Jain Center Minnesota MN 2007 07 Pratishtha

Author(s): Jain Center Minnesota USA
Publisher: USA Jain Center Minnesota

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Message from Executive President, Hindu Society of Minnesota
Nayana Ramakrishnan
It gives me a great pleasure to announce that Jain mini-temple is the 16th of the 19 temples to be inaugurated at the Hindu Temple of Minnesota. With great joy and enthusiasm we celebrate another mini-temple opening ceremony for the benefit of our entire community.
The Jain and Hindu communities have had a long and warm association with each other for the past thirty years or so. In our long history together we have shared much joy, laughter and sorrow as events have unfolded and bonds have solidified between us.
It has been both Hindu and Jains working together that has made our Temple a dream come true for all of us. In a community the size of Minnesota, it makes better sense for us to collaboratively build a place of peace and worship together. As I would like to say to all groups that make up the Hindu Temple membership, let us concentrate on our similarities, rather than highlighting the differences among us.
There are so many people whose vision has brought us to this wonderful Prana Pratishtha event. I want to thank you all, but I will leave it to others to recognize these people in another forum. I would however like to take a brief moment to recognize all the sponsors of all of the mini-temples who have not only given most generously of their financial resources, but of their time and energy towards spearheading all the grand openings at our Temple, past, present and future.
I also would like to recognize the shilpis who have hand crafted all the beautiful mini temples with such devotion and dedication. Their work is beautiful, unique and will touch people's hearts for generations to come. They are the ones who give creative expression to the specifications and desires of our sponsors and the designs of a great master craftsman, Mr. Muthaya, who has designed all of the mini temples as well as the Gopuram.
Today, on behalf of my Executive Committee, I invite all of our Mandir devotees to fully participate and enjoy this opportunity of a lifetime. I feel very privileged to be included in witnessing the rituals and ceremonies consecrating our Jain Temple in Minnesota. Hope to see you all there on such an auspicious occasion.
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