Monday, May 16, 2022

Vesak 2022: Hindu-Buddhist Temple USA

The world’s largest Hindu temple is not in India but in New Jersey, USA (merokalam.com)
Shree Pashupatinath Foundation, USA, Norwalk, CA (Buddha Mandir | Facebook)
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World's largest gatherings: Kumbha Mela, India
The Nepali Buddha Mandir in Norwalk (Los Angeles) is celebrating Vesak, which India calls Buddha Jayanti or "The Buddha's Birthday" on May 16, 2022, starting at 7:00 pm.

The Nepali presence in Southern California has risen dramatically. Although there are many temples in the US, there is not yet a single temple dedicated exclusively to Lord Pashupatinath, an important aspect of Shiva.

The original temple dedicated to Pashupatinath is located in Kathmandu, Nepal, where thousands of Hindus throughout South Asia make a pilgrimage on Shivaratri.

Holi Festival 2013, at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Spanish Fork, Utah, USA (MK)
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Therefore, the Pashupatinath Foundation, USA, feels it is imperative that a temple with a community center be established in Southern California.

This temple project will combine Svayambhunath Buddhist Temple, something that is extremely important for the identity and wellbeing of the local Nepali community:
Namaskar. The temple is beautiful and not the Narayan Hindu Temple nearby. This is its own entity with a community of local expats from Nepal. Speakers spoke, songs were sung, and vegetarian temple food was shared. Yoga classes are in the offing, the Dalai Lama seems to be the object of inspiration, and the statue in the shrine room on the side is a life size replica of the one in Bodh Gaya or a reasonable approximation. Nepal makes some of the best metal statues of the Buddha and other Vajrayana figures in the world.

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