Posted on: 17-11-03 11:53:52
Middle Georgia Hindus happy to celebrate new year in their new temple By Chuck Thompson Telegraph Staff Writer
Today's Diwali celebration and Sunday's observance of the Indian New Year
have special significance for Middle Georgia's Hindu families.
At long last, they have a place of their own for the festivities.
For better than 20 years, Hindus living in Middle Georgia either rented
halls and brought in guest priests for special events, or they had to go to
Atlanta to the nearest Hindu temple.
"We tried to observe the biggest festivals, but it was hard," said Ajit
Patel, who immigrated from India 23 years ago. "Sometimes we couldn't find a
place big enough, or we couldn't get the dates we needed. But now we have
our own temple and priest."
The decision to build a temple came more than four years ago. "We began
collecting donations, searched for a location, then the construction took
more than a year," he said.
Shree Umiya Mataji Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Georgia outside the
Atlanta area (there are five there), opened in June. It is in Macon on Raley
Road off Eisenhower Parkway, across the street from the former Sam's
Warehouse building.
"It's a good central location that is easy to get to from I-475, which is
something we wanted because we have families from within a 200-mile area
that are members and come here," said Patel, who is president of the temple.
"We have members from the south side of Atlanta all the way to Lake City,
Fla., about 600 families in all. If you count the children, maybe 1,500
people."
Many of them are related, either by blood or marriage, coming from the state
of Gujarat in western India, north of Bombay.
"Ahmadabad is the big city in Gujarat. But most of the Patels were farmers
who lived on small farms or villages around there," he said. "Many of our
parents grew up together in the same area, then came here and went into
business together."
They brought their religion and culture with them, and having their own
temple now will help them keep it alive and pass it on to their children.
"It is important to teach our children, and this makes it easier," Patel
said. "We already have a classical dance class started for them that meets
on Tuesday nights. We've already brought in bands and performers from India
to do shows here. We'll have another band here from India for Diwali. And
we're planning to bring in scholars to give seminars on Hinduism.
"All of that will help pass on the culture and beliefs."
Hinduism recognizes one supreme absolute called Brahman, but it does not
confine worship to one particular deity. Instead, Hindus worship thousands
of gods and goddesses, all representing different aspects of Brahman. People
from different regions and families have different gods and goddesses that
they worship more than others.
The Macon temple is devoted to the goddess Umiya Mataji, the first American
temple dedicated to her.
"She is like the godmother of our family, so that is who we worshipped in
India and here," Patel said. "But we also worship other gods and goddesses
and have idols to them in our temple, so any Hindu is welcome to join or
visit us and pray to whichever god or goddess they wish."
A colorfully dressed marble statue of Umiya Mataji is the central figure on
the Macon temple's altar, but she is flanked by several other god and
goddess figures.
Besides the temple, the building also includes a lobby, a large multipurpose
room, a big kitchen, offices and an apartment for their priest and his wife.
Ravindra S. Dave is the temple's priest, having moved here from India in
June. There he was an engineer in the public works department before
retiring and becoming a full-time priest. He is available at the temple
daily, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-9 p.m., to pray and give blessings. He also
performs weddings and special ceremonies as needed.
The temple itself is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and those who live
nearby visit often. "And a good many people from farther away come on
weekends," Patel said.
But Hinduism does not have a weekly holy day, and there are not regular
worship services and sermons. Instead, people gather for special holidays
and festivals.
Diwali is a five-day festival of lights coinciding with India's New Year,
celebrated either in October or November in the western calendar. It
celebrates the victory of good over evil in the form of Lord Rama's triumph
over Ravana, the king of demons.
"It is our happiest festival of the year, something like America's Christmas
has become. We all get together, exchange gifts, have a big dinner," Patel
said. "We'll start at 6 p.m. with our dinner, then have music and games
going until 11."
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A Proud Indian Canadian
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A Proud Indian Canadian
