GRANGER, IOWA, July 8, 2001: Hindu leaders say a $3 million temple and cultural center being built three miles north of Granger will be the first Hindu temple in the state. “This is good for the community,” said Rajesh Kumar, vice-president of the Indo-American Association of Iowa. “They want to worship and it will be good for them to get a place for themselves.” Hundreds of Hindu families have been in Iowa for more than 10 years without a place to worship, he said. Construction on the $1.5 million temple will start this fall and is expected to be completed by next spring. The temple could seat 280 and would be open seven days a week to non-Hindus and Hindus alike. Kumar said more than 1,000 Indian families live in Iowa. About 95 percent of them are Hindu. The late Prem Sahai, a Webster City physician, donated land for the temple. His son, Subhash Sahai, said it was his father’s idea to build the worship center, but he wanted the project to be a community effort.
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