Malibu temple celebrates 25 years of tradition

LOS ANGELES: On the fourth of August in 1977 P. Thayamagandalv, Parameswar Mahadevan, Vasan R. Srinivasan, C Veerappa, D Sundaresan, Ramlinga Reddy Chirra and Nimmagadda Rajagopal Rao signed the articles of incorporation that would represent the beginning of the first Hindu temple in the western United States.

Tucked away off the famous Mulholland Highway and Las Virgenes Road, the Malibu Temple's site was actually chosen because it resembled the location of the famous Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh, which is the most visited religious shrine in the entire world.

"The hills surrounding our present location actually reminded us of the hills around Tirupati," comments Nadadur Vardhan, current president of the temple. 

"There had been a temple in Pittsburg and also one built in New York City, and we were most probably the third one built in America," he says, adding that even now devotees come from all over the US to attend services. 

"We were the first and the anchor temple in the western United States which acted as a catalyst for other temples being built in this part of America," says Nadadur, underscoring that the temple's priests are daily traveling throughout California, Nevada, New Mexico and beyond to perform religious pujas for marriages, funerals and other auspicious events with devotees also coming from as many locations to visit the temple in the Calabasas hills.

The Malibu Hindu Temple journey in many ways is the journey of Hindus in Southern California, claims Nadadur. "The temple is the outcome of many individuals and groups at different stages," he says, emphasizing that the success of the temple is ultimately a tribute to the community that through its perseverance, challenges and overcoming obstacles moved the temple forward and continued to support it.

"The temple had many problems at many stages, but with the strength of the community and the blessings of God, we are proud of what it is and the course it has set to move forward," he says. 

One of the priorities of the temple's community is to acquire the land adjacent to its present grounds which was purchased by a partnership as an adjunct and part of the original goals to expand of the temple.  The partnership was formed as an offshoot of the original Hindu Temple Society.  

Unique to the Malibu temple, and prominently known to the devotees, is that its priests are from different parts of South India.  The temple is therefore a representation of a very diverse cross section of devotees from India which has made for a thriving but also challenging community that has often voiced their uniquely cultural experience of Hinduism based on the region of India they come from.

"With all the problems and constraints the present management, notably Nadadur Vardhan, Girdhar Atherya, Maravalan Rajhavapillay, Devinda Reddy, Krishna Kuma and Venkatesh Koka, under the leadership of Dr. S.A. Manohora, have done a very good job of trying to mediate everyone's needs," says Ravindran Vardarajan, one of the temple's leadership members. "It's our job to complete the unfinished job of installing the remaining statues which we plan to do in the near future."

The Malibu Hindu Temple has two complexes -- the upper complex with Lord Venkateswara as the presiding deity and the lower complex with Lord Shiva as the presiding deity.

In addition to the presiding deity, both complexes have shrines for other deities with most recent installations of the deities being Alwars and Parvarthi. 

Last week, in the presence of a large and vibrant crowd, the priests invoked all the elements of nature including fire, earth, wind, sky and water for the prosperity and happiness of all individuals and the whole world.  In services celebrating the temple's 25 years of service one of the highlights was a gathering of visiting students from UC Santa Barbara watching as priests presided over the Visvaksena and Ganapathi Pooja to remove any obstacles. 

The ritual ceremony invoked the blessings of Vishnu and Shiva, and commenced with the Sudarshana Homam that transitioned through Maha Poornahuthi, Nivedyam, Maha Khumbha Prokshanam, Archana, Arati and distribution of prasadam in the form of the ashes from the holy fire. The ritual ceremony involved praying for a return to global prosperity and to the balance of nature that interconnects all life and that is so lacking in today's world. 

"Everything will be all right if we trust in the blessings of the divinity," explained Nadadur to the crowd assembled, many of which were visiting the temple for the first time.  "We pray for everyone, in Hinduism we think globally, we bless globally," he said.  The priests who also live at the complex include R. Narasimha Bhattar, Krishnamacharyulu Samudrala, K. Kannan Battar, Lakshmi Narayana Sastry and M.V.K Prasad Vadigepally.

The Malibu Temple provides numerous spaces for meditation, picnicking, and it has a full stage for special cultural and Hindu programs. A delicious vegetarian meal is served every weekend for visitors from its extensive kitchen and there is a gift shop where literature and religious items can also be purchased.

When visiting the Malibu temple if one has been to Andhra Pradesh they will immediately feel a connection to the Tirupati temple site, which is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily, and up to 500,000 during the annual Brahmotsavam festival.

The Malibu Hindu Temple, like the Tirupati Temple is built for the main deity of Lord Venkateswara (forms of Vishnu) and later the Shiva complex was added along with several shrines for different deities.

Hindu temples are built compliant to strict codes, known as shastras. The Malibu Temple is built according to Silpa Shastra in Chola style of temple architecture. The temple architect is known as sthapathi and the architect of this temple is none other than the famous Muthiah Sthapathi, of India, who designs temples all over the world.

The local contractors built the foundations and the structures. The brick veneer work and the sculptural plastering were done by artisans from India who are known as silpis, who undergo several years of training under a sthapathi. This temple is one of the largest and most authentic Hindu temples in the western hemisphere.

The arrangements for last week's Malibu Temple full ceremony were made by B Mohan, the manager of the temple under guidance of Manavalan. Girdhar Atherya arranged the cultural show. The festivities concluded with the performance of the Kalyana Uthsava of Lord Venkateswara to Lakshmi, Garuda Seva to Lord Venkatswara and a Mayil Vahana Seva to Lord Subramanya. Entertainment was provided by a Karnatic vocal concert by Vani Ramamurti, students from Dr. Malini Krishnamurthy's Natyanjali School presented Bharatha Natyam and Radha Rangarajan delivered a religious discourse. 

The temple is open every day of the year. Weekdays: Summer hours: 9:00 am to 12:30 noon and 5 pm to 8 pm. Winter hours: 9:00 am to 12:30 noon and 5 pm to 7 pm.  Weekends & Holidays: Summer hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Winter hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.