A Bedroom Temple Invites Fifty Thousand People

Faith Mysticism

-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 15:19

Dhirajlal Karia, 68, and wife Sushila, 57, have visitors flocking their home in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex to visit their bedroom turned temple.

The Karias built the shrine as they had to travel 45 minutes to the nearest place of worship. Hence their spare bedroom was turned into shrine 29 years ago when they moved in here. What first started as a worship room where the family of four, their son and daughter as well offered their worship emerged into a shrine when they brought in 17 marble deities from India.

The inauguration of the temple involved thirteen days with priests carrying the idols to the sea and bathing them, of which a story appeared in an Indian magazine. This caused to popularize the temple with people flocking in for worship. The couple claim that they've had more than 50,000 visitors since then from places like Manchester, Leicester, London and all over England, India and Nepal as well. The visitors claimed that the place was more personal to offer their worship.

All Hindu rituals and festivals are being observed in the temple and carries out blessings for birth, weddings and death as well. The Karias also claim that a lot of people make wishes in their home temple which have come true and is a continuing feature. The Karias are now claiming funds to start a community centre and temple. Mr. Karia said: 'We are not young any more. We might not be here for long, and the temple would not continue here without us. It would be good if we could leave something behind.'