SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, November 18, 2016 (Press Release by Swami Tattwamayananda): The original temple of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, which was dedicated by its builder, Swami Trigunatita, in January, 1906, as being “The first Hindu Temple in the Whole Western World”, was rededicated on October 29, 2016, the Holy Kali Puja day, after a two year period of strengthening and reconstruction. Formal worship was offered to Sri Ramakrishna, to the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, to Mother Kali in an image copied from a Belur Math image, and to Swami Vivekananda.
Swami Girishananda, the manager of Belur Math and a trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, was the chief guest, and Swami Devapriyananda did the puja assisted by Swami Aparananda as the Tantra-Dharaka. On the next day, Sunday, October 30, from 1 PM until approximately 6 PM, in the New Temple auditorium, a public celebration was held, starting with a 45 minute audio-visual PowerPoint presentation on the history and significance of the Old Temple, with many photographs of Swamis and events associated with its century-long history.