It’s a special week for the province’s Hindu community.

It was this week 30 years ago that the first Hindu temple was consecrated in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Temple Chair Jai Ragunathan says the temple has been serving as a gathering place inside the community, not only for spiritual events, but as the glue that holds the Hindu community together.

He says they’ve also been working with newcomers to make them feel welcome.

“It’s always a struggle initially. A lot of students who come here and a lot of new families come here don’t have transportation until they get settled away,” he told VOCM News.

“So within the community, a lot of the seniors give them a ride to bring them to the Hindu temple, and we slowly integrate them in terms of the worship, leading the prayers, their children come to the Bala Vihar school.”