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SPECIAL FEATURE SEPTEMBER 08, 2023 | The Indian Eye 16

TOWARDS BETTER LIVING

MANDIRS INSPIRE:

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Role of Community sity of Illinois, the nearest mandir

within a Mandir was the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan
Mandir in Bloomington — a 45-min-
ute drive. I did not have a car of my
ommunity is an essential as- own, but the volunteers that lived
pect for any human being. It near the university campus would al-
Cis a basic need to feel con- ways somehow manage to give me a
nected to others and to feel a part ride to the mandir. I slowly began to
of something larger than oneself. It regularly visit the mandir and offer
brings a sense of identity and belong- my services there.
ing. There are many different ways in As more students came to cam-
which communities can form, such as pus, we would hitch a ride with
based on shared location, language, someone who would have a car. Ev-
faith, traditions, and ideologies. In ery Sunday, we would let the mandir
one way, mandirs — or Hindu houses know how many students were com-
of worship— have played an essential ing and every week, they would make
role in bringing a sense of community additional food for us to take back to
and bringing people together. our apartments. It felt like my home
For centuries, the mandir has away from home at the time. They
remained a hub for building commu- not only did this for me, but for any
nity. The art and architecture styles student that would visit regularly. So
of a traditional Hindu mandir beget much so, they went to the extent to
the sense of community. Most com- ies the spirit of community creation. haraj started this discussion through provide us with additional food to
monly seen in the architectural style It serves as a center of cultural and meeting with one of the primary con- bring back to any students who did
of Dravida, mandirs such as the Ran- spiritual enrichment, drawing peo- tractors named Wilson Li, who is of not come that Sunday.
ganthaswamy Mandir, Chidambaram ple from diverse backgrounds. The Korean descent. Pramukh Swamiji There even came a moment
Mandir, and Meenakshi Mandir intricate carvings, exhibitions, and asked him several questions on the where no one on campus had a car
house communities within the walls performances within Akshardham architecture of the mandir, and in- to fit all the students to come to the
of the mandir. For example, the Sri inspire dialogue and understanding stantly connected with him. mandir. One devotee heard about
Ranganthaswamy Mandir in Sriran- among visitors, nurturing a sense of In 2007, Wilson was tasked to this and he wanted to help the stu-
gam, Tamil Nadu, contains 7 concen- unity among all who enter its prem- lead the building of the extension dents come to mandir.
tric enclosures — of which the outer ises. In addition to the Akshardham for the mandir. During the process, On one Sunday before leaving
2 enclosures house the community — complexes in Delhi and Gadhinagar, youths would come after school or the mandir, he came up to me and
from shopping to living. The heart of India, a new Akshardham is sched- on weekends to help Wilson in any said, “Here are the keys to my old
Srirangam is the main mandir. uled to open later this year in Rob- way they could. They would converse van. I got it repaired and I don’t need
Many traditional mandirs also binsville, New Jersey, bringing the with him and make him feel at home. it right now so use it to take all the
house other aspects of a community. richness of its community to the west- Elders would assist him in any small students to the mandir. Take good
To enhance literacy, libraries of sa- ern hemisphere. tasks, bring food and talk with him to care of the van and feel free to use it
cred Hindu scriptures are built and pass the time. if you need to go shopping as well.”
gurukuls (traditional scriptural edu- Personal Care within a Reminiscing on this memory, Because of this, we did not have
cation for youth) also function to sus- Wilson said, “They give love because to worry any more about having
tain Hindu literature and philosophy. Community love is reciprocated.” transportation to go to mandir or for
Community kitchens allow pilgrims The community opened their that face, anywhere. This is simply
to be fed during large-scale festivals. uch greater than all of this hearts because their guru — Pra- out of care and selfless service.
Community halls would be built as a is the personal care found mukh Swami Maharaj- had an open Mandirs are a center to bring
part of the mandir, such as the man- Min the people and commu- heart. During Pramukh Swami Ma- the community together. The val-
dapam, or adjacent to the mandir for nities in the mandir. haraj’s final visit to Flushing, he gave ues of selfless service, positivity, and
regular gatherings, weddings, and It was May of 2004, when after Wilson many fond memories, to compassionate care are the pillars
other auspicious meetings. four years, Pramukh Swami Maharaj which Wilson remembers to this day. which guide those who build and sus-
A significant example of a had arrived in Flushing, New York, Even today, Wilson offers his selfless tain such communities. Although the
mandir fostering community can be for the opening of the new mandir. services because he feels connected physical structure is one part of the
seen in the magnificence of Akshard- Upon arrival, Pramukh Swami Ma- to the community. mandir, it is the community within its
ham, a Hindu mandir complex in haraj was eager to understand the I too was a beneficiary of the walls that brings life to the mandir.
Delhi, India. Akshardham not only structure of the mandir and called a care provided by the community at
stands as a symbol of breathtaking meeting with all those involved in its mandir. Mauktik Dave
architectural beauty but also embod- construction. Pramukh Swami Ma- When I attended the Univer- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

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