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A decade after moving into the D/FW Hindu Temple in Irving, members have decided it's time the brick-and-concrete building looked like a traditional temple in India.
They began a plan to "Indianize" the facility and hired India-based architect Muthiah Sthapathi, a specialist in temple design.
"It had to be a certain type of architecture and it had to be sanctioned," said Damini Singh, temple secretary. "We don't want rounded structures – the majority of architecture for Indian temples has four corners."
Vinoda Kumar, the temple president, said that the renovation process is imperative. "It's really a milestone for us," she said, adding that many members have never seen construction of a Hindu temple.
As with many Hindu endeavors, the first item on the members' agenda was to complete a Gopuram (or tower) to Lord Ganesha.
"This one had to be the first," Ms. Singh said. Ganesha is "the one you'd pray to whenever you need guidance, strength. He paves the way. He makes the way clearer for whatever your purpose is."
Cast in cement, the Gopuram to Ganesha is the first of 12 planned for the temple roof. It weighs nearly 1,500 pounds and stands on the opposite end of the line from the Gopuram for Lord Murugan, who is significant to Hindus in South India.
Temple members will consecrate the Gopuram to Ganesha during ceremonies Friday through July 29.
The three middle Gopurams – representing Lords Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva – should be completed by the end of the year and are expected to weigh close to a ton each.
Despite the massive size, silpis – skilled craftsmen from India – are molding and etching each of the 12 Gopurams by hand.
Plans inside the temple include constructing elaborate archways in front of each of the deities. The temple grounds are also expected to transform.
By 2003, members plan on building a youth center, meditation hall, senior citizen center and a yagashala – a meditation room where devotees can burn incense to deities.
The entire project is expected to cost $2.1 million.
With membership around 2,000, Ms. Singh said that one of the reasons for the expansion projects is that the temple can't accommodate the needs of devotees, much less any new members.
"This is about the only general Hindu temple in the Metroplex," she said. "Here, you're a blend of everybody. We're not just a South Indian temple or a North Indian temple."
Because the temple attracts such a range of devotees, temple leaders plan to hire two more priests to join the three already on staff.
Ms. Singh said that the members
are continuing to collect funds for the project and are excited about the
future. "It's an excellent feeling to see what we can accomplish as a community."
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