I view the media statement attributed to former MIC president, S Samy
Vellu, on the construction of the new Sri Lalithambikai Alayam temple
in Presint 20, Putrajaya with deep concern. A cursory look at the artist
impression of the temple suggests a very Northern Indian temple design.
The RM10 million temple to be built with public funds aims to be a
major tourist attraction although the temple’s promoters would like us
to believe that it would serve many Hindu worshippers in the area.
I’m also saddened by this development because Putrajaya and Cyberjaya
were carved out of several estates in the area, resulting in many
Hindus having to resettle in unconducive environments far away from the
place where they and their children had lived for decades.
Many of the estate temples, all of them constructed according to the
format of the temples in Southern India had to make way for development.
Samy Vellu is rubbing salt to the wound now. Basically, genuine
worship had to give way to development’ and in its place emerges a
plastic tourist attraction for a temple. The loud message is economics
determines your right to worship in the temple of your choice!
Samy Vellu and his cohorts should focus on the many real challenges
facing Hindus in this country like the lack of religious teachers, well
trained temple priests and the difficulty posed by the immigration
authorities in sourcing these skills from India.
Instead, he chooses to add one more white elephant in Putrajaya in the form of a temple for tourists.
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