Several of you have written to us regarding the grand opening of Canada’s Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha<\/em> Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (that was fun to type!). The pictures, which you can view in a slideshow here<\/a>, are gorgeous<\/em>. Were any Canadian mutineers there on July 22? If so, please let us know, below.<\/p>\n\n By the numbers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n –24,000<\/strong>: the number of pieces sculpted in India, marked with a barcode and then reassembled to create the mandir.<\/p>\n\n –July 22, 2007<\/strong>: official opening<\/p>\n\n –$40 million<\/strong>: cost of construction, majority of which came from the community<\/p>\n\n –400<\/strong>: the number of volunteers who devoted their time to such an awesome project.<\/p>\n\n ::<\/p>\n\n As giddy as such architectural perfection makes me, my inner %$#@< is wondering if Dubya would have made like Harper, had this mandir been constructed somewhere in this<\/em> great nation…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Click to enlarge. Several of you have written to us regarding the grand opening of Canada’s Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (that was fun to type!). The pictures, which you can view in a slideshow here, … Continue reading After 18 months of construction and millions in fundraising efforts, a one-of-a-kind Hindu temple opened Sunday in Toronto.<\/blockquote>\n\n
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was on-hand to celebrate the official unveiling of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir<\/strong>.<\/blockquote>\n\n
Harper said the $40 million architectural marvel represents India’s and Canada’s embracement of spiritual and ethnic pluralism.<\/blockquote>\n\n
“Canada’s accommodation of diversity is not without precedent,” Harper said, addressing a large crowd.<\/blockquote>\n\n
“There have been forerunners — and of these perhaps none is as note-worthy as India.”<\/strong><\/blockquote>\n\n
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<\/strong>. [CTV.ca<\/a>]<\/blockquote>\n\n