Malibu Hindu Temple Offers Special Prayers for Victims of Coronavirus and their Families in India
Namaskaram,
The Malibu Hindu Temple is in grief as we watch the stories of suffering and human tragedy unfolding in India. Many of us wear our Indian identity as a badge of honor. We live our lives experiencing our original Indian identity and our adopted American identity. We celebrate the flags of both of these beautiful countries, just as we fondly stand up to salute at the sound of “Jana Gana Mana” and the “Star Spangled Banner.” In this moment of tragedy, we lead dual lives: one, the tragedy of the COVID-19 crisis in India and the other, a moment of respite from the virus in the United States, as more and more of us get vaccinated.
The Temple, an architectural masterpiece from the 10th century nestled in the Malibu Hills, presents to us a sanctuary to quiet the mind and contemplate the spiritual values of the Hindu religion. During the past year, the Temple witnessed all of us suffer from physical separation because of the pandemic. We also experienced joy as we reopened the Temple. The priests at the Malibu Hindu Temple, and the families of all the employees, gathered in the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Venkateswara to hear chanting and prayers. We have utmost faith that Lord Venkateswara’s healing touch and his spiritual guidance will help us absorb the recent events in India with kindness in our hearts and resolve in our minds.
As the chanting and prayers were reverberating in the Temple on Saturday, May 1st, we also remembered the special prayers offered at the Temple on April 5, 2020, when the priests and staff gathered in a similar moment of despair, as the coronavirus pandemic began to take root in the United States. I once again pray to Lord Venkateswara and Siva to bring a healing touch to those who have lost dear ones in India as a result of the virus.
The Temple continues to be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM. I welcome you to join us in the main sannidhis at both temples, and to celebrate your reunion with the Temple. Let us pray for those suffering in India.
Sincerely,
Nadadur S. Kumar
General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer