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New BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Los Angeles

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A TRADITIONAL stone and marble BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in Chino Hills (Los Angeles), California on December 23, 2012.

 

The temple, built over a period of six years, was completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers ranging from doctors to lawyers to engineers who put in dedicated hours of volunteer work.

 

The majestic temple was inaugurated in the presence of Assemblyman Curt Hagman, senior BAPS guru Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami (Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami), State Senator Bob Huff, Mayor Peter Rogers, Councilmember Art Bennett and Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, the head of Kauai”s Hindu Monastery and publisher of Hinduism Today magazine.

 

Sadguru Pujya Kothari Swami (Pujya Bhaktipriya Swami)performed the consecration ceremony in accordance with Hindu vedic rituals in the presence of devotees and well-wishers from across North America and various countries around the world.

 

Those who could not make it to the event saw the live webcast.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Rogers said, “The temple is a beautiful testament to the hard work of your congregation who has spent several years to build this place of worship.”

 

“The temple and cultural center will indeed be a place that Chino Hills can be proud of for so many, many generations.”

 

Other dignitaries present at the event included Councilwoman Cynthia Moran, Artesia Mayor Sally Flowers, Milipitas Mayor Pete McHugh, and Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella.

 

The inauguration was a culmination of a host of events, held over four days.

 

The festivities for the opening began with His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj”s 92nd birthday celebration on Thursday, December 20. 

 

Nagar Yatra, a colorful procession parading the sacred images in eight beautifully crafted floats through the streets of Artesia, CA took place on Friday (December 21). Devotees in colorful costumes celebrated with folk dances, devotional hymns, and a youth marching band. 

Later that evening a Kirtan Aradhana was performed by BAPS Swamis.

 

On Saturday (December 22) the Vishwa Shanti Mahayag featured a grand yagna and prayers for world peace. A women”s conference was also organized on the same day.

 

Constructed from 35,000 pieces of meticulously hand carved Italian Carrara Marble and Indian Pink Sandstone, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, encompasses five pinnacles, two large domes, four balconies, 122 pillars and 129 archways.

 

From the external walls and domes to the inside pillars and ceilings, the temple is completely etched with intricate carvings in marble and sandstone. The 6,600 hand-carved motifs depict a mosaic of tales of inspiration, devotion and dedication, along with historical figures from Hinduism.

 

Artisans created the carvings in India with great love, skill and patience before the pieces were shipped to Chino Hills.

 

The temple is situated on a 20-acre site, complete with 91 foot lotus-shaped reflection pond, a cultural center, gymnasium and classrooms. It is designed to “calm the mind and open it” said Ronak Patel, a volunteer of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

 

As the first earthquake-proof temple in the world, the upper structure of the complex is protected from earthquake damage by separating it from the base with a series of 40 base-isolator units.

 

The temple also uses a solar power system to generate electricity and reduce adverse effects on the environment. “The Mandir combines the best of traditional stone art and architecture and the best of modern technology,” saidDivyesh Patel, a member of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

 

 

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