Hindu Temple Proposed For Nashville

A Hindu temple has reportedly been proposed for Nashville in Tennessee by the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (ISSO).

According to reports, this proposed 33,000-square-foot and 500-seat temple on 5.8 acres plot is on the August four agenda of Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals (MBZA) in Nashville, requesting a special exception to construct. Currently area ISSO followers meet weekly in a rented place.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, commended efforts of temple leaders and area community towards realizing this Hindu temple.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

ISSO, established by His Holiness Acharya 1008 Shree Tejendraprasadji Maharaj in North America in 1978, has 16 Shree Swaminarayan Temples in USA, including four in New Jersey alone with Weehawken being the first. Manhar Patel is President of ISSO’s Tennessee chapter.

David Ewing and David Taylor are Chair and Vice-chair respectively of MBZA; while Megan Barry is the Mayor of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Nashville, also known as world’s Music City, is the capital of Tennessee.