The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission, in its September 14 meeting, reportedly recommended approval of a Hindu temple in a former 38,000-square-foot theater in Hoover (Alabama).
This Hindu temple proposal, requested by Pritesh Patel on a property owned by BAPS Birmingham, will now be forwarded to Hoover City Council for final nod. Besides the sanctuary, this place of worship will also include about 14 classrooms; reports suggest.
Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended efforts of temple leaders and area community towards realizing this temple complex.
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.
There is a BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Temple in nearby Birmingham (closed right now due to COVID-19) which before the coronavirus pandemic reportedly opened daily and organized weekly assemblies for children, teenagers, youth and women; satsang; and Gujarati language classes for children.
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), established in 1907 and headquartered in Ahmedabad (India), has 3,850 centers and over a million followers worldwide. A “socio-spiritual Hindu organization with its roots in the Vedas”; “five lifetime vows” of its followers include: No Alcohol, No Addictions, No Adultery, No Meat, No Impurity of body and mind.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
Hoover, incorporated in 1967; is home to Riverchase Galleria, Moss Rock Preserve, Aldridge Gardens. Frank V. Brocato and Allan Rice are Mayor and City Administrator respectively.