This is a common argument in every one's mind. When there are hundreds of poor Temples needing renovation, why should we spend Crores of rupees to build mansions? Yes, unless we develop a research and training facility for teachers and preachers, develop hundreds of small schools to educate the public of the theories of the principles of Hindu Dharma through the schools, people won't be aware of participating in the services and help in the long term maintenance of these small temples. Even though, in the poor villages, it may look important to feed the poor and cloth them and renovate the old temples, we need to assure that once renovated, these temples will have enough community support to improve and maintain them for all time in the future. Blind rituals by poor men alone will not build and maintain Temples. It is better to teach a skill and art to make a living, than to spend the money to feed him for one day. This is like the State budget allocations, though there are millions of poor to be fed, still they need to allot priorities to development of schools and factories and also for Army for our defense. While it is important to rebuild, improve and maintain many Hindu Temples, it is equally important to strengthen the base of devotees to support the temple, improve the knowledge to utilize such facilities and, more important, protect and defend the fortress of our Dharma like spending on the Military.

II. What is the main purpose of the Main Complex Construction Plan?

This is to develop one comprehensive master plan to have a magnificent building complex as a world center for Hindu Dharma under the leadership of our Dharma Acharyas. It will house the main Religious activities center and housing areas as well as facilities for visitors from around the world coming for higher learning and annual symposium and conventions on Hindu Dharma. This will be equal in glory to any other well known world religious headquarters, housing all aspects for the preservation and propagation of our Hindu Dharma. There will be center for Museum to preserve and display ancient Hindu Texts and other important artifacts. It will be a showcase for the principles of Sankara's teachings as well as for other schools of thoughts, teaching all aspects of Vedas, Agamas, Puranas, Upavedas and Rituals of our traditions. There will also be place for cultural trainings and other social activities including big halls for weddings and other traditional rituals.

In addition to continue and preserve the ancient traditions of Hindu Dharma and the Ritualistic practice, there are many new and innovative things that need to be done. In this age of digital technology and Information Highway, we need to take advantage of technological skills of the Hindu community in the research, preservation and the propagation of the message of our ancient seers. First, a research center, library and museum in the University can help bring in all our ancient Hindu Vedas, Agamas and Puranas to be preserved, studied and proper meaning and explanations published. The material need to be published and made available in Digital formats in CDs, DVDs with video presentations in conference halls. This way, we will be able to develop authentic translations of our Holy texts by our own scholars.

Ancient stories of Puranas and Ithihasas can be presented through short stage plays, cartoon shows and dance dramas. Special educational programs can develop and teach cartoon making techniques and produce these stories and messages of Hindu Dharma by modern technology through Clay-mation, Computer-graphics and other means. Students can be encourages to write new stories, written based on ancient mythological characters, like the way Harry potters and Star wars are written. Thus our youngsters need not look to western mythology for stories of entertainment as an alternate to repeatedly reading our own old stories. This will also create new employment oriented education to the students of the Hindu University. A good Radio-TV station with Cable and Satellite transmission will be ideally, are to be developed soon. The Hindu web sites also can be improved to add lessons on Dharma and Live and recorded video programs to be viewed.

No, we are not at all planning this. It is important to reach the poor to keep them in the faith and encourage them to learn all aspects of the Dharma. But, it is the upper middle class and upper class that will have the funds to contribute for the development and maintenance of Temples and schools. They are moving away from the mainline Hindu Dharma, not showing much interest in the traditional practice of our Dharma and some going away into small sectarian groups. The middle class and the poor will be the beneficiary.