Its Numbers
2,500,000+ man hours
40,000+ carved stone pieces
8,430 tons of stone used
1,700+ volunteers
151 pillars
129 arches
75 ceilings
17 domes
16 months to complete
14 windows
5 pinnacles
4 balconies
1 inspiration
This is the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, Illinois. It is one of the six shikharbaddha (traditionally built) BAPS mandirs (Hindu places of worship) in North America. No image can do justice to this beautiful place. And no blog post can do justice to the way it has shaped my life.
Its History
Let's take a trip down the history behind this magnificent mandir:
1972 - Six devotees began meeting weekly through the guidance of Pramukh Swami Maharaj
1974, 1977, 1980 - Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Chicago
1984 - A small building on a 4-acre plot in Glen Ellyn was transformed into the first BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in the Chicagoland area, opened by Pramukh Swami Maharaj
1994 - Land of the current mandir was purchased and thereafter, sanctified by Pramukh Swami Maharaj
1998 - The ground-breaking ceremony and foundation laying ceremony was held
November 17, 2000 - Construction of the Haveli (Cultural Complex) began
October 29, 2000 - Pramukh Swami Maharaj inaugurated the Haveli, in which a ten-day celebration was held
July 7, 2002 - Foundation of the mandir was placed
August 8, 2004 - Pramukh Swami Maharaj inaugurated the Mandir, in which a fifteen-day celebration was held
June 17, 2007 - Pramukh Swami Maharaj celebrated the centennial of the founding of BAPS, during his fifteen-day visit to Chicago
August 3, 2014 - A celebration of the tenth anniversary of the mandir's opening was held
July 9, 2017 - Mahant Swami Maharaj celebrated the first Guru Purnima (after becoming the guru) in Chicago, during his thirteen-day visit to Chicago
Its Impact
Although the numbers may be astonishing, the mandir's impact speaks volumes. It has become a landmark in Chicago displaying the beauty of Hinduism and the Indian culture. When one asks someone who visits the mandir for the first time, they might say the carvings, detail, grandeur, food, or even the peacocks. But to those who have grown up at mandir, it is so much more than what the eye can see. Below are some of the many activities that the mandir participates in:
Daily Prayer and Devotional Services
Volunteering Opportunities
Weekly Sunday Assemblies
Celebration of major Hindu Festivals
Children's Activities - Weekly Assemblies, Music Classes, Gujarati Classes, Talent Development
Youth Activities - Weekly Assemblies, Sports Tournaments, Academic Sessions, Talent Development
Women's Activities - Special Programs, Women's Conferences
Charitable Events - Walk-A-Thons, Food Drives, Relief Funds
Healthcare - Blood Drives, Health Fairs, Wellness Lectures
Yet to many, it is not just a place of participation, rather mandir has become a second home to us over the years. Like many, I am one who has benefitted greatly because of the BAPS Chicago mandir.
Its Impact on Me
I live only 15 minutes from the mandir. Ever since I was little, my parents would take me there once in a while fo festivals such as Diwali, Hari Jayanti/Ram Navmi, and Janmashtami. However, I never was regular - in the sense of attending the weekly Sunday classes. But I had an opportunity to start attending sabha (Sunday cultural class) in 3rd grade. I still remember that day. I was nervous to even attend (as I was a shy kid), but my childhood friend convinced me that it would be fun. I learned about Uttarayan, the kite festival, and we even made our own kites. Afterward, we had the chance to do darshan, or view the images of God and our gurus, in the mandir. And finally, we played a rough game of langdi, a traditional Indian field sport. Even though I did not make any friends at the time (besides my one friend who convinced me), I decided to come again the next week.
Slowly, I started to fit in. A few weeks later, the karyakars (teachers) were asking everyone if they wanted to participate in a dance, to which I excitedly said yes! (As I loved to dance!) I didn't just participate in the dance, but the karyakar put me in the center. I was overwhelmed that a new kid like myself could be put as the lead in the dance. Although it was a small role, it gave me the confidence to keep going to mandir and building a lifelong relationship with it.
That summer I attended the Bal Shibir (Summer Camp), themed around Hinduism. I learned so much and met so many people of my age that I knew that this was going to be my second home. Mandir has done so much for me that I could write paragraphs on it. From dancing at festivals, to speaking with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, to helping me gain confidence in public speaking, to developing my talents, to seeking blessing in front of my guru...
Naturally, mandir just became my second home. It's been there for me through thick and thin. Whether it be the best week or one-off days, mandir has provided a retreat for me to put a pause on my life and go into the next week with a rejuvenated spirit. If I don't go to mandir during the week, the rest of my week seems off. No doubt, there have been times where I may have felt alone at mandir or not participated as much, but those thoughts would quickly melt when I think of what mandir has done for me.
However, more important than the skills I developed or the people I met, mandir has helped me shape my spiritual quotient and gave me an ideal to look up to. Ultimately, that is the reason why mandir is there. It is a place where once can connect with God, learn from the guru, and imbibe those virtues and teachings into one's life. I have learned to connect better with God, foster a relationship with my guru, and derive those virtues into my life. For me, my spirituality is heavily connected to my identity and mandir has helped me foster spirituality through my gurus - Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj.
They have been my guiding forces in my life. When I read more about their life, discuss it with others, and dive deeper into spiritual topics, I try to imbibe those values and teachings into my life. I am not perfect. On the contrary, I am FAR from perfect. But the stability that my gurus have given me is something that I could never repay them for. The opportunity to serve the next generation is something that I could never repay them for. The opportunity for me to understand my identity is something I could never repay them for. The gift of a physical location - the mandir - in which I fostered my identity through is something I could never repay them for.
And that is only because of Pramukh Swami Maharaj's efforts to build a mandir in the heart of the Chicagoland area that many, like myself, are able to stay connected to our roots and be proud of who we are.
Thank You Pramukh Swami Maharaj, for inspiring a mandir to serve generations to come.
Thank You Mahant Swami Maharaj, for continuing his legacy in inspiring generations to come.
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