About 25 years ago, a new migrant couple considered construction of a Temple for Lord Venkateswara; a Temple that would be a tribute to the Lord of the Seven Hills in the original setting of Tirupati-Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh.
That desire remained a dream, for as devotees understand, the Lord must ordain and provide the Divine Direction. Efforts however continued, albeit sporadically, until two weeks ago when the desired settings appeared to evolve themselves.
The formation of an entity Sri Venkateswara Devasthanam (SVD) was the first step in the ambitious journey to build a new home for the Lord in Auckland.
A large stretch of land, appropriate for the elevated Lord of the Seven Hills has been acquired and initial tasks for complying with official regulations have commenced. The promoters hope to place the Project for public view and support in due course.
All along the way, the Prayer is that the dream of almost three decades should become a reality; for Sri Venkateswara Devasthanam in Auckland will not just be a place of Worship. The Temple Complex will comprise a host of facilities and services that will benefit the growing community and its multifarious needs. Central to this substantial investment-oriented Project would be service to humans and other kinds, ranging from Satsang, Special Prayers, Celebration of Hindu Festivals, a Centre for Meditation, Accommodation, Dining and Catering, a Community Centre for Weddings and other social gatherings and much more.