First Hindu temple in Staffordshire set to open
BBCStaffordshire's first Hindu temple is due to open this weekend in Stoke-on-Trent.
Dr Chandra Cheruvu, chair of Hindu Cultural Society in Stoke-on-Trent, which has been in the city since 1995, said it was important for the local Hindu community to have somewhere to come together.
Three days of celebrations for the opening will take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
"It took time to build up all the structures, the beautiful domes and structures, and getting the idols from India," Dr Cheruvu said.
"We've got the marble idols, we've got the bronze idols, and we have the granite idols - all of them come from India."
The new temple will open on Bold street, off Keelings Road in Hanley, and Dr Cheruvu said having a temple in the city would make it easier for those who would otherwise have to travel to Manchester or Birmingham for prayers.
"Locally, having your own temple, it is an opportunity, 70-year-old and 80-year-old people can come and meet their own community members, talk to them and speak the same language," he said.
Hindus in Stoke-on-Trent previously had to use community halls, but could now celebrate festivals with catering facilities for up to 1,000 people available in the building.
"You've got so many festivals in India, and it's an opportunity to congregate to celebrate each of the festivals," Dr Chevuru said.
"It is a cultural centre, you can bring the culture together and we want to share it with everybody."
Leaders from the local Christian churches, Muslim mosques and Sikh Gurdwara had all been invited to attend the inauguration ceremony, he said.
"Faith is all about 'together'. That's why we don't call Hinduism a religion, Hinduism is a belief of being together, it's a way of life, accepting other religions and respecting your own culture."
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