A MASSIVE £500,000 fundraising drive to give Oxford its only Hindu temple is struggling to raise the cash.

About £60,000 has been raised in the 18 months since the bid was launched for a temple. No site has been decided.

The news comes on the eve of an event to mark the Holi Festival in Oxford, which organisers hope will attract more donations.

Hinduism is the only major world faith in Oxfordshire not to have a permanent place of worship.

There are an estimated 5,000 Hindus in the county, who have to travel to London, Birmingham or Slough for religious festivals.

Kashmira Patel, spokesman for the Hindu Temple Project, said: “The temple fund is not as bright as we’d expected.

“People aren’t giving us big donations, but we get about £300 or £400 a month, so we are going to continue for another year or two.”

She said the plans might have to change if the cash is not raised by then.

Ms Patel added: “We are not being pedantic and saying ‘oh, we are the only ones without a place, but we would love one.

“It would bring us together more as a community, giving us a place to have things like yoga classes and Sunday schools.”

She added: “It would be nice for members of our committee to see that just part of their dream is coming true.”

Saturday’s event will feature dance performances, henna painting and authentic Indian street food.

It is part of a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs and involves worshippers throwing coloured powder and water at one another.

This is the third year the Holi Festival has been celebrated in Oxford.

Mrs Patel said: “This is just a fun day for everyone, irrespective of faith.”

Bede Gerrard, chairman of the Oxford Council of Faiths, said: “It would be an advantage to Oxford to have a building for the Hindu community.

“They wouldn’t want to be restrictive to just the Hindu faith, so it could be a place for the whole Indian community to meet.”

He added: “But there is just a lack of any available community space in Oxford. It is both difficult to find and expensive.

“I sincerely hope they find somewhere.”

The festival celebration starts from 3pm at Sandhills Primary School in Terrett Avenue, Headington.

  • For more information and to donate, visit oxfordhindutempleproject.org