suchandra Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 India Center setting roots <!--subtitle-->Construction to start in late June, opening in spring '09 <!--byline-->By Jennifer W. Sanchez The Salt Lake Tribune <!--date-->Article Last Updated: 06/11/2008 12:32:06 AM MDT SOUTH JORDAN - Before they had a place to worship in Utah, Indian Hindu families used to pray to their god Ganesha at a shrine in the basement of a house here. When Vatsala Naageshwaran moved to Utah in 1997, most of the roughly 500 Indian families along the Wasatch Front knew one another. They gathered at people's homes for family events or the University of Utah for festivals. Although they didn't have their own gathering place, they had a vision of building an Indian campus. They bought 6 acres in the suburb of South Jordan, and eventually consecrated their temple in 2003. "The community was very close-knit," Naageshwaran said. Now, 10 years later, Indian community leaders say construction on the campus' India Cultural Center is scheduled to start in late June, and they plan to have its grand opening in spring 2009. Volunteers are organizing a gala with Indian food and dancing to raise money for the $1 million center on Saturday at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy. Lavanya Mahate, who moved here from India in 2001, said she's really excited about the center becoming a reality. Mahate, 30, said she goes to the temple with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Sanjana, each Saturday. So she's looking forward to having the center open for community events because the campus is a place that reminds her of living in India. <hr class="articleAdRule"> "It definitely gives you a feeling of being back home," Mahate said. "It's really easy to disconnect when you're living in another country." The state's Indian community has grown to several thousand families, a majority of whom are Hindu, Mahate said. The best part about the center will be its focus on teaching the younger Indian generation about their heritage and sharing the culture with non-Indians, said Indian community members. Naageshwaran - a scientist, artist and mother of two - said Indian children need to know they come from a rich culture and a diverse country, where some 23 languages are spoken. English and Hindi are the most popular languages spoken at Indian events in Utah. "We're in this great country, America, that has great opportunities, but in order to be successful, . . . they should be empowered by their roots," said Naageshwaran, the center's president. The Indian campus is among new homes and alfalfa fields, tucked behind the suburban bustle of 106th South and 1142 West. The 4,000-square-foot temple will share a parking lot with the proposed 6,000-square-foot center. The center will be open to the public and offer Indian music, dance, cooking and yoga classes. It will be open for school tours and an auditorium will be available for rent, Naageshwaran said. She hopes Indian families and other Utahns "come and feel at home" at the center. "We want this to be a vibrant place that has something going on every weekend," she said. jsanchez@sltrib.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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