Source: Orlando Sentinel
On June 17, 2005 the Orlando Sentinel ran an opinion piece by Dr. Aravind Pillai who was involved in planning the new Hindu Temple in Casselberry, Florida. "Twenty-four years ago, there was no place of worship for the Hindus of Orlando. There were only a handful of Hindus. By 1989, nearly 500 families were living here, and the Hindu Society of Central Florida was founded. Ever since, the society has grown and extended to six counties in Central Florida... We came to this land of the brave and the free for better opportunities. We came here from different parts of India, and carried with us various local traditions and customs. We have worked hard to minimize the differences and build a unified and authentic temple as per the Scriptures (Vedas)... We welcome our neighbors to visit us. To this world, in the most turbulent times, our temple stands as a message of fraternity and peace. God bless America!"