Women with Kalash on the opening Day - Sunday May 8th,2011

As great things often do, it began with one person’s dream. “I wanted to create not simply a temple, but a centre for Hindu culture,” said Surender Shastri, a popular Hindu priest in the Greater Toronto Area. Today, after eight years, Shastri’s vision became a reality with the grand opening of the Hindu Heritage Centre at 6300 Mississauga Rd. in Mississauga.  Right up to the day before the opening ceremonies, volunteers were working to finish the building, including the crane operators who placed the final golden dome on the roof, and the men who installed the final 1,000-kilogram carved marble deity to join the other deities already inside the temple.
Within the beautiful salmon-coloured structure, behind the white pillars, there is a library, banquet hall, a classroom and meeting rooms. “So many people in the Hindu community have donated their money and time to make this a reality,” said Shastri. “None of this would have been possible without them.”
Out of Shastri’s hearing, his long-time friend and one of the centre’s co-founders, Dr. Shachi Rattan added: “He won’t tell you this, but Surender has given everything to make this happen. He even mortgaged his own house.”
It is a case of “if you build it, they will come.” The centre has already begun operations, with more than 500 people attending worship services every Tuesday and Sunday. Daily meditations and scripture teachings are also offered, as are classes in Indian languages, Indian music and dance, Hindu culture, yoga, and social programs for seniors. There are approximately 50,000 Hindus in Mississauga, and about a half-million in the GTA.
“But anyone is welcome at the centre,” Shastri said, “not only Hindu. We are all one family, regardless of faith.”
More than a thousand people attended the inaugural celebrations, including representatives from every level of Canadian government, and Preeti Saran, the Consul General of India in Toronto . “This centre will help sustain and promote Indian values, culture, and heritage which have contributed so much to this country,” Saran said.
Mayor Hazel McCallion began her speech with a few words in Hindi, much to the delight of the crowd.
“What an impact the Hindu community has had on our community,” she said. “Truth, honesty, non-violence, perseverance and piousness. “Just imagine what a wonderful world this would be if we all adopted these Hindu beliefs. This building stands as a symbol of the vision and determination of the Hindu people. Congratulations to those who had the vision and the dream.”

Courtesy : Missisauga.com

Welcome of dignitaries

Consulate General of India – Ms. Preeti Saran with Sawamiji

Some of the distinguished guests

A large number of people turned out on this occasion

Premier Dalton McGuinty's Visit to Hindu Heritage Centre

Premier joins Hindu celebration

Centre opens. Premier Dalton McGuinty had a sneak preview of the Hindu Heritage Centre in Streetsville this evening. The new centre, a place of culture, learning and worship, will officially open Sunday. Here, Acharya Surender Sharma Shastri Ji welcomes McGuinty along with Mississauga Streetsville MPP Bob Delaney.

Honourable Premier Dalton McGuinty visits HHC

Premier Dalton McGuinty was among the guests tonight when three days of celebration began to commemorate the opening of the new Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga. The centre, located at 6300 Mississauga Rd. in a 25,000-sq.-ft. complex on 2.4 acres of land, will serve a quarter of a million Hindus living in the Greater Toronto Area. It will provide religious services, language training in Hindi and Sanskrit, classical dance lessons and yoga, among other things. It will also host specific programs for youth and seniors.
McGuinty was on hand tonight for a Pran Prathistha ceremony. Swami Gopal Sharan Devacharya of India was also expected to take part. On Sunday, the entire community will celebrate the opening at an official opening of the centre. Mayor Hazel McCallion, local councillors, MPs and MPPs. will attend

Source: Mississauga.com

Premier joins Hindu celebration of Hindu Heritage Centre openingMay 6, 2011Vaishakh Shukla Trutiya, Kaliyug Varsha 5113

Ontario (Canada): Premier Dalton McGuinty was among the guests tonight when three days of celebration began to commemorate the opening of the new Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga.
The centre, located at 6300 Mississauga Rd. in a 25,000-sq.-ft. complex on 2.4 acres of land, will serve a quarter of a million Hindus living in the Greater Toronto Area. It will provide religious services, language training in Hindi and Sanskrit, classical dance lessons and yoga, among other things. It will also host specific programs for youth and seniors.
McGuinty was on hand tonight for a Pran Prathistha ceremony. Swami Gopal Sharan Devacharya of India was also expected to take part.
On Sunday, the entire community will celebrate the opening at an official opening of the centre. Mayor Hazel McCallion, local councillors, MPs and MPPs. will attend
That event begins at 11:30 a.m.

Source: Mississauga.com

New Hindu Heritage Centre to formally open doors

Wednesday May 4 2011 By SUNIL RAO The Hindu Heritage Centre, a newly constructed 25,000 square feet complex in Mississauga (6300 Mississauga Road), formally opens its doors this week.The deity installation of Shri Hanuman, to be witnessed by Premier Dalton McGuinty, happens this evening (May 5), while the official inauguration has been slated for Saturday, May 8, with Mayor Hazel McCallion and Indian Counsel General Preeti Saran to be in attendance.Acharya Surinder Sharma Shastri said the facility would offer opportunities to the approximately 250,000 Hindus of the Greater Toronto Area to access a range of activities and services: the learning of devotional music, Hindi and Sanskrit language, classical dance, yoga, scripture and religious studies, etc.

June 5,2011

As part of the ongoing celebrations and opening ceremonies from May 5th to May 8th, 2011 Honourable Premier Dalton McGuinty along with minister of Immigration and Citizenship Dr. Eric Hoskins, minister of Labour Mr. Charles Sousa and Mr. Bob Delaney, MPP Mississauga Streetsville visited Hindu Heritage Centre on May 5th,2011. In his simple message to the devotees, Premier said that as the Vedas say ‘Whole world is a family’, We in Ontario are a 13 million strong family of all faiths and religions. We all have a common responsibility first as a good citizen and respect to each other and make Ontario the best place to live in the world. Premier also commended the efforts of Hindu Heritage Centre in teaching young children our traditional values and enthusiastically mingled with kids of all ages during his visit.