Hindus rebuild temple burnt in hate crime after 9/11

Hindu priests Acharya Shukla and Pandit Shashi Bhushan stand in the interior of the rebuilt Hindu Samaj Temple

The Hindu Samaj Temple will receive a commemorative plaque from the city five years after the temple was burned to the ground in a misguided hate crime after 9/11.The plaque, approved by city council, commemorates the way people from all over the city came together to help rebuild the temple, said Anna Bradford, manager of culture for the city. That effort "is a part of the history of the city." The temple was torched and destroyed on Sept. 15, 2001.

The plaque, to be unveiled Sept. 10, also notes that spiritual and other local leaders came together after the fire to establish the Strengthening Hamilton’s Community Initiative to combat hate crimes in the city. Despite the community support, part of the construction of the new temple has been halted because there isn’t enough money to cope with mounting costs. "Right now, a couple of exterior fittings on rooms, the roof, the security systems, fencing and miscellaneous expenditures will cost at least another $100,000," says Ram Kamath, president of the temple. He adds that the cost of building the temple has already been pegged at $1.7 million. "Over a million dollars have now been raised to build the new temple but we still have a lot of loans to repay and we are still trying to get some more funds to complete it."

Kamath says insurance provided about $400,000 and there have been donations from many citizens and a small bank loan. "Last year, we started a campaign for raising funds for operating expenses and raised $96,000," says Naresh Sinha, a board member and founding member of the temple. The city has given $10,000 as a one-time donation to maintain the lawns."But a standing expense of $12,000 monthly is incurred to foot loans and expenses," he added. Both men say the only other government help has been a matching grant of $120,000 from the federal government in 2001. Kamath recalls a politician stating in a speech that he would give a donation from his personal account "but even that hasn’t come as yet."

Vishal Singh, 22, said he is very happy that the temple has been recognized. "Until the temple got burned, many didn’t even know there was one." For years, there was no temple and Hindus in Hamilton met on the third Sunday of every month at McMaster University. But in December 1984, they were able to buy an old church on Twenty Road.
The church was gradually converted into a temple and Hindu deities were established, the last in April 1993.

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