Shirdi replica to come up in America

“Shirdi Saibaba temple would be built very soon in New Jersey,” said, Shankarmanchi Raghu Sharma, founder president of Sai Datta Peetham, on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at Press Club in Somajiguda, he said “The new temple would be built in the area of 25 acres.There are lakhs of Saibaba temples across the world including in America. But this is the first time a temple would be built with all facilities like the one at Shirdi in Maharashtra.”

“The templewill be built in same measurements, structure and will have a Sai Samadhi Mandir, Dwaraka Maaye, Chaavadi, Lendi Gardens, Prasadalay, Hospital and an Education Centre.”

Sharma said that the construction of the temple will start with Bhoomi Pooja on Vijayadasami this year and would be completed in a phasedmanner by 2018. One of the directors of the temple, Jekki Ramana Reddy informed, “The Peetham will organise, Anna danam, Abhishekam, Archana, daily four times along with health camps. There are 250 volunteers serving in the Peetham.”

As part of the preparation, Sharma had travelled to 45 States in America over the past two years in a special bus to raise funds from devotees. The funds collected from each devotee were 11 dollars each and amounted upto rupees onelakh eleven thousand one hundred and eleven.