கோயில் சிறப்பு

Starting in the mid-1960s, the first generation of Indian immigrants came to South Carolina. In 1969, a group of 20-30 Indian families in Greenville decided to form India Association in order to preserve their cultural and religious practices.
During the early years, this group of families rented space and met in churches and community buildings, but in 1983, the group, which had grown significantly, began a process of fund-raising and organization in order to purchase a site on which to build a permanent temple and gathering place for the community. One of the factors in deciding to build the temple was comments from the children about having no place to pray and worship.

Donations were made by community members (some over $5000) and in 1987, the community purchased five acres of open land at the corner of Bethel Road and Bethel Drive. A large ceremony called bhumipuja (“Earth worship/honor”), comparable to a groundbreaking ceremony, was held for the dedication of the site. Construction then commenced, and the center was completed in 1989. It was the second Hindu religious center established in South Carolina. (The first was in Columbia.). The center is registered as charitable institution in South Carolina.

The Inauguration service in the Vedic Center was held on December 2, 1989, but at the time only pictures/paintings of the deities were in place as the murti had to be ordered and shipped from India. The Murti Sthapana, the installation of the murti, took place May 20-22, 1994. The center’s relationship with its surrounding neighborhood has been a peaceful one—it has encountered little or no difficulties or prejudices during its history.

The initial capital to purchase the land was raised by donations from the community and for the expansion to install Murti’s was borrowed from then First Federal of SC. During the following two years the complete loan was paid off and center was debt free.

During that time and at present, the main source of income has been the donations from the community, the collections at the daily Prayer and religious celebrations as well as annual maintenance dues paid by the families. Special fund raising programs are also arranged during the year to collect additional funds for expansion of the facilities.