Hindu Temple Of Delaware
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The Hindu Temple of Delaware is a
Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
in
Hockessin Hockessin () is a census-designated place (CDP) in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 13,527 at the 2010 census. History Hockessin came into existence as a little village in 1688 when several families settled in the a ...
,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
. Inaugurated in 2002, it is the first Hindu temple constructed in Delaware. According to ''
The News Journal ''The News Journal'' is the main newspaper for Wilmington, Delaware, and the surrounding area. It is headquartered in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, near New Castle, and is owned by Gannett. History The ancestry of the News Journ ...
'', the temple has become "a social and cultural gathering place" for
Indian Americans Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
in
New Castle County New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the ...
. The temple's main deity is
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.


History

In the late 20th century, Indian immigrant families in Delaware started gathering at local churches and schools to worship and celebrate Hindu festivals. As the local Indian American population grew, these families formed the Hindu Temple Association of Hockessin. The association conducted fundraisers to raise money to buy land to build a temple. After raising enough funds, the association purchased five acres of land. In 1996, construction began on the site. In 2002, the temple was inaugurated with the
Kumbhabhishekham ''Kumbhabhishekam'', also known as ''Samprokshanam'' is a Hindu temple ritual that is believed to homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity. It is part of the consecration ceremony of Hindu temples. ''Kumbha'' means the Hea ...
ceremony. In 2020, a 25-foot statue of
Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
, the god of courage and wisdom, was installed at the temple entrance. It is the tallest Hanuman statue in the United States and weighs 60,000 pounds.


Administration

The temple is administered by a board of trustees.


See also

* List of Hindu temples in the United States


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hindu Temple Of Delaware Hindu temples in Delaware Shakti temples Buildings and structures in New Castle County, Delaware 2002 establishments in Delaware Hinduism in the United States Indian-American culture in Delaware Asian-American culture in Delaware