Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in Australia-8 at 10:09 PM

Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in Australia

 Sri Selva Vinayakarkoyil  (Ganesha Temple) – Brisbane, Australia

Email: ssvkbrisbane@gmail.com | Phone: +61 7 5547 7302 Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil, 4915 - 4923, Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean, Queensland-4280, Australia.

HISTORY

The Census shows that the migration of Tamils to the State of Queensland started only very recently. Prior to 1985 there were only a few Tamil families living in the state. Only in 1983 some of the Hindu families felt the need for community worship so monthly congregational prayer meetings were conducted first at homes and then at the SWARA Hall. Since then, regular prayer meetings have been conducted at this hall at Spring Hill. From our survey it is clear that the worship of Vinayakar in Brisbane was originally started in the form of congregational worship. As this congregational worship continued to expand, the building of a traditional Hindu temple in Brisbane became a necessity for obvious reasons. As a result a Convening Committee was formed on 25 April 1986 and subsequently this committee registered under the name, 'Hindu Ahlaya Sangam.' The members of the first Management Committee were unanimously elected on 12 October 1986 and the second in March 1998. The subsequent Committees continue to be elected yearly. The major task for the Management Committees during the period 1987 to 1990 was to raise sufficient funds to purchase a suitable block of land to build the temple. Finally in 1990, the Management Committee succeeded in purchasing 4.5 acres of elevated, virgin bushland at South Maclean, 35 km South of Brisbane.. Similar to the locations of the Hindu temples in India, this virgin land in Brisbane is also situated in the midst of areas of natural scenic beauty, in proximity to the Logan River at South Maclean. An application seeking special consent to built Selva Vinayakar Temple was submitted to the Beaudesert Shire Council in July 1991 and permission was granted through the Planning and Environment Courts, Brisbane in May 1992. At the initial stage the committee started building a centre for Selva Vinayakar and additional shrines for Siva, Vishnu and Navagraha. The building plans were approved by the council in August 1992 and a plan for the centre began to unfold with the laying of the foundation on 10 June 1993. As the first stage the Maha Mandapam (main hall) was completed and the major shipment of the Deities, shrine doors etc. was received from South India. At the same time stapathies and the three sculptors arrived from South India. The construction of the shrines commenced on 24 June 1994 and after completion of the Brisbane Selva Vinayakar Kovil the consecration ceremony was held on 5 February 1995. This traditional Kumbabishekam was witnessed by hundreds of devotees and well-wishers came from the other States and Territories also. Similar to the Hindu temples in India, Selva Vinayakar temple is also situated in the midst of areas of natural scenic beauty, in proximity to the Logan River at South Maclean an area of prevailing peace and inspiration to the devotees visiting this temple. Selva Vinayakar temple is built according to traditional Indian style in conformity with ancient Sitpa Sastra and Agamas. A beautiful tower (Gopuram) and ornamental icons were also constructed by temple builders and sculptors invited from South India. Most of the important developments have been completed and many more are in progress. Now the structure of the centre needs some elaboration. Lord Vinayakar is accorded the main place. The vimanam (the structure that is built over the sanctum sanctorum) of this beautiful Central Shrine of Vinayakar, with its stupi, stands at a height of about 20 feet above the ground level. On the right of the Central Shrine Siva takes His abode and Abirami (Parvathi) is on the left. Maha Vishnu and Lord Murukan find their appropriate places to the rear of the Central Shrine. The shrines of Navagrah and Vairavar are located in their respective places close to the main entrance. Images are also installed in the niches of the three walls surrounding the Central Shrine. They face the 'prakara', the path which runs round the shrine. Adjacent to the main deity, on the left of the shrine, Chandeswarar is assigned his place. On the right of Lord Siva are Nalvar (Sampanthar, Apper Sundarar and Manikkavasakar) in panchaloga (five metals) and Sri Ramakrishna in granite. This temple also serves as a centre for various cultural and educational activities. Religious classes are conducted for children; music and dance programs are conducted and scholars and religious leaders are invited to address the devotees on special occasions. Library facilities are provided near the entrance to the hall.

Temple OPENING HOURS

Monday – Friday Time Pooja Times Opening Hours Morning 9:00am - 9:30am 7:30am - 11:00am Evening 7:30pm - 8:00pm 5:00pm - 8:30pm Saturday & Sunday Time Pooja Times Worship Hours Morning 9:00am - 9:30am 7:30am - 12:00am Evening 6:00pm - 6:30pm 5:00pm - 8:30pm

Temple Nursery

HASQ Management committee run a Temple Nursery faci

lity on Sundays 10.00am to 1.00pm.

This Nursery provides rare plant varieties at reaso

nable prices.

Volunteers propagate

these plants in the onsite green houses. Now these

flower plants and trees available for sale.

This non profit service is only for the devotees of

the Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil.

Devotees can buy the Plants at temple on Sundays.

This facility run by HASQ for

the devotees who love to have rare flower plants an

d trees which are not available

from normal nursery. Most of them useful for templ

e puja purpose and Indian

vegetarian cooking.

Further information please contacts our Temple Prie

st on 07-55477302.Or Ratnam

Wimalachandran (President of HASQ) on 07-32793696

Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil, 4915 - 4923, Mt Lindesay

Highway,

(GPS Navigator Entry Address: 1, Casuarina Rd)

South Maclean, Queensland-4280, Australia, Phone: +

61 7 5547 7302

Temple Cafeteria

HASQ Management committee run a Cafeteria facility

on Sundays from 10.00am to 1.00pm.

This cafeteria provides tasty and quality vegetaria

n food at reasonable prices.

Volunteers

prepare vegetarian food (Dosa, Idli, Vadai, Coffee,

Tea &Soft Drinks) on site and serve

hygienically to the devotees. Take away option is a

lso available. This non profit service is only

for the devotees of the Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil.

This facility runs by HASQ for the devotees who tra

vel from long distances.

Now they have access for the quality vegetarian foo

d at temple cafeteria and also

take a way facilities are available

Contact us

Email: ssvkbrisbane@gmail.com | Phone: +61 7 5547 7302
Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil, 4915 - 4923, Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean, Queensland-4280, Australia.

 

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)                                                                                                                             

(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection)