SeattleChange
The establishment of the society, founding of the original Hindu Mandir, and building of the new Mandir in Maple Grove was such an endeavor, living as a seed of hope in the hearts of the community members for many years, slowly growing stronger and more beautiful over time. The society really blossomed over a period of time and celebrated its Silver Jubilee in February 2004.
The early 1970s, Hindu families in Minnesota sought a place of worship where they could connect with one another, where their children could learn about religion and culture, and their identities, as Hindus, could be preserved. Lacking a formal location for conducting such activities, several families began to meet on a weekly basis in each others' homes, where they would study the Gita, conduct puja and celebrate holy festivals. This tradition continued through the years, and a close bond of friendship materialized amongst these Hindu families who came together to honor their faith on regular basis.
By the late 1970s, an innovative idea was envisaged: the establishment of a formal society whose purpose would be to celebrate the richness of the Hindu faith and to preserve the age old Hindu customs and traditions within Minnesota's Hindu community. From this concept, the Hindu Society of Minnesota (HSMN) was born and was established as a non-profit organization within the state of Minnesota in 1978. The first Constitution & Bylaws of the society were drafted by Dr. Krishna Saxena, Dr. Shashikant Sane, Dr. V. Premanand and Dr. Surender Chaudhary. At that time Dr. Saxena was elected as the President, Dr.Sane as the Secretary and Dr. Chaudhary as the Treasurer of the Executive Committee.
A century-old church in northeast section of Minneapolis was identified as the potential location for a formal place of worship for the members of the society. On February 2, 1979, a purchase agreement was signed to legally make 1835 Polk Street NE a property of the Hindu Society of Minnesota. Three couples namely Shanti & P.C. Mangalick, Kumud & Shashikant Sane and Kusum & Krishna Saxena initially contributed $5,000 apiece to meet $15,000 down payment for the purchase of the property. The antiquated church became the Hindu Society of Minnesota's new Hindu Mandir.
On February 17, 1979, first formal Hindu prayers and services were performed in the Hindu Mandir in the presence of ten families. Framed pictures of Sri Ram Parivar, Sri Krishna, Sri Ganesh, Sri Saraswati Sri Laxmi and Sri Mahadev adorned the main dais as the society inaugurated this new temple.