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Bengaluru India Temple

Groundbreaking of the Bengaluru India Temple

The groundbreaking of the Bengaluru India Temple was presided over by Elder Robert K. William, an Area Seventy, on Dec. 2, 2020. President NithyaKumar Sunderraj — president of the Bengaluru India Stake — was also in attendance, and he likened Church members to building blocks of the temple, with each person playing a significant role.

Among those Elder William prayed for in his dedicatory prayer on the site, the Area Seventy prayed for Saints who had lost loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic: “We pray that they will find peace and hope and that the ordinances of the temple will assure them of Thy plan for them and that the hope of eternal families may shine brighter in their lives.”

Timeline of the Bengaluru India Temple

April
01
2018
Announced

President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Bengaluru, India, on April 1, 2018, during April 2018 general conference. This announcement came during the last talk of the Sunday afternoon session and was announced with six other temples.

President Nelson during April 2018 general conference.
December
02
2020
Groundbreaking

The Bengaluru India Temple groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec. 2, 2020, with Elder Robert K. William, an Area Seventy, presiding. To adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines, in-person attendance was limited to invitation only, but a video of the event was made available to those in the temple district.

A row of ceremonial golden shovels standing up.

The Bengaluru India Temple was announced April 1, 2018, by Church President Russell M. Nelson. The groundbreaking and site dedication were held on Dec. 2, 2020, and presided over by Elder Robert K. William, an Area Seventy.

Architecture and Design of the Bengaluru India Temple

The Bengaluru temple will be approximately 38,670 square feet and have a white exterior with several tall, arched windows. Above the center of the building is a pointed spire on a square base, with four smaller spires around it.

The edifice stands on a 1.62-acre site, with a two-level meetinghouse, administrative offices, a distribution center and a patron housing facility sharing the grounds.

Groundbreaking Photos of the Bengaluru India Temple

Quick Facts

Announced

1 April 2018

Groundbreaking

2 December 2020

Groundbreaking Presided by
Location

2-B Whitefield Main Road
Garudachar Palya
Mahadevapura
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560048
India

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This will be the first Latter-day Saint temple in India.

Fact #2

It was the second house of the Lord announced by President Russell M. Nelson as President of the Church. He announced it in his first general conference as President of the Church.

Fact #3

In April 2018, the same month that President Nelson announced this temple, he traveled to Bengaluru as part of a global ministry across four continents and visited potential temple sites in the city.

Fact #4

This temple for India was originally not going to be announced. “Our plans were to announce six new temples at conference time,” said President Nelson in his 2018 ministry to the country. “The Lord told me on the eve of conference: ‘Announce a temple in India.’ ... That was the Lord’s doing.”

Fact #5

Existing Church offices and a meetinghouse were removed from the site to make room for the Bengaluru temple.

Fact #6

The first mission in India was established in 1993. By the time of the Bengaluru temple’s groundbreaking at the end of 2020, the country had 14,528 members in 46 congregations.

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This will be the first Latter-day Saint temple in India.

Fact #2

It was the second house of the Lord announced by President Russell M. Nelson as President of the Church. He announced it in his first general conference as President of the Church.

Fact #3

In April 2018, the same month that President Nelson announced this temple, he traveled to Bengaluru as part of a global ministry across four continents and visited potential temple sites in the city.

Fact #4

This temple for India was originally not going to be announced. “Our plans were to announce six new temples at conference time,” said President Nelson in his 2018 ministry to the country. “The Lord told me on the eve of conference: ‘Announce a temple in India.’ ... That was the Lord’s doing.”

Fact #5

Existing Church offices and a meetinghouse were removed from the site to make room for the Bengaluru temple.

Fact #6

The first mission in India was established in 1993. By the time of the Bengaluru temple’s groundbreaking at the end of 2020, the country had 14,528 members in 46 congregations.