Going to the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple

[Melensdad]

My sister is married to an Indian man from Scotland who's parents are devout believers in Indian spiritualism. Not really sure what it is. I call it Indian spiritualism because I seriously don't understand it but I mean no disrespect by using the term, its just my way of expressing it in terms I understand. So as my sister and nephew are in Indiana for a visit, and as there is a major Temple a couple hours away we decided to make a short trip. Neither my sister nor brother-in-law follow this practice but it will put my sister in very good graces with her mother-in-law by making this visit!

Not abandoning my Catholic faith, but I do enjoy learning about other cultures.

We also plan to eat there. Its strictly vegetarian, but from what I gather very very bland vegetarian. No onions, garlic, etc. Should be tasty

Photos are from their website, I'll be allowed to take pictures OUTSIDE the buildings today but absolutely not inside the buildings. So this pictures are stock photos from their website >>> http://www.baps.org/Chicago

 

[pixie]

Think of all the man hours it took to do all that stone carving !!!

Wonder how they keep a white building so clean ? Anything I leave outside here gets a coat of mildew and before you know it, moss.

 

[EastTexFrank]

We had a few Indian friends when we lived in the UK. One of them was married to a lady who taught Indian cooking. I've eaten many a (meatless) meal at their house. As I remember, it wasn't very bland at all. It was pretty tasty in fact.

I do remember that she had two first names. She had the name that her parents gave her but also the name that her M-I-L gave her when she got married and came in to the family. She always used the M-I-Ls given name around the house and when with family but answered to both elsewhere.

We discussed cricket and soccer but not religion so I don't know anything about their belief system. That should be an interesting trip that you're going on.

 

[XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq]

Yeah most indian food is pretty good when done right. It is different but usually pretty good.

 

[Melensdad]

We got a personal tour of the temple, which was really amazing.

It is all Italian Marble, it was hand carved (chisel & hammer) and shipped here where it was assembled. Its built as an INTERLOCKING structure like a puzzle box. No cement, pins, bolts at all in the entire temple building, just interlocking joints and gravity.

My sister's mother in law is a member of this religion (it is a specific sect of Hinduism) and attends a sister temple outside of London. When the man at the reception desk found that out he said he would give us a personal tour and he walked us around, explained everything, we got special blessings, etc. It was really a pretty wonderful experience.

While they have "deities" those are not considered "God" as they are monotheists and believe in a single God. I'm guessing the dieties are similar to Christian Saints???

Sadly the lovely Mrs_Bob could not make it as today was the first day of her school year. She would have enjoyed it.

Standing with me in the photo is my sister ... or maybe hanging upside down in the photo?