The Hindu Shankarar Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple (Hinduistische Gemeinde in Deutschland,K.d.ö.R.),Hamm , Germany
Our holy and divine Temple, the Hindu Shankarar Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple is located in the North Rhine Westphalian city of Hamm, since its completion and inauguration on 7 July 2002, it is currently reputed to be the largest Dravida Hindu Temple built in mainland Europe.
During the Sri Kamadchi Ampal’s annual Temple Festival, where as part of the temple procession , the statue of our beloved divine holy Goddess Kamadchi Ampal is decorated and seated on the Temple Chariot and is carried surrounding the Temple grounds and at the same time, She, divinely and auspiciously blesses the city of Hamm and its residents and people living in it. During the Temple Festival period , it is estimated, circa > 25,000 devotees, local and foreign visitors from around the world visit the Temple and receive our beloved Goddess Sri Kamadchi Ampal’s divine and auspicious „Dharshans“ or „Blessings“. The Hindu community of NRW, consists circa more than 5000 people, it is estimated that about 60,000 Tamil Hindus, in total, live in Germany .
Approximately 1.7 m € (million euros) had been required to build this Temple, which had been funded solely by donations and loans. The Temple building was designed by Hammer architect Heinz -Rainer Eichhorst , which strictly conforms and follows the presentation and style of the Kamakshi Temple as that built in Kanchipuram, South India.
The laying the foundation stone of the building with a footprint of 27 x 27 m ( 729 m²) , took place on March 2000. For the construction , especially for the numerous sculptures and ornaments, several temple sculptors, masons and builders were employed from India. Viewed from outside the Temple, the building shape , red and white vertical stripes on the walls , the impressive portal of the Gopuram (Temple Tower) is 17 m high.
The Temple is the abode the goddess Kamadchi ( ” Sri Kamadchi Ampal ” : Sanskrit: kama – Akshi ; Sri = respectful salutation , Ampal = goddess Kamadchi = derivation from the Sanskrit name कामाक्षी , Kāmākṣī , Kamakshi ), which ” reads the wishes of the eyes ” or ” with the eyes of love “, dedicated .
Overall, the construction decorate not only the great granite statue of the eponymous goddess , but also more than 200 figures of deities .
„You“ as „temple devotees“ or as „interested visitors“, are all cordially and respectfully invited at any time to visit the holy abode of our beloved and divine goddess Sri Kamadchi Ampal’s Temple at Hamm, Germany.