DATE: Thursday, June 12, 1997               TAG: 9706120457

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LIZ SZABO, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   59 lines

NEW HINDU TEMPLE CELEBRATES CONSECRATION

The Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads celebrated one of the most colorful ceremonies in the weeklong consecration of its new temple Wednesday night.

Dressed in flame-colored saris trimmed with gold and brilliant spangles, 108 women and girls proceeded around the temple, carrying clay pots of water delicately balanced on their heads.

Little girls begged their mothers to be allowed to join the procession. Some girls showed off tiaras; others sported sparkling jewels on their foreheads.

The temple entrance was adorned with an intricately carved, silver-plated archway. Windows were decked with garlands of greenery and draped with long, dangling white flowers.

Women of the temple had created nine detailed mosaics - one for each of the nine planets - composed of colored rice, beans, lentils and wheat germ, displayed in front of the altar. Women also fashioned colorful sand paintings in front of a statue of a many-armed dancing god Shiva at the building entrance.

This week's celebration represents the culmination of more than a decade of work, said Ram Dahiya, temple chairman.

The region's first Hindu temple - which took six years to build - burned down in 1994. The Indian community has spent nearly three years raising funds to rebuild it. It is the only Hindu temple in Southeastern Virginia, and serves more than 500 families - about 2,000 people - from Williamsburg to North Carolina, he said.

Women had a special place in the ceremony, which honors the Hindu goddess Radha, the consort of the god Krishna and a symbol of self-sacrifice and devotion, said temple member Saileela Venkatesan.

Women traditionally have begun every cultural or religious event in India by delivering water, Venkatesan said. Until running water became widely available, women had to walk to a river or well and carry back fresh water on their heads.

``Without water, you can't do anything,'' Venkatesan said. ``You can't even cook. It used to be that women would carry one great pot on their heads, maybe another on one hip and a child on the other hip. Now we're all spoiled.''

After the procession, a Hindu swami spoke to an audience in the temple auditorium about religious teachings.

The temple is open to the public, and community members may visit at any time, said temple priest Acharya Ravindra Nagar.

Ceremonies will continue every evening this week. Temple deities will be installed Saturday. The dedication will conclude Sunday.

For more information, call the Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads at 382-7777. MEMO: Coming Sunday: Hindus and Buddhists are part of Chesapeake's

diverse religious community. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

STEVE EARLEY/The Virginian-Pilot

Over 100 women and girls balanced water jugs on their heads as they

circled the Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads in Chesapeake Wednesday.

The procession was just one of the many traditions observed in a

weeklong celebration of the temple's consecration.

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