A Hindu Temple and Community Center has been planned for Carbondale in southern Illinois (USA).
Reports suggest that groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 17 amidst chanting of Sanskrit shlokas, burning incense sticks, etc., over three acres of donated land. Currently, area Hindus travel to St. Louis or Nashville for worship services. It will also be very convenient for about 300 students from India enrolled at Southern Illinois University.
Dr. Pradeep Reddy, Naresh Patel and Padma Chandrasekar are President, Vice President, and Secretary respectively of non-profit Hindu Temple & Cultural Society of Southern Illinois launched in 2009 which is undertaking this temple project behind Carbondale Mall. It is asking for donations for the construction, which is reportedly expected to start as soon as city approves the blueprints.
Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of temple-project leaders and southern Illinois community to realize this wonderful 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 coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new 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 and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.
Carbondale in Jackson County, founded in 1852 and known as "Capital of Southern Illinois", has won All American City Award and Governor's Home Town Award. Singer Shawn Colvin, saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer, football player Ron Acks, and actor Dennis Franz are associated with Carbondale which is home of Cedar Lake. Brad Cole and Allen D. Gill are Mayor and City Manager respectively.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents.
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Rajan Zed is a religious statesman who has taken up Hindu, interfaith, religion, Roma and other causes all over the world.
He was invited by President of European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pottering, in December 2008 in Brussels (Belgium) for a meeting to promote interfaith dialogue. He has read opening prayers in United States Senate in Washington DC, various state senates and assemblies/houses-of- representatives, city councils, etc., across the country.
Zed is one of the panelists for “On Faith”, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post. He has been bestowed with “World Interfaith Leader Award”, “Nevada Religious Unity Award”, “Positive Pluralism & Unity Prize”, & other awards for interfaith dialogue.
He is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to New York headquartered Foundation for Interreligious Diplomacy, Director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families, etc.
Rajan Zed is on the Governing Board of Directors of Northern Nevada International Center, on the Board of Directors of Nevada World Trade Council, member Citizens Advisory Committee of Regional Transportation Commission, member Reno Police Chief Advisory Board, etc.
He possesses Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from University of Nevada-Reno and Master of Science in Mass Communications from San Jose State University, California.
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