CHICAGO: It will be a dream come true for many a devotee of Hanumanji in Glenview and surrounding suburbs of Chicagoland with the Hanuman Spiritual and Community Center formally conducting a Bhumi Shuddhi puja for establishing a Hanuman temple along with a facility for community and spiritual activities for people of all ages.
The Center headed by Dr Chandra Khurana and a group of Indian Americans, searched for a few years for a suitable site on the north side of Chicago for the temple and community center and finally found a 4.1 acres of land in Glenview and decided to construct a 37,200-square-foot, two-story building at 3623 West Lake Ave. The plan has received the blessings of village trustees.
Mary Bak, planning and economic development director, said the facility would be the first Hindu temple in Glenview. The property was once used as storage for used and antique cars and motorcycles.
On a wet, cold and snow-filled day of December 14, 2013, some 170 dedicated devotees of Hanuman Ji assembled to celebrate the Bhumi Shudhi. The auspicious occasion marked the beginning of realization of a long cherished dream of the Indian community residing in the northern suburbs of Chicago.
Despite aggressive weather outside, the devotees made themselves comfortable amidst the make-shift heaters inside an old and humongous barn-like structure. The event was enjoyed by all amidst the chanting of Mantras and chanting of Hanuman Chalisa by Shri Keshav Ji. The Havan Yagna was performed by priest, Nagendra Rao, followed by Aarti.
A slide show was presented by young and energetic devotees for the general information to outline the essential features of the prospective project. The devotees were shown the design and provided the essential details of the Mandir. Dr Khurana told this paper that the Hanuman Ji idol will be carved from Jaipur Marbles in India and it would be 20 ft plus in height, probably the tallest of its kind in USA. Impressed with the details, a large number of devotees made their contributions for the project and also assured continued support in future.
At the conclusion, hot Prasad was provided in carry-out boxes which was graciously donated by Shri Jain of Viceroy of India restaurant. Everyone was presented with a framed pocket size picture of Hanuman Ji along with a hard cover copy of Hanuman Chalisa. The religious gifts were donated by Moti Agrawal and Dr. Khurana.
The project will include a Hanuman Mandir and a community center. The Community Center will serve the long standing desire of the community to have a multi-faceted public place to celebrate various cultural, spiritual and educational programs.
In a talk to this paper Dr Khurana said that beside Hanuman Ji idol, there will be idols of other deities like Ram Parivar, Shiv Parivar, Radha Krishna and Ganeshji. The project is expected to be completed in about a year’s time.
The two-story religious institution will have a parking lot with 143 stalls according to village documents. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
The Village of Glenview was impressed to note that the Community Center will benefit members of all communities and will offer a very broad-based opportunity of social interaction.
“In building the temple in Glenview, it is the goal of the Hanuman Temple to create a safe and peaceful place for prayer, meditation and reflection for attendees and members of the public at large for generations to come,” the temple’s representatives explain in city documents. “Worship and prayer are central tenets of Hinduism, as they cultivate devotion to God and become assets for devotees as they progress in life.”
Currently, there are 75 to 100 members of the temple, but many more could be expected to attend during special festivals, including Diwali in the fall and Holi in March. Dr Khurana said that all major Hindu festivals will be celebrated at the temple besides holding educational and spiritual programs.
Ramesh Soparawala
Indfia Post News Service
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