Day 227: Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City, Shawnee, Kansas

📌APIA Every Day (227) - The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City (HTCC) was established in 1982 by a group of four Hindu and Jain families in the Kansas City area. Recognizing the need for a dedicated place of worship and cultural hub, these families began organizing to create the temple. The group then purchased 5 acres of land in Shawnee, Kansas, an area home to a significant Hindu population in the region. Ground was broken for the temple on October 27, 1985, and construction progressed over the next few years. The temple officially opened on May 22, 1988 after considerable fundraising and community effort.

The HTCC facility is a square building, with an entrance area for removing shoes before entering the main worship space. This carpeted worship area features a central aisle allowing devotees to approach the various Hindu deities and idols represented. The temple conducts religious services in 16 different languages and performs Hindu rituals both inside and outside the temple. Beyond the worship space, the HTCC also contains classrooms, a cafeteria, and a kitchen. The temple grounds feature religious artwork and sculptures, many of which were imported from India during the initial construction and subsequent expansions.

Over the decades, the HTCC has grown to become a significant location for the Hindu community in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It now receives over 600 visitors per week, with major festivals like Diwali drawing crowds exceeding 1,000 people. The temple's youth group has also been active in charitable initiatives, raising over $6,000 for Haiti earthquake relief efforts in 2010. In 2022, the HTCC completed a significant expansion project, adding a new 35-foot tall "rajagopuram" or royal tower to the east side of the temple grounds at a cost of over $1.1 million raised through donations. This project also included a new courtyard and additional decorative religious artwork.

LEARN MORE:

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City: Historical Perspective

Shawnee Dispatch: At Shawnee temple, Kansas City’s Hindus at home in their community

Johnson County Post: Shawnee Hindu Temple unveils eye-catching ‘royal tower’

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