Papakura's Buddhist monks are still waiting for the council to give the nod to building a new temple, writes Maurice Smyth.
An outpost of Cambodia in Papakura has been asked to provide more information to the district council as it seeks permission to build a Buddhist temple on its 2ha site
on Porchester Rd.
Public submissions closed six months ago, but a hearing date has yet to be announced.
One of three Cambodian communities in Auckland - the others are in Papatoetoe and Mangere East - it attracts up to 1500 worshippers 10 times a year to religious festivals.
Four monks and six lay Buddhists live on the premises.
An architectural design for a new permanent place of worship has been accepted by the monks whose head, Sovann Mam, 37, says the temple's Cambodian name means ``a visiting place to rejoice with our people''.
Behind a house which was on the section when it was bought four years ago is a long shed with seven large gas burners used to prepare festival feasts.
When The Aucklander called, a monk and a layman were sawing timber to make sacred boxes for the ashes of the dead following cremation.
Daily prayers begin at 5.30am followed by meditation and the preparation of food for the monks. But from time to time, the head monk strays from his ethnic diet.
``I like pies and fried chicken takeaways. We don't have such food in Cambodia.''
