Michigan temple burnt to the ground

Below is a story that escaped not only my notice, but also that of Hindu Press International and the Hindu American Foundation. I found out about it only after browsing a news feed from the blog of Detroit-based political conservative commentator Debbie Schlussel.


Debris and a charred house next door were all that remained Tuesday from an Aug. 22 fire that destroyed the Bangladesh Hindu Cultural Center and Temple in Hamtramck. The cause of the fire was still undetermined. (RASHAUN RUCKER/Detroit Free Press)

Fire destroys Hindu temple; officials seek clues to its origin
No clues yet, says Hamtramck fire chief as members seek a new place to worship.

Members are still in shock and left scrambling for a place to worship after a fire burned the Bangladesh Hindu Temple to the ground.

A steady stream of worshipers flocked to the charred remains of the 3-year-old temple Wednesday afternoon. Only two walls remain after an all-night fire that struck as members prepared for a religious festival in September.

"It's more than a (temple)," said Utpal Dutta, 50, of Troy, who took his two children to the scene so they could understand the impact.

"It's a people gathering place. It's all the people coming together. I feel very sad. The people put so much effort into building this thing, and now it's down the drain."

Federal investigators said it may take more than a week to know what sparked the blaze that started about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and took eight hours to control. FBI and U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Department agents joined the probe.

"We don't have any clues yet," said Hamtramck Fire Chief James Szafarczyk. "I hope we can catch the person, and if it wasn't a person, what caused this. This could be just an accidental fire."

The blaze could be seen for blocks, said Maher Obeid, 18, who lives in the city. "It was really scary to see the flame in front of your eyes.

The Bangladesh Hindu Temple, which has a membership of about 200 people, was at Grayling near Lumpkin, about two doors down from the Holbrook Elementary School inside a former Ukrainian Democratic Club, Szafarczyk said.

Szafarczyk, temple members and others in the neighborhood said there have been no reported problems in the area.

Perhaps Michigan's most diverse community, Hamtramck is home to about 25 ethnic groups. Asian Indians make up about 5.5 percent of the city's 23,000 residents, according to census figures.

A $5,000 reward is being offered by the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee to anyone with information about the fire. People should call (313) 876-8777.

Hamtramck's City Council voted to allow the Bangladeshi al-Islah mosque to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer.

Sadly, this tragedy did not bring members together:

Social tensions in the congregation, which at one time had 100 families, also have taken their toll. A conflict among castes -- the hereditary social classes in Hinduism -- exploded into a major split shortly after the fire.

Disagreements about money and status also fueled the discord, and now the congregation has only 45 families, fewer than half of what it had before the fire.

- from Wanted: New place to worship.

Those who wish to help the Bangladesh Hindu Temple may send monetary contributions to:

Hamtramck Hindu Temple Donation Fund
c/o National City Bank
11300 Jos. Campau
Hamtramck, MI 48212

Categories: Hindu, Temples