Introduction
Sri Ganesha Temple was built to provide a place for cultural, educational, and spiritual activities related to Hinduism, to promote inter religious, social, and cultural understanding, and to support humanitarian causes. As some of the new immigrants to Nashville realized that they were not returning to mother India, they began to think about the need for a strong religious and cultural center that would promote our rich heritage, and expose our children to Hindu Culture. These immigrants had several informal meetings between 1978 and 1979, and ultimately formed a committee in 1980. "Hindu Cultural Center of Tennessee" was chosen by the majority, and it was incorporated in October 1980 in the state of Tennessee. The committee felt that the Hindu Cultural Center of Tennessee would provide a solid structural foundation for a temple and cultural organization. In the beginning, major religious functions and festivals were celebrated in individual devotee homes. As the number of participants increased between 1982 and 1985, the First Unitarian Universalist Church at 1808 Woodmont Blvd provided a place for worship, enabling devotees to hold biweekly prayer meetings every other Sunday afternoon. Thirteen acres of land with a gentle sloping hill and a magnificent view were purchased in Bellevue in July 1982. Bhoomi Pooja was performed on Ganesha Chaturthi day, August 22, 1982. Several hundred people attended the ground-breaking ceremony on this momentous and auspicious day. Again on a Ganesha Chaturthi day in 1984, the construction for the first phase of the temple began. Sri Ganesha Temple was officially opened on April 14, 1985 with Sri MuthuKrishna Gurukkal as our first priest. As the number of devotees gradually increased, the need for a bigger temple was planned. We were fortunate to have the eminent temple architect Sri Muthiah Sthapathi visit Nashville, and have our plans to build Sri Ganesha temple discussed with him.
