The Srivari Sri Balaji Temple on Elizabeth Avenue was formally initiated in a May 29 ceremony. The ceremony was the capstone of a three-day outdoor festival held by the temple. Two priests flew in from India to help with the ceremony, said Vijayaraghavan Poondi, chairman of the temple’s board of trustees. During the final ceremony, food offerings were made to a statue of the Hindu god Vishnu and one representing his wife Lakshmi, he said. Hindus believe that the statue was given life through the ceremony, Poondi said. The temple is located now in a temporary 2,000 square-foot building on the former horse farm, but, Poondi said, the board will eventually seek to build a permanent, 2,800-square-foot temple. The new building will face east-west, as opposed to the north-south orientation of the current building, Poondi said. “The Hindu religion strongly believes that our god should face east,” he said. Following are some scenes from the ceremony.
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