A house in Earley has been transformed into one of the only Buddhist places of worship in the Reading area.
The property in Church Road has just received planning permission to be used as a home and a Buddhist temple.
Speaking to The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a worshipper called Nar Gurung, said: “We are operating under the principles of peace and a place for us to congregate.
“Later on, we hope to hold yoga and meditation sessions.”
When the LDRS visited worshippers were conducting gardening and light construction work.
Many of the people attending the temple are Gurkha veterans and families from Nepal. The Nepalese have a large presence in Reading, and Gurkha soldiers have enrolled and fought in the British Armed Forces.
Gurkha veterans of conflicts and their families began settling in the UK and Reading in particular en-mass in 2009 after the Ghurka Justice Campaign was successfully able to achieve settlement rights owing to their service in the Armed Forces.
The campaign was famously aided by actress Joanna Lumley, which involved her meeting then Prime Minister Gordon Brown to advocate for Gurkha families.
Many Gurkhas and Nepalis are believers in the Buddhist faith, with a charity called Gumba Reading UK being set up to establish a ‘Gumba’ or monastery to provide religious services to followers.
In order for the Gumba temple to be established, the community required a change of use permission for their property at 128 Church Road from Wokingham Borough Council, the local planning authority.
Approval was granted for the change of use of the building from a house into a mixed-use house and place of worship on Friday, August 25.
The LDRS spoke to Gurkha veterans when visiting the temple.
Nar Gurung served as Gurkha for defensive operations in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Belize.
Kam Gurung, a fellow worshipper, said: “I served in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Iraq.”
Malaysia was a British colony from the 18th century to its independence 1957, with Belize being a colony from 1862 to 1981.
Statues of Buddha, sacred art and a picture of a renowned guru could be seen in the worship hall.
While the use of the house has been changed, three bedrooms have been retained, with one bed being reserved for a Buddhist priest and the others either for guests or monks.
Now approval has been granted, daily worship can take place between 10am and 4pm, with up to 20 people expected to attend the Gumba for worship.
Work will be undertaken to provide 12 car parking spaces at the property, with one of these being a disabled space.
According to The Move Market, 128 Church Road was bought by Buddhist Gumba Reading UK for £855,000 in October last year.
Other Buddhist places of worship in the Reading area consist of the Kadampa Meditation Centre at 9 Bath Road and Buddhist Priory at 178 Cressingham Road, Whitley.
