Imagine how the face of our poor country would have changed had this collosal amount of resource been utilised in truly serving the people !!!! But thats wishful thinking - swamis are 'living gods' and have full rights to fool the masses !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta, USA . Opening Ceremony Pictures.
The newly inaugurated BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, Georgia
Pramukh Swami Maharaj presents a memento to Congressman Henry Johnson Jr. during the inauguration ceremony of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta, Georgia
Pramukh Swami Maharaj with Congressman Henry Johnson Jr., Commissioner of Gwinnett County Mr. Charles Bannister and Mayor John Bolton at the inauguration ceremony of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta, Georgia, along with Pujya IshwarCharan Swami and Pujya Viveksagar swami
Pramukh Swami Maharaj performs the Vedic rituals during the Murti Pratishtha Ceremony
The newly consecrated murtis of Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta
Ceiling of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, Georgia
Intricately carved pillars of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, Georgia
Some details of BAPS Swaminarayan Temple at Lilburn, Atlanta
* It is one among the top ten largest traditional Hindu Vedic stone temples outside India.
* The largest temple of the BAPS Swaminarayan sect in United States.
* The temple is located on 30 acres of land.
* The total area of the mandir is 22442 sq. ft
* The exterior of the Mandir is made of Turkish Limra limestone.
* The main floor is made of Italian Carrara marble.
* The ground floor and basement is made of Indian Sandstone.
* Smallest stone 15 gm to largest stone of 5.2 tones.
* Total stone material is 8430 tones.
* Total 40,000 stone pieces.
* Total stone structure 85,000 cu. Ft
* The length of the Mandir is 213 feet
* The width of the Mandir is 122 feet
* The height from the ground is 78 feet
* The width of main dome is 23' 3"
* The Mandir has tapered ceiling.
* Inside and outside 'parikarama' for devotees to circumambulate around deities.
* Number of Shikhars (pinnacles) is 5.
* 4 Small Pinnacles (Samaram)
* Number of small domes is 6 and one large dome.
* Number of Torans (arches) is 129.
* Number of Zarukhas (balconies) is 4
* Number of Sinhasans (throne) is 9.
* Number of windows is 14.
* Number of Pillars is 151.
* 75 ceilings with 39 different designs
* Apart from this the Mandir has numerous windows and pillars, which are intricately carved, and also marble steps.
* Central heating and cooling.
* Under floor heating with Gel tubing.
* Fiber optic lighting.
* Estimated cost of the Swaminarayan temple is $19 million.
Other Interesting Facts
* The pillars of the temple are intricately hand-carved and each pillar depicts a famous incident from Hindu scriptures.
* The construction of the Mandir is based on 'Shila Shastras' ancient Hindu text dealing in building and sculpture techniques.
* Some stones like marble and limestone were imported from the respective countries to India.
* The stones were hand-carved in India and later imported to United States.
* Intricate geometric patterns, rosettes, feathers, leaves and other designs which number to more than 500 were hand-carved in India.
* Each section of the temple weighing from 50 grams to five tons after carving in India had a bar code.
* Each section thus imported was then assembled in Lilburn just like playing the jigsaw puzzle.
While I agree with Shivatosh that construction of these high value temples is a collosal waste but they serve a purpose,
at least when people go to these temples, maybe just to watch the arhitecture and splendour, they join their hands, close their eyes, bend their heads and pray to the Almighty, in whatever form He is in the temple.
It lifts the person.
Everybody can go there, rich or poor and there is hardly ever an entry fee.
This I feel is much better than all the money spent in 5 and 7 star hotels where only the rich can go and are dens of all the conceivable vices in the world.
God does not require a temple.
He is Omnipresent.
He is within us, me,you and all.
How can we restrict Him to a temple or Gurudwara or Masjid or Church.
He has made you.
Now, whether you pray to Him ofr not makes no difference to Him.
It is for our own satisfaction that we pray to Him, for that pray gives us strength to bear our hardships.
This pray we can do within our own homes or in temples, big or small is immaterial.
We can pray to Him while sleeping, lying down, sitting, walking, running, eating, drinking or breathing.
The best prayer is the one we say while breathing.
With each breath we remember Him and thank Him for everything that He has given and also NOT given.
Yes, we should specially thank Him for all that He has not given for that too is for our own good.
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