ThomasPeterdavid: Starting new location and citations

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Starting new location and citations

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}
'''Shri Laxminarayan Temple, Bhawanipur, Kolkata''' is a [[Hindu]] [[Mandir]] located in [[South Kolkata]] at 42,Sarat Bose Road in [[Bhawanipore]] locality [[Kolkata]]. It was established in 1952 by [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] [[Vaishnav]] community of town. The temple houses deities of [[Lakshmi Narayana]], [[Rama]] - [[Sita]] - [[Lakshmana]] and [[Shiva Lingum]] in main [[Garbhagriha]]. Also there are idols of [[Hanumanji]], [[Ganesha]] in side panel.<ref name=a>{{cite news |title=লক্ষ্মী-নারায়ণ মন্দিরে গিয়ে আরতি মমতার |url=https://bangla.asianetnews.com/video/kolkata/mamata-banerjee-visit-lakshmi-narayan-temple-at-bhawanipur-during-by-election-campaign-2021-pnb-qzj7v0 |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd |language=bn}}</ref><ref name=b>{{cite news |title=CM Mamata offers prayers at Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Bhabanipur |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/cm-mamata-offers-prayers-laxmi-165920958.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMxFqaNU2UixmAb5SgEYPqbb4V3UeKzWVdJNv-5D7uKs2MtVxrOOLCRP5bohi8yVMel7Vr01bvmH8DxM0uOXomUxPy6h6T4AGB-OumRFqCdPAPl1vEYjWMeOWobeests73_plqdTRv5DBTjBqqhLFoq86j06DGYLfNfOiMEtwvQN |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=Yahoo News |date=16 September 2021 |language=en-SG}}</ref><ref name=m>{{cite news |title=Bengal: Mamata Banerjee campaigns in poll-bound Bhabanipur, visits temple {{!}} Indiablooms - First Portal on Digital News Management |url=https://www.indiablooms.com/photos-details/N/7108/bengal-mamata-banerjee-campaigns-in-poll-bound-bhabanipur-visits-temple.html |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=Indiablooms.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=au>{{cite news |title=मस्जिद के बाद दीदी की मंदिर में दस्तक: गैर बंगालियों के बीच कहा- हिंदुस्तान को तालिबान नहीं बनने देंगे |url=https://www.amarujala.com/india-news/knock-in-the-temple-after-the-mosque-didi-reached-the-door-of-lord-laxminarayan-with-the-wish-of-victory |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}</ref>

The temple complex also houses [[Dharamshala (type of building)|Dharamshala]] offering budget lodging facilities and also has large hall, which they offer at rent for functions like social meeting, marriage and religious discourse and ceremonies for the members of Gujarati community. It is managed by a non-profit charitable trust founded by [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] diaspora of town.<ref name=rpj/><ref name=kp/>

In 1950 the Gujarati Vaishnav community had organized a [[Bhagavata Purana]] discoursed by [[Dongre Maharaj]] at Bhawanipur Calcutta in Netaji Subhas Udhyan. During which a lot of funds got collected as way of voluntary donation from Gujarati Vaishnav community living in city.<ref name=rpj/> The people wanted that funds should be used for religious purpose only.<ref name=rpj/> [[Chhaganlal Karamshi Parekh]], a noted social worker from Gujarati community popularly known as Chhagan Bapa, who at that time lived in Calcutta, suggested that a temple be built from these money.<ref name=rpj/> He took leading role and further initiative to collect more funds and to lay the foundation of trust and also to buy land for temple.<ref name=rpj/>

In later years Gujarati people donated more money to build the Dharamshala and community hall.<ref name=rpj/> This complex built within the temple campus was founded in 1978 and was named in memory of Chhagan Bapa, as ''Chhagan Bapa Athithi Gruh''<ref name=rpj> Natwarlal Devram Jethwa (1998) Diary of Golden Days at Jharia – A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia. Raja Pawan Jethwa (ed.). Calcutta. Lifesketch - ShriChhaganlal Karamshi Parekh (1894-1968) page.28</ref>

In same year in 1978, [[Sudhindra Thirtha (Kashi Math)|Shrimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji]] camped in Lakshmi Narayan Temple Guest House and organised discourse, thus bringing together South Indians living in Calcutta to come together to bring an association for themselves<ref name=c>{{cite book |last1=Nair |first1=P. Thankappan |title=South Indians in Kolkata: History of Kannadigas, Konkanis, Malayalees, Tamilians, Telugus, South Indian Dishes, and Tippoo Sultan's Heirs in Calcutta |date=2004 |publisher=Punthi Pustak |isbn=978-81-86791-50-9 |pages=98, 103 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=swNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Lakshmi+Narayan+ |access-date=17 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=rpj/> Ever since many religious discourse have been held here and many saints have visited the temple.<ref name=rpj/>

The Gujarati community also takes out a procession from Laxmi Narayan Temple to [[Jalaram Temple, Haridevpur|Jalaram Temple]] at [[Haridevpur]] on occasion of [[birthday|janam-jayanti]] celebration of Shri [[Jalaram Bapa]], a revered saint of Gujarat.<ref name=kp>{{cite news |title=Kolkata Police: Press Release |url=https://archive.today/20120805055041/http://www.kolkatapolice.gov.in/showNewsDetails.asp?ID=5739 |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=archive.ph |date=5 August 2012}}</ref>

During elections temple is popular place to hold election rally to address Gujarati people who have significant population in Bhawanipur area of Kolkata.<ref name=m/><ref name=au/>

Gujarati community association of town organize their traditional [[Dandiya Raas]] an [[Garba (dance)|Garba]] every year in [[Navratri]], which they started in late 1950s. It is held in the temple community hall keeping alive their tradition.<ref>{{cite news |title=Innovation with tradition: Kolkata's expansive Garba culture |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/events/innovation-with-tradition-kolkatas-expansive-garba-culture/cid/1973781 |access-date=17 December 2023 |newspaper=The Telegraph | location= India}}</ref> Also every year on eve of [[Balipratipada|Hindu New Year]] the community assembles to greet each other on new year.

The complex also houses a canteen, which serves purely vegetarian [[Gujarati cuisine]] only.<ref name=rpj/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Hindu temples in Kolkata]]
[[Category:1952 establishments in India]]

Shri Laxminarayan Temple, Kolkata - Revision history

ThomasPeterdavid: Starting new location and citations