ISKCON Scarborough launches $5 million campaign for a permanent temple after Radhashtami opening

The Toronto-area temple says it has raised about $600,000 so far, roughly 12 percent of its goal.

SCARBOROUGH, Ontario — ISKCON Scarborough is seeking to raise $5 million to build a permanent home for its deities, according to the temple’s website. The appeal follows the grand opening of its new temple at 1610 Midland Avenue on Radhashtami.

The campaign, called the New Temple Project, has raised about $600,000, or 12 percent of the target, the website shows. The temple has not published a timeline or a completion date. It accepts one-time and monthly donations online.

The campaign follows the temple’s grand opening on Friday, 18 September, which coincided with Radhashtami, the appearance day of Srimati Radharani. According to the temple’s events listing, the program included kirtan, a maha-abhishek (a ceremonial bathing of the deities), arati, speeches by invited guests and a prasadam dinner. ISKCON Scarborough posted photos of the celebration on its Facebook page the next day.

The new temple houses Sri Sri Radha-Gopivallabha, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Lakshmi-Narasimha and a murti of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s founder-acharya.

Fundraising continues tonight. On Saturday, 26 September, at 6 p.m., the temple will hold a “Musical Ramayan” evening: a musical narration of the Ramayana with storytelling, devotional music and Carnatic vocals. Tickets cost $200 and include a vegetarian dinner, souvenirs and a tax receipt.

The temple’s current schedule lists a Sunday program from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with darshan from noon. It also runs the Murari Bhakti School for children aged 5 to 15.

More information and donation details are at iskconscarborough.org.