The Swaminarayan Mandir | Complete | Temple | Etobicoke; Rexdale

[harsh1802]

Hmmm...looks cool.

But is it going to be this big!?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=370653

[harsh1802]

Another link...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=287153

[KGB]

No, I suppose that one is more impressive....but the purpose of the thread was not to a "vs" one. One would expect impressive Indian cultural buildings to be in the capital city of India...not industrial Rexdale.




KGB

[harsh1802]

Sorry mate...i just wanted you folks to take a look at it. That is it.

Didn't want to start off a showdown btw those two structures...

[Skybean]

Wow. This is a great complex. Amazing details. Place this picture in Guess the City and no one would know!

[phunky]

I'd like to see a picture of it against a blue sky.

[Tuscani01]

It looks great! I used to take the 427 to the 407 for work and saw this back when it looked nothing like it does now. It sure has come a long way. Im thinking of taking the 427 tomorrow just to check it out now!

[FISHTAILS]

Originally Posted by monkeyronin

...Or its because Rexdale is cheap, and most immigrants aren't swimming in cash?

The reason why the temple went there was because of accessability and parking. As you might know, there is another Hindu temple up in Brampton, on Gore Rd. or Goreway rd, however its a pain in the ass to get their unless you live in Brampton.

If you look at the Rexdale area its surrounded by lots of highways 409,407,401 etc. As to parking, on weekends its easy to find parking in a industrial area. Have you ever gone to church on Sundays in a residential area, you can't find parking.

[yyzer]

some pics from the opening......wow.......







Harper officially opens elaborate Hindu temple
CTV.ca News Staff

After 18 months of construction and millions in fundraising efforts, a one-of-a-kind Hindu temple opened Sunday in Toronto.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was on-hand to celebrate the official unveiling of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.

Harper said the $40 million architectural marvel represents India's and Canada's embracement of spiritual and ethnic pluralism.

"Canada's accommodation of diversity is not without precedent," Harper said, addressing a large crowd.


"There have been forerunners -- and of these perhaps none is as note-worthy as India."

Located at Hwy 427 and Finch Avenue in north-west Toronto, the temple is an architectural masterpiece. Built with Turkish limestone and Italian marble, the temple was built by artisans armed with chisels, hammers and ancient Hindu doctrine outlining how a holy place should be constructed.

The entire project was created by the Hindu community both in Canada and in India. About 2,000 Indian craftsmen were hired to bring the temple to life. About 100 were brought to Toronto to construct the temple while about 1,800 were hired in India to carve out some of the intricate, detailed carvings that adorn the temple.

Harper said the fruit of the community's labour will give people a glimpse into how Indo-Canadians have influenced Canada's cultural mosaic.

"The facility will inspire visitors to appreciate how the spiritually diverse, multi-ethnic heritage of indo-Canadians has contributed to the fields of arts, science, education and pluralism," Harper said.

Here are some details about the massive project:

More than 24,000 pieces of the temple were sculpted in India -- with each of the parts marked with a bar code to facilitate construction.
The project started in 2005 and opens officially on July 22, 2007.
No steel was used in the construction. It is all stone piled on stone.
Not only did the Hindu community raise the majority of the $40 million it took to build the temple, they also served up 400 volunteers to help the project along. They did it all without asking a cent from the government.

The celebration started early Saturday afternoon with a procession in the downtown core.

Starting at 4 p.m. on the grounds of Queen's Park, a colourful parade made its way down to Wellington St. complete with music and dancers.

The parade carried several idols that were to be indoctrinated in the temple Sunday morning. It was meant as a symbolic gesture to introduce the deities to the city, their new land.

BAPS, which stands for Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, has an international following. The temple will not only offer religious services to the community, it will also hold classes and the Canadian Museum of Cultural Heritage of Indo-Canadians.

[Jai]

Here are some pics of the opening ceremony, from (copyright) la boo @ flicker, who did a great job covering it. It's a pity pictures aren't allowed inside the temple, as the inside is even more intricate if you can believe.

-Jai

-------==--=--==-------

All comments below are hers..

^ "Monumental Beauty"
























^ "This, after leaving the inside of the all stone building (it has to be experienced to be believed) gives an idea of the ornamental details everywhere inside. the ceiling here is incredible":


^ "after leaving the stroller and our shoes, we enter a different world (cool from the marble to contrast the beating sun outside). no pics inside."








^ "this is one tiny part of the entrance. it would take days to take in all of the fantastic images carved in the wood, before one even enters the temple where ever more ornate shrines exist."






^ "i've been watching this incredible building on my way home from work for what seems like years now. well, it is definitely worth the suspense, and then some."


^ "crafted by hand"


^ "this picture doesn't really do it justice. there were so many people that they had a distant parking lot and about 20 shuttle buses bringing people to the site (running all day). we missed the dignitaries (Prime Minister, the Mayor, etc.) but it was still thick with people and colour."


^ "befitting the ceremonial day"

[phunky]

Nice pics. Their idea of details is so tacky. Gold details on top. Yuck. Nauseating.
Also those stupid frilly things the put around the stairs for the grand opening celebrations. Tacky!

[Prugz]

this is the only good thing my people have done...yet they continue to build other crap like "tdot junction" which i think is a total waste of space.

[yyzer]

Incredible...

hard to believe it's in North America...just wonder how it will weather the Canadian winter..

[aberrate]

I think it's very beautiful except for the gold swirls on top, but then they probably have some spiritual significance that I'm not aware of. Some of the pics show the structure without the gold swirls and that pleases me. :p

[phunky]

Exactly. I don't let these people bother me though lol.
I just don't like gold. I find it really tacky in most uses. The only place I've seen it that I've liked it is RBC downtown.

[Taller, Better]

I think it is breathtaking... absolutely amazing. I cannot wait to see it. Is it similar to the ones that were built in London and Chicago?

[Jackie003]

Originally Posted by phunky

Nice pics. Their idea of details is so tacky. Gold details on top. Yuck. Nauseating.
Also those stupid frilly things the put around the stairs for the grand opening celebrations. Tacky!

Obviously you don't know much about Indian culture and are expressing total nonsense. This building serves a religious function and it looks absolutely amazing for those who are not ignorant to appreciate it. It is not tacky, it mimics the temples of India. Please keep your stupid comments to yourself as I have countless times to your stupid responses for a few years now. There is much worse that could be said about u. You should post a "don't post here" comment or "this thread is useless" post somewhere else forum nazi.



Have a nice day.

[phunky]

I don't CARE about what the building's purpose is or what it stands for. I am simply stating that the gold pinnacles are UGLY.
I could care less what you fucking think. I'm gonna make sure that all of you handing out insults are dealt with. Cuz everytime I've made an insult I've received a warning. And frankly it's high time some of you got some. I'm tired of the insults. I'm just as free to give my opinion on something as you are. That does not make me an idiot or a forum nazi. It just makes you a biggot.

[Jackie003]

Originally Posted by phunky

I don't CARE about what the building's purpose is or what it stands for. I am simply stating that the gold pinnacles are UGLY.
I could care less what you fucking think. I'm gonna make sure that all of you handing out insults are dealt with. Cuz everytime I've made an insult I've received a warning. And frankly it's high time some of you got some. I'm tired of the insults. I'm just as free to give my opinion on something as you are. That does not make me an idiot or a forum nazi. It just makes you a biggot.

nah actually many ppl on here give their opinions and all u do is cut them up. u don't run these boards so stop acting like u are in control, this board is for everyone. go back and read yur comments (theres tonnes of them that are so idiotic), I am referring to this post tho and u will see how stupid u sound. go back and check. I ain't a biggot so stop the name calling loser ... far from it, I was defending the temple and the hindu religion something which u have no respect for. if u don't like it then shut yur mouth, no need to even comment, its simple stop trying to be an attention whore. do ppl go to churches or mosques and say "that looks ugly"? come on fool, be a lil respectful, that's all.

P.S - stop swearing loserboy, no one wants to read yur verbal diarrheal. another respect issue.

Jebus Christmas. Sorry to everyone else who had to read that.

Ciao

[phunky]

Keep digging yourself further.

I could care less what people think when I comment on a church or a mosque. To me it's just a building. I can critique it all I want. I love this building except for the gold. Why that is such a huge deal, I'm not sure.