A Dream Come True Durga Temple
Some families got together to celebrate the Deepawali by starting Akhand Ramayan
path in a small Shrine at residence of Hirday/Rani Sharma Harnal,
The home of same devotee where Ganpati Ji drank milk and about 1000 people showed
up to offer milk. NBC and Discovery channel aired the story and ran the interview
of Hirday/Rani. Akhandpath was followed by Mata Jagran. It was at this time Rani
Sharma suggested that a temple for the entire community should be built since Mr.
Harnal has been involved in Temples in India and Washington Metropolitan area. Also
being a Brahmin and having family background of conducting Puja and performing religious
rituals and sanskars (Mundans, Birthdays, anniversaries and wedding ceremonies).
Rani has experience of singing Bhajans and Bhenten of Mata at Jagrans. These are
the Prime needs of the Hindu Temple. Community needed a Place of their own so that
all the religious and cultural activities could be conducted there. Most of the
time Burke commons community center was rented to celebrate birth days, wedding
anniversary/ religious / cultural activities.
Six devotee's families approached Dr. Jai/Shashi Gupta. Dr. Gupta, offered if a
Temple is named after one of the deities worshipped by the Hindus, that he would
make a substantial donation, without and other strings attached, which would turn
our dream into reality. Devotees, however did not miss this golden opportunity and
thus, established “ DURGA TEMPLE “ and accepted Dr. Jai Gupta’s generous donation.
Dr. Gupta’s offer started us in the right direction for the fulfillment of our desire.
At a Jagran at Dr. Vijay/Madhu Grover’s residence on October 30th 1990, Rajinder
Garg announced formation of Durga Temple requested community support by TAN, MAN
AND DHAN. Hirday now started performing Pujas and other religious sanskars for the
Durga Temple. Rani Sharma devoted her full time for the religious/cultural activities
and inspired young and old for their support, Day in and day out for Building of
Durga Temple.
The humble devotee already made an initial deposit of $ 51,000.00 for the acquisition
of land. Durga Temple a religious organization was registered as a non-profit
organization with the common wealth of Virginia on March 21st, 1991.
Devotees started looking for a suitable land. Mr. Puran Mittal joined the Caretaker
volunteers of Durga Temple and after looking at three different locations, present
location was finalized With the vigorous enthusiasm and hard work of Mr. Ved Goyal,
To-day a magnificent Mandir graces that piece of land which will be source of spiritual
and cultural center for the generations to come, and Hindu community will be proud
of it.
On March 21st, 1999 Durga temple was open to Public for Darshan and prayer after
the inaugural ceremony which included puja, Havan, Ganpati Sathapna, Bhairav Sathapna,
and Nuv Durga Sthapna was performed by Brahmin priests of different temples under
the direction Shri Satya Narain Shastri which started on March18th, 1999.
Mr. Srinivasan of Indian embassy was guest of Honor. Mrs. Kate Hanley was
invited from the County of Fairfax, she read the proclaimanation. Week of March
21st 1999 to March 28th 1999 was declared Durga Temple Week. Dr. Suresh
Gupta invited Dr. Madan Gupta and Dr. Jai Gupta on stage. Dr. Jai announced 16 names
of the individuals to light the Jyoti to open the curtains of Nuv Durga Shrine.
With Great Joy and Jaikaras curtains were opened, devotees were overjoyed to have
first Darshan.
With generous offer and with support of entire community today Hindus are proud
to have a place of worship and cultural center of their own at a cost of 4.2M.
$2.2M loans are still out standing.
Please come in one and all give your services and support with TAN, MAN and DHAN
for smooth functioning of this wonderful institution.
DURGA TEMPLE - A DREAM COME TRUE