Shree Sanatan Mandir in Wembley opened
31st May 2010

The Shree Sanatan Mandir in Ealing Road, Wembley opened with a holy prayer and flourish on 31st May 2010. The new temple which stands at 66ft (20m) tall is a traditional construction of limestone, marble and wood, with each piece carefully slotted together without using metal. The building has been built using ancient techniques based on Hindu scriptures and covers 2.4 acres (9.7 sq m) on the busy Ealing Road in what is affectionately known as "little India" in North West London.

The temple has been built using methods that date back thousands of years, with each column inside taking three craftsmen seven years to complete. It has taken14 years to build the temple, which has cost around £16m and has run into controversies throughout its development. Many have questioned the carving of Mother Theresa on one of the columns, but Dr Raj Pandit Sharma of the Hindu Council UK said "that it represented the inclusive nature of the Hindu religion."

To view a video of the Shree Sanatan Mandir, visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10196332.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10198285.stm