Siva Sri Paskarakurukkal
Siva Sri Paskarakurukkal is a German based Sri Lankan Tamil priest (Iyer) and the present pontiff of the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple in Hamm, the second largest Hindu temple in Europe.
Siva Sri Paskarakurukkal came to Germany in 1984 fleeing the civil war in Sri Lanka. In 1989 he started performing pujas in the basement of his flat. In 2000, the works of the present temple started. The building of the temple finished in July 2002 and 3000 Hindus celebrated the opening ceremony.
Assault on Siva Sri Paskarakurukkal in 2012
Paskarakurukkal was attacked by 5 masked men in his house in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany on the 9th of November. He and his family were captivated with ropes. He was sprayed with pepper spray and got hit several times. 20 minutes after the robbers, who stole jewelry and money from the family, left the building, Paskarakurukkal's wife could free herself and dial the police. The robbers also destroyed decorations and different sacred items in the nearby temple. So far, none of them were arrested.
References
- "Vom Kellerraum zum Tempel" (in German). Land Nordrhein-Westfalen. Retrieved 2011-07-16.
- "Maskierte überfallen deutschen Hindu-Priester" (in German). Axel-Springer Verlag. Retrieved 2012-11-09.