Hindu community visits new Cary temple

The finishing touches are being made on the new Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina in Cary. It is dedicated to promoting the Hindu religion and humanitarian services across the Triangle.

Posted 2:32 a.m. May 28, 2009 — Updated 3:05 a.m. May 28, 2009

CARY, N.C. — The finishing touches are being made on the new Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina in Cary. It is dedicated to promoting the Hindu religion and humanitarian services across the Triangle.

The SV Temple is modeled after a famous temple in southern India.

“That temple is very powerful, and actually as powerful as the Vatican,” said Bhaskar Venepalli, with the SV Temple board of trustees. “People stand in lines for several hours to go into the temple. In that context, it is very unique.”

The temple, 21 Balaji Place, Cary, is 11 years in the making, and is the only of its kind in the state.

“We started out with about 2 acres of land, and over time, we acquired what it is now 9.2 acres,” said Ram Nagulpally, with the SV Temple board of trustees. “After going through the permit process, raising the necessary funds to build the temple, we started the construction in about 2007.”

Using private funds and a builder who did it at cost, the temple took two years to construct. It should have cost $6 million to build, but was completed for $3.4 million.

“Everything was changed from the design. But I took it as a challenge, and I finished it in time,” builder Nand Gopal Sachdeva said.

Throughout Wednesday's public unveiling, thousands of people came to see the new facility.

“This is more than just a religious temple, although it's a quite impressive beautiful temple. It's a place of cultural diversity. It's a place of learning. It's a community center. It really does represent the change in North Carolina that we're all so grateful for,” Gov. Bev Perdue said.

Fourteen artisans were brought in from India to handcraft many of the decorative idols that adorn the temple. The week-long grand opening will wrap up Thursday morning.

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