Toronto's oldest Hindu temple is finally going to look like one

When Gauri Sharma first arrived in Toronto from India in 2004, she was eagerly searching for a Hindu temple to connect with members from her community.

She had her eyes set on one of the only temples open at the time, Hindu Prarthana Samaj. But like many others before and after her who found what resembleda Christian church she had a hard time locating it along its lot on Fern Avenue.

"Right now, you don't feel this is a temple, and that's what happened with me," said Sharma. "When I came, I just walked by."

According to the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, the Hindu Prarthana Samaj temple is the oldest in the city and one of the oldest in North America. Ithasservedthe Indian diasporain Toronto for around half a century. Decades after its inception, devotees say they're ecstatic to finally hear the temple will soon resemble those back home in India.

The project will cost$1.5 million, according to the temple's Facebook page, and will transform the exterior with high domes and refine the interior witha new prayer room, dining area and an elevator to make the facility more accessible.

Sharma says the temple has been essential to her integration into Canada and connecting withher mother culture. That's why she's taken her son, Dhruv, since he was four years old, so he could do the same.

"Even though we're so far away from India, I saw a way to really connect to the culture, really connect to the religion," Dhruvsaid. "I call itmy second home.I could go there any time and I could be praying or meditating, or evenpartaking in activities, [like] playing football."

Dhruv says hehopes the renovationsinspire new devotees and non-devotees to visit the temple.

"It's a community temple, right? No matter what your religion, no matter what your race, you're always welcome to come in and pray with us, enjoy with us, or mediate with us."

'Our dream is coming true'

As a temple devotee since 1986, Naresh Thakur first started out doing volunteer work in the kitchen. Now, as the general secretary, he says finally starting renovations after four years of planning, on top of the decades since the temple's establishment, has the community buzzing with excitement.

"This is the first temple they had they are emotionally, spiritually attached with this temple," said Thakur.

"Now, our dream is coming true."

The temple's location was the site for one of the earliest Presbyterian churches in the area, first named the Ruth Street Presbyterian Mission in 1886.After a series of name changes that coincided with the renaming of Ruth Street to Fern Avenue, it was named the Fern Avenue Church of Christ until it was bought by the Prarthana Samaj congregation officially in 1979.

Thakur says their congregation started even earlier than that, gathering in places throughout Toronto for prayer as one of the only groups at that time dedicated to practising the Hindu faith.

But itsreachhas grown so much wider since.

"When the temple was built, the devotees lived around it," said priest Shri Bhagvan Shastriin Hindi. "Now people are moving to the GTA, but their affection and devotion is still attached to the temple. Some people come from Pickering, Oshawa, Brampton, Scarborough and Mississauga."

Thakur says the renovations will take approximately eight to 10 months to complete.The temple is currently trying to get a loan to pay for the changes, and are fundraising through their community.

"This is your own temple," saidThakur. "I hope the community comes forward and helps us."