Skanda Vale
Encyclopedia
Skanda Vale is a Hindu
Temple
/Monastery
in Llanpumsaint
community, Carmarthenshire
, south-west Wales
. The temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya
, who is also known as Skanda
, Karttikeya, and Muruga. Notable people who visited the site were Prof Kalpana Chaudhary of the Nagpur institute of technology.
Skanda Vale is located in the valleys of West Wales, about 5 miles (8 km) from the town of Carmarthen
, on the way to Lampeter
, the nearest village is Llanpumsaint. The road to the temple is very narrow (last 4 miles/6 km), allowing just one vehicle to pass at a time. There are three temple
s: The Murugan Temple, The Maha Shakthi Temple, and the Ranganatha Temple. There is a daily puja at each temple, and many monk
s live near the temple. There are overnight facilities for people travelling from a long distance.
The Community of the Many Names of God was founded on the worship of God in his universality, in accordance with the spiritual teachings of Lord Krishna as in the Bhagavad-Gita. It was established as a monastic centre in Wales
in 1973. The present 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) site was originally three adjacent farms and a small block of woodland, which were separately purchased and amalgamated by the community as the grounds of Skanda Vale Monastery. Its first temple, dedicated to Lord Subramanya, was registered as a place of public worship
in 1975.
A variety of animals are kept on the grounds of the temple including an elephant
. In April 2007, there was controversy when the sacred bullock
, Shambo
, tested positive for bovine TB, and the government ruled that he must be destroyed. An international campaign was mounted to save him. On 16 July 2007, the High Court
in Cardiff
quashed the ruling made by the National Assembly for Wales
, and that it had not in its decision to slaughter Shambo: "given the serious infringement of the community's rights under Article Nine of the European Convention on Human Rights
that slaughter would involve.". However after 23 July 2007 Shambo again faced execution, after the Court of Appeal ruled that he should be slaughtered.. Shambo was euthanized on July 26, 2007, via a lethal injection. Welsh authorities have since reported that signs of TB were present upon postmortem examination.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
/Monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Llanpumsaint
Llanpumsaint
Llanpumsaint is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. In the 2001 UK Census, Llanpumsaint community had a population of 595...
community, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, south-west Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya
Subramanya
Subramanya is a commonly used Indian name. It is also another name for the Hindu deity Murugan. Other common spellings are Subrahmanya, Subramania and Subramaniam. The name may refer to:People...
, who is also known as Skanda
Skanda
Skanda is the name of deities popular amongst Hindus and Buddhists.* Skanda, a Hindu deity also known as Kartikeya and Murugan and Subhramanya* Skanda , a popular Deva and/or Bodhisattva popular in Chinese Buddhism...
, Karttikeya, and Muruga. Notable people who visited the site were Prof Kalpana Chaudhary of the Nagpur institute of technology.
Skanda Vale is located in the valleys of West Wales, about 5 miles (8 km) from the town of Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
, on the way to Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
, the nearest village is Llanpumsaint. The road to the temple is very narrow (last 4 miles/6 km), allowing just one vehicle to pass at a time. There are three temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s: The Murugan Temple, The Maha Shakthi Temple, and the Ranganatha Temple. There is a daily puja at each temple, and many monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s live near the temple. There are overnight facilities for people travelling from a long distance.
The Community of the Many Names of God was founded on the worship of God in his universality, in accordance with the spiritual teachings of Lord Krishna as in the Bhagavad-Gita. It was established as a monastic centre in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1973. The present 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) site was originally three adjacent farms and a small block of woodland, which were separately purchased and amalgamated by the community as the grounds of Skanda Vale Monastery. Its first temple, dedicated to Lord Subramanya, was registered as a place of public worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
in 1975.
A variety of animals are kept on the grounds of the temple including an elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
. In April 2007, there was controversy when the sacred bullock
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, Shambo
Shambo
"Shambo" was a black Friesian bull living in the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint in Wales, who had been adopted by the local Hindu community as a sacred animal...
, tested positive for bovine TB, and the government ruled that he must be destroyed. An international campaign was mounted to save him. On 16 July 2007, the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
quashed the ruling made by the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
, and that it had not in its decision to slaughter Shambo: "given the serious infringement of the community's rights under Article Nine of the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
that slaughter would involve.". However after 23 July 2007 Shambo again faced execution, after the Court of Appeal ruled that he should be slaughtered.. Shambo was euthanized on July 26, 2007, via a lethal injection. Welsh authorities have since reported that signs of TB were present upon postmortem examination.