MAGNIFICO TEMPLO AL SEÑOR VISHNU EN ATLANTA, EU

Magnificient Temple in US

Just to add a few interesting facts about Hindu ancient Architecture. This temple has no Metal embedded in it. (Not even a single screw or nail ! ) No Mortar has been used for the construction.

All Stones are interlocked and provide the necessary support.

Staires leading to the basement (About 10' wide ! !) are supported only on one side by burying them in the solid stone wall.

The one in Illinois (Bartlett) was considered the biggest in US prior to this one in Atlanta.

The entire temple was constructed in India and then broken down piece by piece bar coding all of the stones. Shipped to USA and re-assembled on site with a Gantry crane.

Combination of Limestone on the outer side and Marble inside provides a life expectancy of 60,000 years.

Gathered these facts while talking to the priest at Bartlett temple while it was being built.

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 .

Ramesh Naik
http://in.mc949.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rameshsairam@gmail.com