இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைய மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
SHREE GHANAPATHY TEMPLE
125-133, Effra Road, London SW19 8PU.
Tel: +44 (0)20 8946 1140 / 8542 7482
www.ghanapathytemple.org.uk
The Shree Ghanapathy Temple was built and founded by the late Mr. A.T.S.
Ratnasingham in 1980 and had its' Maha Kumbabishekham in 1981, making it the
first fully consecrated Hindu Temple in the whole of Europe. The adjoining hall was
converted into the Sai Mandir, the first of its kind in the U.K.
Over the years, the Temple has grown and adapted to the changing needs of our
devotees and the community at large. Our focus has shifted from that of purely ritualistic
worship, to a more holistic approach - providing for the spiritual, moral and emotional
needs of our devotees. So, although we perform all the services of a traditional Hindu
Saivite Temple, we also arrange talks and discussion groups by experts in religion and
philosophy, we conduct yoga and meditation classes and also organize health seminars
during the year.
We have a core group of volunteers from the Temple and Merton Sai Centre who
help with many community projects within the London Borough of Merton. These include
feeding the homeless, hampers for the elderly, 'meals on wheels', anti-graffiti and
conservation work, to name but a few! Each year, we also have over 3000 school children,
students, teachers and members of other faiths, who come to the Temple to learn more
about Hinduism. The principle ethos that runs through all our work is that "Service to Man
is Service to God" and the Temple has built up a wide reputation as being one of the most
prolific and dedicated volunteer forces in the borough. It has been the focus of research
papers and was recently honoured with a Queen's Jubilee Award for its services to the com-
munity. We are always looking for new ways in which we can serve the community and are
always keen to hear ideas from our devotees. At their suggestion, and inspired by the
incredible work done at the Sri Kanaga Thurkkai Amman Temple, we are helping to
support two orphanages in Sri Lanka. In this way, we are not only helping the innocent
victims of the atrocities occurring back home, but we are also enabling our children
growing up in the U.K. to develop links and maintain their cultural roots and heritage with
their motherland.
From its' inception, the Temple's main concern has been for the future generations of
Hindu children growing up here in the west. Classes in religious education, music and
dance began within the first few years of the Temple's inception, the Temple giving its'
facilities free of charge to the teachers in order to keep the prices they charged at an afford-
able rate for all parents. And we have watched with great delight the blossoming of talent,
dedication and devotion with which our young children have embraced these important
19
7
வது
சைய
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
SHREE
GHANAPATHY
TEMPLE
125-133
Effra
Road
London
SW19
8PU
.
Tel
:
+44
(
0
)
20
8946
1140
/
8542
7482
www.ghanapathytemple.org.uk
The
Shree
Ghanapathy
Temple
was
built
and
founded
by
the
late
Mr.
A.T.S.
Ratnasingham
in
1980
and
had
its
'
Maha
Kumbabishekham
in
1981
making
it
the
first
fully
consecrated
Hindu
Temple
in
the
whole
of
Europe
.
The
adjoining
hall
was
converted
into
the
Sai
Mandir
the
first
of
its
kind
in
the
U.K.
Over
the
years
the
Temple
has
grown
and
adapted
to
the
changing
needs
of
our
devotees
and
the
community
at
large
.
Our
focus
has
shifted
from
that
of
purely
ritualistic
worship
to
a
more
holistic
approach
-
providing
for
the
spiritual
moral
and
emotional
needs
of
our
devotees
.
So
although
we
perform
all
the
services
of
a
traditional
Hindu
Saivite
Temple
we
also
arrange
talks
and
discussion
groups
by
experts
in
religion
and
philosophy
we
conduct
yoga
and
meditation
classes
and
also
organize
health
seminars
during
the
year
.
We
have
a
core
group
of
volunteers
from
the
Temple
and
Merton
Sai
Centre
who
help
with
many
community
projects
within
the
London
Borough
of
Merton
.
These
include
feeding
the
homeless
hampers
for
the
elderly
'
meals
on
wheels
'
anti
-
graffiti
and
conservation
work
to
name
but
a
few
!
Each
year
we
also
have
over
3000
school
children
students
teachers
and
members
of
other
faiths
who
come
to
the
Temple
to
learn
more
about
Hinduism
.
The
principle
ethos
that
runs
through
all
our
work
is
that
Service
to
Man
is
Service
to
God
and
the
Temple
has
built
up
a
wide
reputation
as
being
one
of
the
most
prolific
and
dedicated
volunteer
forces
in
the
borough
.
It
has
been
the
focus
of
research
papers
and
was
recently
honoured
with
a
Queen's
Jubilee
Award
for
its
services
to
the
com
munity
.
We
are
always
looking
for
new
ways
in
which
we
can
serve
the
community
and
are
always
keen
to
hear
ideas
from
our
devotees
.
At
their
suggestion
and
inspired
by
the
incredible
work
done
at
the
Sri
Kanaga
Thurkkai
Amman
Temple
we
are
helping
to
support
two
orphanages
in
Sri
Lanka
.
In
this
way
we
are
not
only
helping
the
innocent
victims
of
the
atrocities
occurring
back
home
but
we
are
also
enabling
our
children
growing
up
in
the
U.K.
to
develop
links
and
maintain
their
cultural
roots
and
heritage
with
their
motherland
.
From
its
'
inception
the
Temple's
main
concern
has
been
for
the
future
generations
of
Hindu
children
growing
up
here
in
the
west
.
Classes
in
religious
education
music
and
dance
began
within
the
first
few
years
of
the
Temple's
inception
the
Temple
giving
its
'
facilities
free
of
charge
to
the
teachers
in
order
to
keep
the
prices
they
charged
at
an
afford
able
rate
for
all
parents
.
And
we
have
watched
with
great
delight
the
blossoming
of
talent
dedication
and
devotion
with
which
our
young
children
have
embraced
these
important
19