After almost a 20-year wait, largest Hindu temple in Berlin is finally ready to 'welcome gods'

This Diwali, the largest Hindu temple in Germany is all set to be opened in the capital city of Berlin. Thanks to years of efforts of 70-year-old Vilwanathan Krishnamurthy, the construction project is now almost complete after starting about 20 years ago.

While the temple structure has been built, it still stands ‘without the gods,’ as Krishnamurthy plans a massive, six-day-long opening celebration in November. "We're waiting for the gods," he was quoted as saying by DW News.

Krishnamurthy came to Berlin almost 50 years ago and always dreamed of setting up a temple there for the community.

As he worked for the electrical company AEG, he founded an association to build the Sri-Ganesha Hindu Temple.

The construction part

How Vilwanathan Krishnamurthy toiled up a perilous path of 20 years to complete the project is a case study in itself. The journey began in 2004 when the temple association was established. Shortly after, the Berlin district authority allotted him the plot of land on the edge of Hasenheide Park, between the districts of Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Tempelhof.

Due to financial constraints, the construction work that was supposed to commence in 2007 could not start till 2010.

However, financial problems still loomed large. The construction would regularly stop due to four major problems—regulations, approval procedures, deadlines and financing plans.

"We have carried this through with our own donations. There was no support from the Berlin Senate, from the district authority or from the federal government. I can also understand that," Krishnamurthy said.

How young Indians rose to the occasion?

The donations went drastically up in recent years, thanks to the influx of young Indian techies in Berlin. The tallest building, meant for Amazon, is currently under construction in Berlin, and that is where the majority of Indian techies will be earning their living.

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"In the past five years," Krishnamurthy says, "we have had a significant growth in donations. Young people are prepared to give generously."

Some of the young people even made four-figure donations.

‘Awaiting gods now’

Krishnamurthy says the gods were still not there yet. Solid stone figures, crafted especially according to 5000-year-old specifications, will be brought here from India.

There should be 27 of them in total, he says.

In November, near the time of the festival of lights, he wants it to be finished, and then the six-day Kumbhabhishekham consecration ceremony can begin.

"We believe in God, that he supports us," he says.

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