EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, April 6, 2015 (Edinburgh STV): Over 1,300 people joined for a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre, the first of its kind in Edinburgh. While the St. Andrew Place building has been used over the last 32 years by the local Hindu community, the official launch marks the instatement of a full-time priest. To coincide with the event, a hand-carved wooden throne and statues of Gods and Goddesses made from white marble and then hand painted were shipped from North India.
Photographer Hermann Rodrigues has been documenting the connections between Scotland and India for the last 20 years. He is also a volunteer at the temple and says the opening marks an exciting chapter in the life of Edinburgh’s Hindu community. The Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre will be used to host classes for children in music, language, dance and bhakti yoga as well as cultural performances and events by visiting artists. “With the community growing there was a big need for a center which nurtures the spiritual and cultural needs of the Hindus in and around Edinburgh,” Hermann said.
Photos at source.