Historical Perspective

How it all began? : By Swaran K. Jain

On one hot evening in July of 1982, we were discussing, among many things, the need to build our own temple where we could worship, share our cultural heritage with others and pass on our traditions to the future generation. As the interest in the idea grew, the discussion became more and more intense and enthusiasm for such a project became an overflowing desire. Someone said that a thousand-mile journey must begin with a single step. Our journey began at that instant. A dream was born. Then came a need for nourishment, a need to transform this dream into reality.

Four families, Abhay and Mina Bisarya, Swaran and Kusum Jain, Ashok and Alka Rattan, and Om and Sumitra Rattan met to take further steps. We needed to determine what it would take to build our own temple. Following this meeting, a series of events took place. Great pains were taken to develop and frame our constitution. Articles of Incorporation were prepared and submitted to the State of Kansas. We were happy to find that our temple would be recognized as a non-profit organization both by the State of Kansas and the Internal Revenue Service. This recognition was a giant leap forward towards our noble cause.

Now, more than ever, we needed the support of the Indian community as a whole. We needed some way of informing everyone of this noble cause. So, on August 26, 1982, the first Samachar Patrika was sent to everyone in our community announcing the need for everyone's help to make this project a wonderful reality. The first puja was held at Om and Sumitra Rattan's house on September 18, 1982 at 11:00A.M. The community’s response was simply overwhelming. We received cash donations totaling $6,594.00 and pledges for cash in the amount of $33,933.00.

The monumental response from the community propelled us directly toward our goal. What had started as the dream of a few people had now blossomed into the goal of an entire community. Now began the long and taxing search for a suitable site for which to build our temple. To ensure some sort of financial security for the purchase of the land, many fund raising dinners and functions were held. They were resounding successes.

Finally, on April 9, 1984, a five-acre tract of land located in an area close to at least eighty- percent of the Indian population of Kansas City, was purchased. This purchase was a milestone in the history of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City. Never before had we purchased anything of such magnitude. It was another step closer to this noble goal. Click here for more