When Christchurch resident Sandheep Ananth Kumar realised there was no Hindu temple in his city, he made a promise to create one, beginning with a small shrine in his front yard in Yaldhurst.

What started as a personal vow has since evolved into a vision for the South Island’s largest Hindu temple.

Kumar recalls the origins of the idea vividly: “My wife had just come out of labour, and as she woke up, I told her, ‘I made a promise. I made a prayer.’ When she asked what it was, I said, ‘We’re going to build a temple.’ She was shocked.”

In the meantime, their makeshift temple has become a place for the community to gather and practice their faith.

Temple trustee Reshma Shetty explained the significance of the space, saying, “We did our Aarti, a group prayer offering to God. The Ganesh idol here is dressed daily, though in India we would decorate it with fresh flowers. Here, we do as much as we can to honour these traditions.”

The mini temple fills with the warm scent of incense each day, creating a welcoming atmosphere for worshippers.

While modest, the space symbolises a much larger goal: the creation of a full-scale Hindu temple, with traditional Indian Hindu architecture, set to be built on land already purchased in Templeton.

“This will be the largest Hindu temple in the South Island, and it’s the first in New Zealand to have this style of architecture,” said Kumar. He and his wife, Pavithra Maduram Ravi, have been deeply moved by the support they have received from both the local community and the Christchurch City Council.

“It’s a special journey, and we’ve been incredibly grateful for the support,” said Ravi. “The community has been massively supportive, and the council has also backed us.”

If all goes to plan, the first phase of construction could be completed by mid-next year, transforming their vision into reality and giving Christchurch a permanent Hindu temple that will serve the community for generations.