Hindu Temple In Tooting is Faces Demolition in UNITED KINGDOM

Source: www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk
Monday,May 31,2010

UNITED KINGDOM : The only Hindu Temple (a district of South London) is facing demolition as developers plan to move in and replace the holy site with a hotel and student accommodation. The Sivayogam Muthumariyamman Temple may be forced to close after the religious leaders’ bid to buy the building was rejected. Money owed to the landlord after a tenancy disagreement is thought to be main reason behind the rejection.

Navenbram Seevarapnam, founder and spiritual leader of the temple, said: “This will cause a lot of pain and misery for the whole community. Unfortunately this development is now in the hands of [other] people. “I feel we are being forced out. We have no other place to go. It is not easy to move a temple, it is something that once founded should remain in its location forever.” The temple is estimated to receive 300 people a day, with worshippers travelling from all across Europe - as well as India and Sri Lanka. It has been at its current location for 14 years and on special religious days can see the number of visitors rise into the thousands.

Barrowfen Properties, who are both the current landlords and developers, plan to build a 76 bedroom hotel, student accommodation in the form of 11 flats and commercial floorspace at ground level. Mr. Seevarapnam said he and a charitable trust that support the temple had tried to purchase the building, were rejected.