History, Timing, Architecture, Interesting Facts and Travel Guide of Sri Lakshmi Temple, Ashland, Massachusetts, America
The Sri Lakshmi Temple of the United States is popularly known as the New England Hindu Temple. The reason for the name is that it was the first conventional Hindu temple in New England. The temple is located in Ashland city of Massachusetts (the United States). The Indian priests with the help of Britain and the United States inaugurated the temple in 1990. The main divinity of the temple is Goddess Lakshmi. She is believed to be the Goddess of wealth and affluence in the Hindu religion.
Many south Asian natives started moving to the United States by the end of the 19th century. A large number of people moved here by the end of the 20th century. Hindu people from the Boston urban area started to assemble in small groups to perform the spiritual ceremony together. These things started to happen by 1978. These people built an official organization. They named the organization the New England Hindu Temple. The people proposed weekly spiritual gatherings at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Massachusetts. These weekly gatherings gave the devotees the idea to create something permanent. They started feeling the need to construct a Hindu temple for everlasting worship. The committee members donated 101 dollars each to form a conventional Hindu temple in New England. The committee proclaimed its plan to build a temple in Massachusetts on 28th October 1978.
The committee obtained land of 12 acres plot in 1981. It was on the Waverly Street of Ashland, Massachusetts. A well-known Indian temple architect, Dr. Ganapati Sthapati developed a proper plan for the temple following the Hindu scriptures. He also designed many other Hindu temples in the United States.
The ground-breaking ritual for the temple was performed on 19th June 1984. The ceremony was performed to purify the land, where the temple was built. The following rituals were continued along with construction. The first sanctification ceremony was conducted in September 1986. It was for the finishing of the outer walls of the temple. Within 4 years, the whole construction was finished. In May 1990 the inauguration ceremony of the temple was performed.
Architecture of Shri Lakshmi Temple Ashland, USA
The architecture got motivation from the Dravidian style found in the Southern part of India. The designs reflected the flavor of common Indian temples. The interior was designed with fine carvings. There is a fifty feet tall tower at the entry gate. The interior is a giant central area, called maha mandapam. This area holds the idols of all the gods and goddesses. A small room is attached to the main sanctum. The members of the temple trust use this room for monthly meetings.
Special rituals followed at Shri Lakshmi Temple Ashland, USA
There are two types of rituals found in the temple – daily and weekly.
Daily rituals include:
The Venkateswara Suprabhatam
Navagraha Abhishekam
Sri Subramanya Abhishekam
Sri Ganesha Abhishekam
Sri Shiva Abhishekam
Sri Lakshmi Aarti
Ekanda Seva.
There are also a few weekly rituals performed in the temple on particular days of the week.
Festival celebrated at Shri Lakshmi Temple Ashland, USA
Navratri is a significant festival celebrated in the temple. The festival holds a 9 days long ritual. Local Hindu people along with other devotees gather at the temple to perform the rituals. The temple gets a beautiful makeover with lights and candles at this time.
Holi is another important festival celebrated in the temple with great zeal. The temple compound becomes colorful with all the vibrant colors of the festival. Devotees seem to enjoy this festival a lot.
Daily darshan time of Shri Lakshmi Temple Ashland, USA
The temple opens for visitors at 9.00 am. The visiting hour in the morning is from 9.00 am to 12 noon. The evening schedule is from 5.30 pm to 9.00 pm. Although, this schedule is for weekdays only. The temple remains open from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm on weekends and other holidays.
To have further information, people can contact the temple committee at info@srilakshmi.org or 508-881-5775.
The temple is a great place to visit in Massachusetts. The temple is admired not only as a religious place but also as a tourist destination.
How to Reach Shri Lakshmi Temple Ashland, USA
Take a flight to the Ashland Regional Airport. Reaching there you will find options like buses and cabs to reach directly at the temple. Cab facilities are available just outside the airport.
