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Ground-breaking of Siddhivinayak Temple was held in Toms River (New Jersey, USA) on June one.

Hundreds participated in the Bhumi-Pujan ceremony of this upcoming Temple (also known as Sarv Dev Mandir and Community Center) on a six-acre plot, which started with Shree Ganesh Rath Yatra (procession) and included Ganesh Pujan, Kalash Pujan, Navgrah Pujan, Havan, Khanan, earth worship and Aarti. Temple cost might go up to $2.5 million, reports suggest.

Meanwhile, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of Temple leaders and area community to realize this Hindu 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 the coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this temple complex would focus in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism, we should focus on inner search and realization of Self.

According to reports, management expects an “interim temple and community center” be up and running by this fall. Next phase will include 40,000 square feet temple and community center, where Lord Ganesha will be the main deity, besides 5-7 other altars with idols of (yet to be determined) Mahavir, Buddha, Venkateshvar, Krishna, Ram, Hanuman, Durga, etc.  It will include prayer hall, center for cultural activities and social events, library and resource center, and kids’ play area. Besides a venue for worship; it will also celebrate festivals, organize religious and cultural classes for children and various activities for seniors. Avinash Gupta is the Chairman.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Female majority Township of Toms River, chartered in 1767 and then burned in 1782, is home to many beaches and second largest Halloween parade in the world and has been ranked 14th-safest city in USA. Thomas F. Kelaher and Paul J. Shives are Mayor and Business Administrator respectively of Toms River; while prominent people associated with it include jazz singer Chris Connor, Ultimate Fighting Champion Frank Edgar, baseball players Todd Frazier and Al Leiter, actors Brian Geraghty and Piper Perabo, and soccer player Chris Konopka.