Hindu temple dedicated to Shri Murugan in the United States faces opposition from Christian fundamentalists

Indian-origin lawmakers and governors in the US must strongly condemn this opposition.

Proposed Lord Murugan Temple in the state of Carolina

Carolina (United States): After the recent protest against a statue of Deity Hanuman in Texas, Christian fundamentalists in the state of Carolina have now begun opposing the construction of a grand temple dedicated to Shri Murugan. The project has become the target of misinformation and criticism on social media.

Questions over land and funding

The idea of building a Shri Murugan temple was first proposed in the 1990s. Actual work began in 2018 when land was acquired for the project. The site will house the Murugan temple along with a Tamil cultural museum and a Tamil library. This will be the first temple in the United States dedicated to Shri Murugan.

Located about five miles (around eight kilometres) from Washington, D.C., in the Lanham area of Maryland, the project features a 190-foot statue of Shri Murugan standing atop a 35-foot base. The temple complex is spread over approximately 130 acres. Some groups on social media have questioned how such a large plot was obtained and where the funding came from.

No special permit required

According to local regulations, no special permission is needed to construct the temple. Like other places of worship, it is being built in full compliance with existing laws. Independent journalist Stephen Hawn has claimed that the organisers launched a fundraising initiative called “Blessing Saree” while construction was still in progress.

Former American nuclear scientist Matt Van also remarked that the statue would be taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York.

A case of double standards

There are many churches in the United States taller than 150 feet and spread across hundreds of acres. Yet no one compares them to the Statue of Liberty. The outrage of Christian hardliners is therefore being seen as a clear display of hypocrisy and religious intolerance.