NEW YORK - GANESH SHRINE 

Again, they turned their eyes to Andhra Pradesh for assistance for permitting them to dismantle a dilapidated temple and reassemble it at New York for several valid reasons, and moreover they want to have strong links with India alone. The officers from Governor to the Collector including Chief Minister, Commissioner of Endowments extended full support right from inception to installation of several most worshipful deities in many grant mini-shrines, like Lord Siva, Bramaramba, Mallikarjunaswamy, Shanmukha with his lovely spouses, Navagrahas, along with Vaishnavate gods like Rama, Sita, Hanuman etc. As the temple developed into dasadisas, public donations and Bank loans poured in beyond expectation for trimphant consummation. When Vigna Vinayaka wants to settle down in an alien affluent land, would impediments ever dare raise their heads? On 4.7.1977, with Kumbhabhishekam, Lord Ganesh took his seat in the new temple with all fanfare due, witnessed by luminaries of both east and west under elaborate agamic rituals and holy mantras and yantras, since they alone generate the indispensable spiritual vibrations and visualise the presence of the Lord to the adorers. Sri-la-Sri Pandrimalai Swamigal of unprecedented spiritual eminence guided the founder - organisers like R Kumaraswamy, A. Alagappan, N. Gopalasandaram, F. Clarke, S.N. Bhatra besides of course, President of the Hindu Temple Society of North American in everything including installation.

. The temple resembles the classic Andhra Naik style, but with a difference - reflecting the modern trends. Here the temple is serving as a community centre in several ways. Its upper floor is exclusively meant for the adorable deities and the ground floor for conducting religious discourses and cultural programmes of every kind; for here the authors desired and yearned for catholocity thin being tied down to any single cult. Though built in conformity with Agama and Silpa sastras, it has not become a bastion of Orthodoxy; for, it lies in foreign country and must cater to the modern tastes of both Americanised Indians and Indianised Americans. It has many more praise - worthy aspects deserving to be seen and imbied by one and all. Pay a visit and gain a merit covetable.

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