- Operating Hours (Weekend): 11 AM – 1 PM
- Email: info@wvhindutemple.org
- Operating Hours (Weekend): 11 AM – 1 PM
Sri Mukambika Devi was presented to Swamini Svatmavidyananda Saraswathiji, who decided to bring Her to Eugene, Oregon, during Navarathri of 2007. As we understand, Ma Devi has graced several places, including Florida and California. Ma Devi was temporarily housed in Janani Chaitanyaji’s home in Eugene, Oregon, by Swaminiji.
The local community took to Ma Devi very fondly and served her by performing daily Puja and other rituals. Since Jananiji decided to go to Coimbatore for a three-year Vedantic training program in Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswathi’s ashram, we had to find a suitable home, albeit a temporary one, for Ma Devi. Another devotee couple (Terry and Faith La Cross) offered their backyard to locate a yurt for the shrine. By Ma Devi’s and Swaminiji’s grace, the Sri Mukambika Mahadeva Hindu Shrine was established on May 16th, 2010, in this yurt.
Sri Mukambika Devi with her consort Mahadeva and Vidya Ganapathi, the remover of obstacles, were the deities in this shrine. The Shrine was a wonderful place of daily worship and a place where many Hindu festivals for the local communities from Eugene, Corvallis, and surrounding areas were celebrated. We have performed several Abhishekas, Homas, and special pujas around May and September of each year as a part of the Shrine anniversary and other celebrations.
Every year, the community organized Shivarathri, Ganesha Chaturthi, Krishna Janmashtami, Navarathri, Deepavali, Hanuman Jayanthi, and other major Hindu festivals in the shrine with devotees from Eugene, Corvallis, Portland, and surrounding areas in attendance. These celebrations usually consisted of a special Puja performed by one of the Puja sevaks, followed by appropriate Bhajans and sumptuous prasad. We have also held four successful classical dance fundraisers for the Shrine. In fact, we were able to fund the purchase and installation of a 30-foot yurt in LaCrosse’s backyard from the first one.
At Swaminiji’s behest we conducted a “Prashna” by internationally well-known Vedic astrologer Smt. Komilla Sutton of California in December 2017. We learned from her “readings” that we will have starting difficulties such as finance and other obstructions. As per Komillaji’s readings, we were advised to shift the shrine south of the current location. Janani Chaitanya readily accepted to house the shrine in her garage located in Eugene. After discussing with her and Swaminiji, it was decided that we will move Devi, Mahadeva, and Vidya Ganapathi in August 2018, along with Jananiji’s Uma Maheshwara, to the new shrine in her renovated garage.
All the deities were installed as per Vedic rituals under Swaminiji’s guidance on Monday, August 13th, 2018, in the presence of devotees from Eugene, Corvallis, Springfield, and surrounding areas. The community from Eugene, Springfield, and Corvallis came together to help clean up, decorate the garage to make it into a cozy shrine, move the deities and altars, and celebrate the installation of the deities at the new location for the shrine. Also, after the Prana prathishtapana of the Devatas, Swaminiji conducted a mini “Prashna,” which acquiesced to mandated weekend Pujas at the Shrine by the community. The weekend-mandated pujas are performed by a few community devotees. Jananiji, with her Ashram residents, was performing daily morning Puja as well as evening Arathi.
After numerous efforts and resilience of the Board and the community members, we have been successful in finding a 4.5-acre property in a peaceful area of Eugene with a beautiful church for our Devi Ma. Devi Ma finally found her home and was moved and installed in this sacred place. A great deal of repairs, upgrading, modifications for the temple, decorations, etc., needed to be performed before moving in. Also, we went through three days of Homa and various Vedic rituals, performed by a knowledgeable priest and Swaminiji before the Khumbhabhishekam of Sri Mukambika Devi. This culminated in the inauguration of the Willamette Hindu Temple in Eugene.
Our vision for the Temple when fully established is to have a place for: 1) daily Hindu/Vedic worship, 2) the community to celebrate Hindu festivals, 3) a library of Vedic literature, 4) hosting classes of Vedanta, Kids-Katha, Youth Programs, Yoga, and Indian Classical Arts, 5) a community hall for personal celebrations, and 6) community service.
Sri Mukambika Mahadeva Hindu Shrine (SMMHS) is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, and all donations are eligible for deduction to the extent allowed by the IRS.
The Shrine is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 1 PM during winter. All are welcome!
SMMHS Board of Trustees
May Sri Mukambika Devi and Sri Mahadeva bless you and your family with health, happiness, and prosperity.
©2025 Willamette Valley Hindu Temple
