Giant Jigsaw Temple

I want to tell you guys a story about something very unusual that has happened a few miles from my home (the location of I will not expose)that has kept all surrounding communities, and anyone who see's it in awe. And tomorrow, I'll be going there with a friend, and I'm taking a camera.

One day about a year ago maybe, (doesn't seem that long ago but) I was driving down a road I've traveled on many times before and, I noticed off to my left, at the traffic light, something very startaling.

A large area of land had been cleared away and was surrounded by a big fense with black tarp covering it so you couldn't see in.

Inside this fenced area, rose a very large and blindingly bright structure that contrasted the surrounding area like black and white.
Decorated with snow white, hand carved marble columns, with what appeared to be (through the clear plastic tarp covering the top of this structure) scaffolding, and 'domes'.
I was awe struck, and felt a chill run up my spine that made my hair stand on end, if that's possible.

Well the light turned green for me to go and, I had to be notified by the honking horn behind it was my turn to go. So I hurried home and googled key words 'Mosque' 'town' 'street' etc. to try and find some information about it because I wanted to know what this thing was.
But no luck.

A few months pass by and I found myself traveling down this same road, when there it was, only this time you could see through the fence and, I was startled by what I saw there.




Rising out of the ground, in this ordanary community, was the most breath-takingly beautiful and, at the same time the most frightningly scary structure I've ever seen in my entire life. I instantly knew instantly, this had to be a Mosque. And considering it's size, and it's elaborate stonework, I knew it must be one of great importance.
I was terrified!

Needless to say, I hurried my butt home and googled it but, to my surprise, it wasn't a Mosque. But what I did find out about it, was more bizarre than anything I've ever heard before.

Here are the some of the weird results of my search with fact links, along with any pictures I could find on the net.

Located at the intersection of Rockbridge Road and Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn Ga.


It is one among the top ten largest traditional Hindu Vedic stone temples outside India.
The largest temple of the BAPS Swaminarayan sect in United States and built to last 1000 years.


This marvel of a Mandir, on a 30 acre site in Lilburn, with mind-boggling intricate carving and design is constructed of over 106,000 cubic feet and 34671 pieces of Italian Carrara marble, Turkish Limestone, and Indian pink Sandstone, meticulously hand-carved by Indian artisans according to a 5,000 year old tradition and shipped from India in containers.
The magnificent Mandir’s height, width and length are 74 feet, 136 feet and 239 feet respectively. 1.3 million Man hours of construction by dedicated and selfless volunteers have been contributed to this magnificent temple in such a short time.

The pillars of the temple are intricately hand-carved and each pillar depicts a famous incident from Hindu scriptures.
The construction of the Mandir is based on ‘Shila Shastras’ – ancient Hindu text dealing in building and sculpture techniques.

Continued

The stones were hand-carved in India and later imported to United States.
Intricate geometric patterns, rosettes, feathers, leaves and other designs which number to more than 500 were hand-carved in India.
Each section of the temple weighing from 50 grams to five tons after carving in India had a bar code.
Each section was imported was then assembled in Lilburn – just like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Temple facts and video here;

www.youtube.com...

The temple is located on 30 acres of land.
The total area of the mandir is 22442 sq. ft
The exterior of the Mandir is made of Turkish Limra limestone.
The main floor is made of Italian Carrara marble.
The ground floor and basement is made of Indian Sandstone.
Smallest stone 15 gm to largest stone of 5.2 tones.
Total stone material is 8430 tones.
Metals used zero.
Total 40,000 stone pieces.
Total stone structure 85,000 cu. Ft
The length of the Mandir is 213 feet
The width of the Mandir is 122 feet
The height from the ground is 78 feet
The width of main dome is 23’ 3”
The Mandir has tapered ceiling.
Inside and outside ‘parikarama’ for devotees to circumambulate around deities.
Number of Shikhars (pinnacles) is 5.
4 Small Pinnacles (Samaram)
Number of small domes is 6 and one large dome.
Number of Torans (arches) is 129.
Number of Zarukhas (balconies) is 4
Number of Sinhasans (throne) is 9.
Number of windows is 14.
Number of Pillars is 151.
75 ceilings with 39 different designs
Apart from this the Mandir has numerous windows and pillars, which are intricately carved, and also marble steps.
Central heating and cooling.
Under floor heating with Gel tubing.
Fiber optic lighting.


Estimated cost of the Swaminarayan temple is $19 million.

Has anyone ever heard of such a thing as this? All I can say is "WOW!"
Can someone embed this video for me please, I don't know how.
Thanks.
facts and photos

facts and photos

facts and photos

wow . that is pretty amazing !!

do you know how long it took to build ???
thanks for the post

snoopyuk

hey, I'm heading over there now. I can tell you it didn't take long at all. A year maybe. I'll find out today for sure.

I read about this somewhere. Some rich Hindu guy sponsored its building, it's supposed to be the largest and most elaborate Hindu house of worship in the USA.

But I'm curious....why were you "terrified" by a house of prayer?

[edit on 18-8-2008 by Masonic Light]

There's a similar Mandir in Sugar Land, TX

Hey I just got back from the Temple. I even went inside, but was unable to take pictures there.
The details in stone work on the inside were just unbelievably beautiful.
I learned a few more interesting facts.
There are about 5 of these Temples in the USA now, each one is unique. The next one and only one is scheduled to be built in L.A. California sometime in the future.
I was most amazed details in the stonework of the archetecture on the outside and most of all the inside, but the interlocking mechanisims of the Keystones themselves was what really had my attention.
The largest one is an 9 + ton giant cork screw of sorts, that when set in place and turned, locks all the other keystones throught the whole Temple.
When this particular 9 + ton keystone was finally set in place, a 9 gram keystone locked it in place to complete the Temple.

I do have pictures of the grounds if anyone is interested.

By the way if you did any research on these people and their religion you would find out as I did, they are a very peaceful people and religion. So my fears are no more.

Hey SnoopyUK
The stones for this building were finished in 1 year by all volunteers.
They weren't able to because of Gov. Regs to recieve and fund for it from overseas.
So all fees for transportation, property and whatever else they needed $19 million I think had to be collected from inside America.
So they received enough donations and work started.
The Temple took only 16 months to assemble by all volunteers from all over. I think it says somewhere they had to assemble from 35000 pieces.

I wish I had spellcheck

reply to post by 4x4fun


hi there,
thanks for the info,
it sure is an amazing place, i have been to many original ones in india and such, but that new one is impressive.

thanks for the thread

snoopyuk

Sorry if this is a facetious post.

Are there any erotic carvings on the temple, like I have seen before on Hindu temples?

That is incredible! I'm surprised one could accomplish such a work with volunteer help. I have seen such a temple before in our area as well.

$19 million for constructing that is a deal but maybe all the volunteer labor helps a bit. The Mandirs in both Georgia and Texas are gorgeous from the pictures you have presented. It's nice to see some monumental stonework is being added to our landscape. It will possibly be there for centuries at the very least. I wonder if any of that spanish moss will grow on it?

Wow, that really beautiful! I would love to have something like that near my home to go visit. The detail in the carving amazes me. are you allowed to take video from inside the place?

unfortunately you cannot take pictures inside. Inside there are signs saying you cannot take pictures, should be quiet and must take off shoes.
When I was there several people came in and started to lay on the floor and did what looked like push-ups while they prayed.

Very beautiful structure, indeed.

What I find funny is:

Smallest stone 15 gm to largest stone of 5.2 tones.

When this particular 9 + ton keystone was finally set in place, a 9 gram keystone locked it in place to complete the Temple.

How can there be a 9+ ton keystone when the largest stone in the structure is 5.2 tons?

And how can there be a 9 gram keystone when the smallest stone in the structure is 15 grams?

[edit on 8/28/08 by CO Vet]

I'm telling you what the guy in the Temple told me. He told me there were 5 ton stones (I think he said plural) and one 9 ton stone being the largest. If ya want to call them and ask, the number should be listed.

Just quoting what you said in 2 of your posts above. Numbers just didn't seem to agree. That's all.

certainly understandable, that was the original information that I was going on when I went there. I was surprised to find out otherwise.