MARYLAND: A multi million dollar religious cum cultural center for Indian Americans in Ijamsville, MD, Sri Bhaktha Anjaneya Temple (SBAT), is nearing completion and if all goes as per schedule, it will be formally consecrated on August 31.
The near $8 million center sprawling on a 43-acre lot will have a built up area of 5200 sq ft and will house a towering 36 ft Anjaneya -Maruti idol besides other Hindu deities – Balaji Bhoodevi, Subramnaya, Shiva Parvati, Radha Krishna, Durga and others – carved out from balk stone.
According to Rajesh Natrajan, SBAT Manager, 25 sculptors from India are working to give finishing touches and that the four-day consecration ceremony beginning August 29 will be officiated by priests at the temple and priests from India. Religious ceremony and cultural programs will form part of its Maha Kumbhabhishekam that will include poojas, homams, pravachanam, aarathi, etc.
“Hundreds of devotees from all parts of the country – residents in and around Maryland and far away Los Angeles and mid west Chicago areas – are expected to attend the four-day program. The auspicious moment of Kumbhabhishekam is slated to be between 10-45 am to 11-30 am on August 31.
Natrajan said that the center when functioning fully will prove to be a big boon to devotees and residents as it would be one of its kind in Maryland. Even now it conducts classes but before long it will have classes for Yoga, teachings of Vedas and Sanskrit too. It has enlisted services of qualified Yoga teachers to address the increasing urge for this ancient Indian practice for mental and physical health
A small house on this zoning approved site currently serves as an interim temple with images of various deities, including Lord Hanuman.
It performs various poojas and homams; offers religious services and conducts sloka, Veda, Ramayana stories and Sanskrit classes. Objective is to raise a 36ft Hanuman temple, said to be the first of its kind in USA, to serve the devotees in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. It runs two Vedic Paathshaalas in India.
Ijamsville, whose history goes back to 1785, is an unincorporated community in Frederick County of Maryland.
PM Swamy
