PONTIAC MI: Devi Parashakthi Ma (Eternal Mother) Temple in Pontiac in Michigan has formally inaugurated its Rajagoupuram, a richly decorated 54-foot granite monumental tower recognizing 520 deities and containing “intense divine energy”.
Crafted by a group of shilpis (artisans) over about three year period on a granite obtained without involving modern blasting techniques, this about 450-ton tower was carved in India and assembled in USA, reports suggest.
Primary deity of this Temple is Parashakthi Karumari Amman (Divine Eternal Mother) but it also houses deities of Ayyappa, Bhoga Srinivasa, Bhuvaneshwari, Ganesha, Garuda, Guruvayurappan, Hanuman, Jagannath, Kaala Bhairava, Kubera Lingam, Lakshmi Narasimhan, Mahalakshmi, Nagadevatha, Navagrahas, Radha Krishna with Gomatha, Raja Mathangi, Saneeswara, Sarva Dosha Nivarana, Shiva Nataraja & Soma Sundara Linga, Subrahmanya, Sudarshana Chakra, Vaarahi Ambika and Venkateswara.
Located on 16 acres in a wooded area inhabited by deer and other animals with a stream running through its South end, it has a built-up area of about 10,000 square feet, including 6,000 square feet of worship area and a multi-purpose hall for various gatherings.
This Temple performs various poojas, including “New Vaahana (Vehicle) Pooja” for $26, for which devotees should bring four lemons, one coconut and flowers. All-poojas package will cost $2301 to the devotee. Management suggests to “avoid wearing shorts and short skirts when you come to temple”.
Dr G. Krishna Kumar, Dr Venkat Hari, Margaret Kumar and Kristen Keskey are President, Vice President, Manager and Treasurer respectively of the Temple; while Narayanaswamy Kumar, Varadharajan Ramanujam Iyengar and Krishnaswamy Alasingara Bhatta are the priests.
Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community for realizing Rajagoupuram in a Hindu temple complex. He 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.
India Post News Service
