the CanadaVisa Team - 23 July, 2015
Over the past two years, 2,000 volunteers have worked together to erect the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Canada's first marble Hindu Temple. The $40 million temple is being celebrated as an architectural wonder, constructed with ancient techniques and spanning 95,000 square feet.
The temple is made up a series of pieces, crafted by specialized Indian artisans in the ancient Vedic tradition. The 24,000 pieces of Italian marble and Turkish limestone were shipped to Toronto by boat where they were assembled "like a massive jigsaw puzzle with interlocking sections." Using no nails and no steel, the temple is held together through the sheer force of gravity.
Toronto's local Indian and South Asian community raised the money to build the impressive temple, which will teach visitor's about Ontario's Indo-Canadian community. Along with its area of worship, the temple houses a meeting hall, and a museum focusing on Indo-Canadian history and culture.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty were on hand for the official opening of the temple. "Ontario has a large, vibrant Indo-Canadian community and such a strong commitment to celebrating our diversity and I know this Mandir will thrive here," stated Premier McGuinty. "I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to build this beautiful complex – it is a wonderful gift to Ontario and to Canada ."
