Vision

Our Vision:

To construct Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple and a cultural center in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Background:

A significant number of Kashmiri Pandits have established their roots in the USA especially in the West coast and the proposed temple and cultural center will serve the religious and cultural needs of our local community. The proposed temple, dedicated to Mata Kheer Bhawani, our Kuldevi, along with the cultural center, will be crucial in preserving our heritage while living far from Kashmir. For many, it will provide continuity to the fond memories while growing up in Kashmir; and serve as a perfect gift to our next generations, inspiring them, instilling a sense of pride & identity and motivating them to maintain their ties with our ancient civilization. This center will be a hub for local community activities, keeping us closely bonded together. It will also meet the religious and cultural needs of the Kashmiri Pandit community across the USA, as it will be the first and only facility of its kind in the country.

Furthermore, the center will serve as a place of worship and learning for the broader Hindu community, who have long revered Goddess Sharda from Kashmir as a symbol of knowledge, as reflected in the widely recited shloka across the Indian subcontinent

नमस्ते शारदे देवी काश्मीरपुरवासिनि त्वामहं प्रार्थये नित्यं विद्यादानं च देहि मे ॥

Salutations to Devi Sharada, who resides in the abode of Kashmira, To You, O Devi, I always pray (for Knowledge); Please bestow on me the gift of Knowledge

Stretch Goal:

While the central theme of the project is to recreate the Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple of Kashmir, the long term plan also includes constructing a community center for events and cultural programs, a library & museum to preserve our history, memorial to honor our fallen heroes, temple extensions dedicated to other deities and historical temples from Kashmir, such as Shankaracharya & Hari Parbat and a retreat center.