$100 million worth Hindu temple built near Hollywood

One of the biggest Hindu temples in the US,
built at a whopping cost of $100 million near
the Hollywood city in Los Angeles has
become a major draw for its grandeur and
environment-friendly design, since its
inauguration.
The 68th Swaminarayan temple of
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam
Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) has been
built using 35,000 pieces of meticulously
hand carved Italian Carrara marble and
Indian Pink Sandstone, temple officials said.
BAPS said that it is first earthquake-proof
Mandir in the world and is expected to last
for 1,000 years.
“The Mandir is a beautiful testament to the
hard work of your congregation who has
spent several years to build this place of
worship,” Chino Hill Mayor Peter Rogers said.
“The Mandir and Cultural Center will indeed
be a place that Chino Hills can be proud of
for so many, many generations,” he said, at
the temple’s inauguration on December 23.
Using cutting edge technology to protect it
from earthquakes, the temple encompasses
five pinnacles, two large domes, four
balconies, 122 pillars and 129 archways.
The 6,600 hand-carved motifs depict a
mosaic of tales of inspiration, devotion and
dedication, along with historical figures from
Hinduism, temple officials said.
“Artisans created the carvings in India with
great love, skill and patience before the
pieces were shipped to Chino Hills,” a BAPS
statement said.
The Mandir is situated on a 20-acre site,
complete with 91 foot lotus-shaped reflection
pond, a Cultural Centre, gymnasium and
classrooms.
It is designed to “calm the mind and open it,”
said Ronak Patel, a volunteer of the BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha.
“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,” it said.
“The Mandir 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,” said Divyesh Patel, a member of
the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.