Arya Dewaker

The greatest Hindu temple in Suriname was constructed by the Hindu organization Arya Dewaker. Hindus and non-Hindus from Suriname and all around the world frequent the temple in large numbers. It is situated in Paramaribo's central fields. It is appropriate to identify this place of worship as the principal temple for the 16,661 Hindus who are reported to belong to this Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda Sarasvati because Arya Dewaker is the most significant component of the Arya Samaj in Suriname today (1823-1883).

Pandit Pandit Mehtā Jaimīnī, a Ārya Samājī who had just immigrated from India, took the effort to start Arya Dewaker on September 29, 1929. Arya Dewaker refers to "Aryan Sun." The Dutch colonial government officially recognized the group on February 5, 1930. On February 11, 2001, Arya Dewaker was formally inaugurated.

The group constructed its first temple in 1936, where members were entrusted with calling people together and conducting rituals centered on the Vedic fire that represented Arya Samaj. However, the construction lasted until 1947 when the new temple was officially inaugurated. However, this temple was only built according to normal architecture, nothing outstanding compared to other temples in Aryan. So Arya Dewaker was demolished in 1975 to make way for another temple. However, the construction of this structure took around 20 years because of the significant changes in the original ideas and the financial issues brought on by Suriname's challenging economic climate in the 1980s and 1990s.

Since the Dutch architect Arthur E. de Groot worked closely with the members of the board and the building committee of Arya Dewaker to design an octagonal building with two levels, the new place of worship, which was finished in 2001, varies greatly from earlier Aryan temples. The architect wanted to design a "tropical temple," which would have characteristics similar to Surinamese structures, such as its wide verandas, white-painted checkerboard windows, and enormous eaves. The Moghul period in India and the Moor period in Spain are both vividly reflected in the architecture's shapes and patterns.

Inside, the building's octagonal shape creates the illusion that it is round, reflecting the earth's, moon's, and sun's elliptical shape. The three towers represent the three everlasting elements that make up our universe: the unchangeable God, the human being, and nature. Four refers to the four Vedas, the earliest Hindu scriptures, and is represented by the number four on the tops of the two smaller towers and the tower atop the large dome of the temple. Outside, the first flour is the venue for the ceremonies, in addition to a number of conference rooms and libraries. Benches are arranged in a ring around the fireplace while a fire is lit in the center of the room, highlighting the fact that everyone attending the fire ceremony is equal. The ceiling of Arya Dewaker is covered with white synthetic panels during the 2016–2018 refurbishment.