WEST SENECA, N.Y. — A new temple and cultural center is opening in West Seneca. This is the first of its kind in the area.
The Buffalo Hindu Parishad (BHP) members have been working to get a spot for their place of worship for five years. Before May 3, community members had been practicing their religious prayers and celebrating their festivities in a basement.
Now they have a place to bring people together. For now, it's a temple. In the future, they hope to create a museum and expand their cultural center.
"Our community is growing so much, because whenever people come here, they look for a temple, because once a month, once a week, we have to come to the temple. We need to teach our children what is the religion. So there is a temple, a Bengali temple, we should move over there. That's a big thing for us," said Urmi Poddar, the secretary of BHP.
Added Joyoti Choudhury, a Rochester community member: "We come from Rochester. It's an hour drive from here. They have worked really hard for almost five years. They have been trying to get a spot for a temple, and now they have finally made it."
In Vedic Hindu culture, a child cannot eat rice until the annaprashana has occurred. The day of the inauguration falls under one of the days of this ceremony, which is why Buffalo Hindu Parishad members choose May 3 for their inauguration.
The BHP temple and cultural center is located at 104 Aurora Avenue in West Seneca. All are welcome to come and learn more.