ATTRACTION CARRUM DOWNS

The Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple at Carrum Downs is a culmination of years of planning by the Hindu Society of Victoria, a skilled team of Indian artisans and an army of volunteers. The temple combines classical Hindu traditions with construction practices in Australia. Recently the Society has completed another ambitious project in completing the construction of a multi-million dollar Cultural Centre and has made it open to Victorian Community on May 5, 2012. There are 32 deities worshipped in the temple from various Hindu traditions. Worship is based on elaborate rituals with deep meaning. All the rituals have but one aim: symbolically awakening the spirituality in the devotee. Colourful festivals from different traditions of Hinduism are celebrated here. They include Holi, Deepavali and the New Year. As well as maintaining the tradition, the society contributes to the spiritual development of young children through a good library and regular classes on Hinduism. A Cafeteria serving vegetarian snacks, food and drinks is open in the Cultural Centre on all days and provides food and snack services to all visitors got the temple as well as the Cultural Centre. The Cultural Centre in addition to hosting this Cafeteria with Industrial Kitchen with hundreds of volunteers also has a large community hall, two rooms for community functions such as Weddings, annual music concerts and other events. It also supports a large religious library with two class rooms for Hindu religious school run as part of the Hindu community service. Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world. It dates back more than 6000 years when Hindu philosophies and a way of worship for Divine realisation were propounded in India. Hindu temples are usually majestic structures with ornamental spires soaring into sky at the main entrances, and elaborately decorated halls.