BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Fun: Visiting a Hindu Mandir

Learn: Culture

There is a large white building near the Toronto Pearson International Airport, which can be seen from the 427 highway north of Finch. This is an Hindu temple BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Swaminarayan was a religious leader who founded the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism in the early 19th century. In 1826 he wrote a book on social principles. By the time of his death in 1830, Swaminarayan had amassed 100,000 devotees and 3,000 monks. His philosophy has attracted followers of various religious backgrounds, including Muslims and Christians.

Hinduism is not a religion based on a specific belief, but a set of belief systems that integrate Brahmanism, Buddhism, other folk religions, and ancient Indian philosophical systems, moral traditions, and national culture, and believe in the cycle of life. And each sect branch is not consistent in belief. Hinduism, like Brahmanism, is a polytheism. Among the polytheism, Brahma (the god of creation, the god of wisdom, and the mount is a peacock), and Vishnu (the god of maintenance. Usually, the king is dressed in a blue face and sits on a lotus) , Shiva (the god of destruction, with dual personalities of creation and destruction. The mount is a bull). The three gods are the main gods.

Haveli: Intricately hand-carved in Burmese teak, the Haveli reflects the traditional wooden courtyard craftsmanship of India. The word Haveli refers to a majestic mansion (often royal courts), which was popular in India during the 17th century. The Haveli’s beautiful architecture begins with hundreds of figures of musicians, poets, and dancers carved into the portico, welcoming all visitors in traditional Indian manner.

Mandir: The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is Canada's first traditionally hand-carved stone and marble Mandir built according to the principles of ancient Indian Shilpshastras, in an extraordinary tradition that dates back many millennia. All the masonry of a Hindu Mandir is in itself load bearing, with no reinforcement from ferrous material such as steel, even in the foundations! Thousands of tonnes of fine marble and limestone have been hand-carved by skilled artisans.

Exhibition: Located in the ground floor of the Mandir, the Understanding Hindu Dharma Exhibition is Canada’s premier exhibition dedicated to showcasing and promoting the understanding of the history, civilization, diversity and cultural heritage of Canadians whose ancestry originates from India.

(Source: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Toronto)

Address: 61 Claireville Drive, Toronto, ON M9W 5Z7

Notes for visitors:

We appreciate the Guru of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir opening their religious place for visitors. Please respect all visitors guidelines to ensure worshippers can enjoy the spiritual ambience. Here are a few of them:

• Footwear must be removed at the first floor.

• All clothing must cover shoulders and knees. Sarongs will be available.

• Photo and video taking are allowed only outside of the building.

• Do not touch or lean against delicate carvings.

Photo: By Xin Yi Zhang (2016)