AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, April 15, 2015 (Indian Weekender): At 11 Brick Street in Henderson is the almost finished version of Shri Ram temple that Auckland will soon witness. New Zealand has seen Shiv Temple, Hanuman Temple, Sai Temple and Balaji Temple in the past, but the Shri Ram Temple is the first to be constructed in New Zealand. The foundation of the Mandir which covers an area of 2,366 square metres was laid in July 2012 in front of the devotees and in three years’ time the Mandir is ready to be open for the devotees.
The Shri Ram Mandir will not just be a temple but will also have a huge community hall since there are no such community centres in the West Auckland area and Indian marriages and religious functions require a vast area to accommodate its people. According to plans the temple is set to be inaugurated on June 6 starting with a weeklong puja until June 12, 2015. During this time there will be prayers in the afternoon and cultural programs in the evening comprising all the cultures of India, including Karakia by Maori priests. A crowd of more than 5,000 from all over North Island are expected to be seen during the opening week of the Shri Ram Mandir.