About us
The Manawatu Hindu Society (MHS) aims to build a Hindu temple and community centre in Palmerston North (Manawatu) based on the principles of Hinduism. The society aims to serve the cultural, social, spiritual, and religious needs of the local (Hindu) community. The Hindu temple and community centre will help promote and celebrate multiple aspects of the Hindu culture and religion by providing a communal area for people of all ages to meet, learn and enjoy.
The Hindu community in the Manawatu-Wanganui region has grown steadily over the past two decades. The number of people with Hindu affiliation in the region has increased from 912 in 2001 to 2,250* in 2018. For decades, there has been a desire for a Hindu community centre and place of worship locally in the region as currently, there is no practical option to host different cultural and religious events in the region. Whilst some events are being organised in Palmerston North, for any larger function the closest and suitable place is in Wellington which is 150 km away. In the absence of a local community centre, the Hindu community either completely misses out on the celebrations or the events need to be capped.
With the Hindu temple and community centre, MHS aim to cater to the needs of the local Hindu community - senior citizens, children and youth, refugees, new migrants, and many more. MHS would ensure that the local community is benefited by catering to their religious, social, cultural, and emotional needs and by fostering healthy relationships between different age groups.
* The actual number is likely to be higher as the census only records people who have chosen to fill the religious affiliation on their census form