Hindu temple opens: A slice of India in Berlin

To the sound of drums and cymbals, colourful blossoms are placed as sacred offerings and the sweet heady scent of incense hangs in the air - as people join the festivities in Berlin’s Neukölln neighbourhood. After taking a good 20 years to build, Sri Ganesha Temple in Hasenheide Park has finally been consecrated – the biggest Hindu temple in Germany and one of the biggest in Europe. Several thousand Hindus and interested visitors arrived to watch the five-day grand opening of the temple, perform rituals, admire the colourful craftsmanship of the Indian builders and enjoy the accompanying programme of music and traditional dance.

Among them is Viraj, a master’s degree student from Darmstadt, nearly 600 kilometres from Berlin. The young Indian and his friends drove all night to attend the temple’s consecration in Berlin on Sunday morning. This involved a Hindu priest being lifted by crane and hydraulic hoist to reach the top of the nearly 18 metre-high tower of the temple, which he anointed by pouring water from the Spree river in Berlin and from India’s most sacred river, the Ganges, over it. “It was amazing,” says Viraj. “We never thought we’d experience something like this in Germany. I feel blessed to be here today.”

Just a few metres away from the student, Anna - another visitor - is just ending a video call. “I was here once before when the temple was still just a building site,” explains the Austrian woman with blue-dyed hair. “And now I was determined not to miss the grand opening. I immediately called my father, who also has ties to India. Despite being so far apart, we were able to share the experience of the water being poured over the tower while the sun lit up the very top of the temple. It was really beautiful.”

Authentic rituals

Ram Kumar and his wife Akshaya are also very moved. Both agree that the multiday rituals have a very authentic feel. After coming to Germany from India as skilled professionals a few years ago, they say that Berlin now feels a bit more like home thanks to the temple. What the couple thinks is particularly positive is that people from all parts of India gather here to pray together in the temple. They are celebrating the climax of the temple consecration with friends from all over Berlin. “We have all been waiting for this moment for years,” says Ram Kumar excitedly. “It’s a really big deal.” 

So big, in fact, that Vilwanathan Krishnamurthy loses his voice on the small stage in front of the temple. Over the past few days, the 73-year-old initiator of the project has given one interview after another, coordinated some 400 volunteer helpers and, together with ten Hindu priests who came especially from India for the purpose, conducted complex multiday rituals. Now he’s a bit hoarse, but isn’t allowing that to spoil his good mood. Energetically, he shakes the hand of Indian Ambassador Ajit Vinayak Gupte and other dignitaries, giving a relaxed smile.

A temple open to everyone

As Vilwanathan Krishnamurthy explains, very many people have devoted time and money to the temple over the years. Today he wants to thank them all - especially Neukölln’s former mayor Heinz Buschkowsky, who agreed to the temple’s construction in 2005 and sent his warmest congratulations on the grand opening. The building work had been delayed by lengthy approval processes, material shortages and the fact that the entire temple was funded by donations. In recent years, however, the volume of donations has increased: the Indian community in Berlin has grown considerably and now has more than 40,000 members - most of them Hindus. As a result, the temple could finally be completed in the spirit of the god to whom it is dedicated: the elephant-headed god Ganesha stands for wisdom and new beginnings - and the successful removal of obstacles.

The temple is open to people of all beliefs. Anyone interested can visit the temple on any day during the opening hours.