu Temple opens in Abilene Texas
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Recently launched Abilene Hindu Temple (AHT), also known as Vishveshwara Swamy Temple, was reportedly built according to ancient Hindu scriptures and architecture. The main objective of AHT is “to propagate Hindu religion and to perform Hindu rituals”. “Devotees must be on strict vegetarian on visit”, it’s website states.
AHT opens daily at eight am, holds arthi twice every day, and organizes weekly pujas to Hindu deities Vishnu, Rudra, Rama, Krishna, Durga, Ganapathi, etc. It performs various worship services, including “Annadanam” for $1000 and “Vahana (vehicle) Pooja” for $50. AHT also provides home visit priest services for devotees who wish to have worship services at home.
Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of temple leaders and area community towards realizing this Hindu temple.
Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksha (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion in the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents. There are about three million Hindus in the USA.
Abilene in West Texas, incorporated in 1881, is home to three lakes and seven colleges. Prominent people associated with Abilene include singer-actress Jessica Simpson, Olympic gold-medalist sprinter Bobby Morrow, and country musician Lee Roy Parnell.
