Friday, May 6, 2011

Grand Opening of Second Phase of Nation's most expensive & largest San Jose Gurdwara Sunday April 10.

San Jose: Expanded Sikh temple, largest in nation, open to the public this weekend



The Sikh temple high in San Jose's hills will be a flurry of activity this weekend, with an open house open for Evergreen district neighbors Saturday followed by a free vegetarian lunch for 10,000 guests and tours of the new $20-million expansion on Sunday.



The major festivities at the San Jose Sikh Gurdwara, which means "gateway to the guru," begin about 10 a.m. Sunday, with a procession around parts of the 40-acres campus at 3636 Murillo Ave.

Throughout the day, dignitaries such as Gov. Jerry Brown, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and others, are expected to be among the thousands touring the newest additions to the temple, considered the largest and most expensive in the United States.

The second phase of construction was about a year later than planned and about $2 million over what was originally budgeted said Bob Dhillon, a temple leader who oversaw the construction himself. The total cost to build the 110,000 square feet of the overall building footprint is about $32 million, Dhillon said.


The new additions include a prayer hall that can hold up to 1,500 worshippers, a massive vegetarian kitchen called a langar, 12 classrooms and 11 apartments for temple priests and visitors.

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