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A Traditional Hindu Wedding at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, Helensburgh

If you are looking to have a traditional Hindu Wedding ceremony based on ancient Vedic scriptures in tranquil & divine surroundings, the Sri Venkateswara Temple (SVT) Helensburgh in NSW is an ideal wedding venue.

Location of the Temple

Located just one hour (54 km) south of Sydney and less than a half an hour drive north of Wollongong, the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Helensburgh, NSW, is the largest Hindu temple in the Southern Hemisphere.

Built on a hill on virgin land, the temple is uniquely surrounded by natural beauty; waterfalls, the Royal National Park and the Pacific Ocean along the coastline towards Wollongong, near Stanwell Park Beach and further down towards the scenic Bulli Beach.

History of the area

The original inhabitants of the region were the Dharawal Aborigines, approximately 30,000 years before European settlement.

Helensburgh, later became a tent town for railway workers on the Illawarra line becoming a permanent settlement in the 1880’s when coal was discovered by workers cutting through sandstone for the railway line.

Amongst this historical and natural beauty of the surrounding areas emerges the sacred site for Hindu worshippers from all over Australia and abroad.

Not only is the temple complex the largest in the Southern hemisphere, but also the first Hindu temple to be built in NSW.

As a sacred place of worship the temple lends itself wonderfully to Indian Weddings.

Style of the Temple

The SVT was built in the traditional Dravidian (South Indian) temple architectural style as laid out in the Agama Sastra’s and consecrated in 1985.

The temple is inspired by the Sri Venkateswara temple located on one of seven hills in Tirumala (Tirupathy) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, South India approximately 120km away from Chennai.

The Sri Venkateswara temple complex at Helensburgh consists of two large temples, one devoted to Lord Venkateswara (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) with Goddess Lakshmi besides the Sri Rama / Hanuman Temples and the other devoted to Lord Shiva & Parvathy, beside the Lord Ganesha & Lord Subramanya Swamy temples.

Wedding services at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, Helensburgh NSW

The temple offers a range of services catering to prospective brides and grooms looking to exchange garlands within the tranquil surrounds of Helensburgh. Hence it is a very popular wedding venue for Hindus & non-Hindus alike.

Couples who wish to conduct their wedding at the temple must first make a reservation date at least one to 6 months prior to the special day in consultation with the Chief Priest of the temple by phone: 02 4294 3224 (after 7pm only).

1. The temple provides Hindu priests who are well qualified and well versed in the Agama Sastras and speaks languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil, Telegu as well as English for the ceremony. The temple also provides all the relevant materials required to conduct the religious ceremony.

2. The weddings is conducted inside the temple, in divine and tranquil surrounds following a Vedic fire ceremony. In traditional Hindu style, guests are seated around the fire, on the matted floor as chairs are not allowed inside the temple complex (exceptions apply for elders).

3. The temple can provide a traditional, well designed kalyana mandapam (wedding mandap) for the couple during the ceremony. The temple will also undertake the decoration pf the mandap with flowers, if requested.

4. The temple also provides fresh Indian hand-made flower garlands for the bride and groom.

5. For large weddings or private functions, the temple can erect a special marquee to accommodate up to 600 people. Often weddings muhurthum are held inside the temple, with reception lunch and musical treats held outside near the outdoor stage.

6. Full catering can be provided by the temple for a maximum of 200 guests or by external caterers. Indian sweets can be made on request. Alternatively the SVT kitchen facilities and cool room may be rented to assist your own caterer.

7. For the bride and her bridesmaids there is access to a bride’s change room.

8. The temple carpark can accommodate approximately 200 cars. More car parking is available on Temple Road.

9. Whilst filming and photography of deities is strictly not allowed inside the temple complex, exceptions may be made on prior request to film the wedding ceremony.

10. The temple can also provide a Hindu marriage celebrant to register marriages.

For a contact number use the Australian Indian Weddings search directory to locate the temple. Search by State: NSW and Category: Hindu Temples.

For more information on Weddings at SVT visit the Sri Venkateswara Temple

Article Source: Sri Venkateswara Temple website and the Tourism NSW website

Photo Source: The beauty of the Sri Venkateswara Temple captured by Celeste Goulding. Celeste is a Wollongong based photographer.