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Parashakthi Temple

Pontiac, Michigan, USA

VerifiedDocumented + legend

Also known as: Eternal Mother Temple

Deities
Karumariamman (Durga), Murugan, Hanuman, Jagannatha (Krishna)
Traditions
shakta, shaiva, vaishnava
Worship status
active
Address
551 W Kennett Rd, Pontiac, MI 48340.
Coordinates
42.6639, -83.321
Darshan hours
Varies by season; consult the temple's own website for the current daily schedule before visiting.
Best time to visit
Around Vijayadasami (Dussehra), which coincides with the temple's own founding/inauguration anniversary.
How to reach
On a 16-acre site in Pontiac, Michigan, in the Detroit metropolitan area; reachable by car.

Location

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Founded by Dr. Krishna Kumar, who has described receiving a directive from the goddess Parashakthi to build a temple in her honor, the Parashakthi Temple (also known as the Eternal Mother Temple) broke ground in 1998 on a 16-acre site in Pontiac, Michigan, in the Detroit metropolitan area, and was inaugurated in 1999 to coincide with Vijayadasami. Built in traditional South Indian granite style with a 54-foot gopuram, the roughly 10,000-square-foot complex is centered on Karumariamman, a South Indian village form of the Goddess, with additional shrines to Muruga, Hanuman and Jagannatha, making it one of the more prominent Shakta-tradition temples serving the Midwest’s Hindu community. The temple drew national attention on April 21, 2018, when an ember from a memorial firebox sparked a major fire; roughly 30 people inside were safely evacuated.

Sources

  • historical record: Wave 2 re-verification: address confirmed and coordinates fine-tuned via two independent geocoders (Komoot Photon and OpenStreetMap/Nominatim), both identifying the temple (listed under its alt name 'The Eternal Mother Temple' by Photon) at 551 West Kennett Road, Pontiac, MI 48340 (42.6639081, -83.3209668) -- within about 60 meters of this entry's pre-existing coordinates, confirming them as accurate.
  • historical record: Wikipedia article 'Parashakthi Temple': founded by Dr. Krishna Kumar, who described receiving a directive to build the temple in honor of the goddess Parashakthi; construction began in 1998 and the temple was inaugurated in 1999, coinciding with Vijayadasami; it sits on a 16-acre site with a roughly 10,000-square-foot building including a worship area, offices and multipurpose dining hall, built in traditional South Indian granite style with a 54-foot gopuram; the primary deity is Karumariamman (a South Indian form of the goddess), with additional shrines to Muruga, Hanuman and Jagannatha; a fire caused by an ember from a memorial firebox occurred April 21, 2018, with about 30 people safely evacuated.

For review

  • The temple's own founding narrative (a divine directive received by founder Dr. Krishna Kumar) is presented here as reported oral/community tradition, not verified historical fact; the construction and inauguration dates (1998/1999) and physical description are independently documented.