Mandirs Inspire: A Sense of Community

Anuradha Savaliya had finished her bachelor’s degree in India in 2007 and wished to come to the United States to pursue her master’s degree. She had received admission to the university and obtained a visa! Although everything seemed to be set for her to study in the United States, she was wary about her financial situation. Should she remain at home to help her family or take the opportunity she recieved to achieve her dreams? How will she recoup her financial situation?

She decided to write a letter to Pramukh Swami Maharaj — the spiritual leader of BAPS from 1971 to 2016 — asking for guidance whether she should go to the USA to study based on her financial difficulties. Pramukh Swami Maharaj replied in the letter, “Go ahead and continue your studies in America.”

Although Anuradha was excited to come to America, the question of paying her tuition remained.

After settling into the university campus, she decided to pay a visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Edison (New Jersey). She offered her respects and prayers to the murtis and sat in the spiritual assembly that was being held that weekend. After some time, she saw an announcement on the screen, “If there is someone named Anuradhaben in the assembly today, please head to the foyer.”

Anuradha was surprised! She had not met with anyone yet, nor did she have any relatives in the US, so how did they know she was at mandir today?

Upon reaching the foyer, she met Anil and Reshma of Jersey City. Anil informed her, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj was worried about your financial situation for four days…” Anil went on to explain how he reassured Pramukh Swami Maharaj that he will take care of Anuradha while she studies in the states. “…He asked me to help with any of your financial struggles. Do not hesitate to reach out for anything.”

Anil and Reshma were so compassionate to help Anuradha with adjusting to America. Not only that, Anuradha would frequently visit the nearby BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Jersey City while at university. The devotees felt that they wanted to help relieve her financial struggles. And so, Anil along with the devotees of the mandir came together and Anuradha’s university fees completely paid for! Till this day, Anuradha still has no clue who exactly assisted with paying her tuition.

Role of Community within a Mandir

Community is an essential aspect for any human being. It is a basic need to feel connected to others and to feel a part of something larger than oneself. It brings a sense of identity and belonging. There are many different ways in which communities can form, such as based on shared location, language, faith, traditions and ideologies. In one way, mandirs — or Hindu houses of worship— have played an essential role in bringing a sense of community and bringing people together.

For centuries, the mandir has remained a hub for building community. The art ands architecture styles of a traditional Hindu mandir beget the sense of community. Most commonly seen in the architectural style of Dravida, mandirs such as the Ranganthaswamy Mandir, Chidambaram Mandir and Meenakshi Mandir house communities within the walls of the mandir. For example, the Sri Ranganthaswamy Mandir in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu contains 7 concentric enclosures — of which the outer 2 enclosures house the community — from shopping to living. The heart of Srirangam is the main mandir.

Many traditional mandirs also houses other aspects of a community. To enhance literacy, libraries of sacred Hindu scriptures are built and gurukuls (traditional scriptural education for youth) also function to sustain Hindu literature and philosophy. Community kitchens allow for pilgrims to be fed during large-scale festivals. Community halls would be built as a part of the mandir, such as the mandapam, or adjacent to the mandir for regular gatherings, weddings and other auspicious meetings.

But mandirs have played a deeper role than just providing a location for social function. They become interwoven in the fabric of the people and communities they serve. Mandirs have turned simply from a place of worship to a place of faith, dialogue, bonding and belonging.

Helping the Community

On January 26, 2001, a devastating earthquake rocked the Kutch region of Gujarat, of which the city of Bhuj was hit the hardest. Overnight, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bhuj turned into a soup kitchen and relief center. Hot meals were cooked at the mandir daily to provide meals to the victms of the earthquake. Food grains and medical supplies were stored at the mandir to be distributed to the neighboring regions. Volunteers mobilized daily at the mandir to assist in any way possible. For the next two years, the mandir became a place of refuge and assistance for the community. So much so that 1.8 million earthquake victims were provided hot meals, free medical treatment was provided to 91,000 people and aid supplied were regularly distributed to 409 villages.

[Watch a 4-part documentary about the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake and the humanitarian aid efforts.]

Mandirs not only become a source of solace and aid during times of need but become places of advocacy and care. Seva or selfless service is a core tenant of Hinduism to serve others and the environment as per one’s capacity. Hinduism understand that each individual’s soul is divine and hence should be served in any way possible. This is why community service and spirituality are so interconnected within the tradition and this is seen through the physical mandir as well.

Many Hindu mandirs host annual blood drives, health fairs, free medical check-up for the elderly and other events to help the community. Food and clothing donation drives during the holiday seasons assist those in need in the community. Mandirs also partner with local charities to reach the greater community in any way possible. These are few of the numerous efforts to build a bridge across communities.

Personal Care within a Community

Much greater than all of this is the personal care found in the people and communities in the mandir. Anuradha Savaliya was just one of many examples of how people have went out of their assist others.

It was May of 2004, when after four years, Pramukh Swami Maharaj had arrived in Flushing, New York, for the opening of the new mandir. Upon arrival, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was eager to understand the structure of the mandir and called a meeting with all those involved in its construction. Pramukh Swami Maharaj started this discussion through meeting with one of the primary contractors named Wilson Li, who is of Chinese descent. Pramukh Swamiji asked him several questions on the architecture of the mandir, and instantly connected with him.

In 2007, Wilson was tasked to lead the building of the extension for the mandir. During the process, youths would come after school or on weekends to help Wilson in any way they could. They would converse with him and make him feel at home. Elders would assist him in any small tasks, bring food and talk with him to pass the time.

Reminiscing on this memory, Wilson said, “They give love because love is reciprocated.”

The community opened their hearts because their guru — Pramukh Swami Maharaj- had an open heart. During Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s final visit to Flushing, he gave Wilson many fond memories, to which Wilson remembers to this day. Even today, Wilson offers his selfless services because he feels connected to the community.

I too was a beneficiary of the care provided by the community at mandir.

When I attended the University of Illinois, the nearest mandir was the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bloomington — a 45-minute drive. I did not have a car of my own, but the volunteers that lived near the university campus would always somehow manage to give me a ride to the mandir. I slowly began to regularly visit the mandir and offer my services there.

As more students came to campus, we would hitch a ride with someone who would have a car. Every Sunday, we would let the mandir know how many students were coming and every week, they would make additional food for us to take back to our apartments. I never had to worry about what to eat after waking up on Monday morning because of their generosity. It felt like my home away from home at the time. They not only did this for me, but for any student that would visit regularly. So much so, they went to the extent to provide us with additional food to bring back to any students who did not come that Sunday.

There even came a moment where no one on campus had a car to fit all the students to come to the mandir. One devotee heard about this and he wanted to help the students come to mandir.

On one Sunday before leaving the mandir, he came up to me and said, “Here are the keys to my old van. I got it repaired and I don’t need it right now so use it to bring all the students to the mandir. Take good care of the van and feel free to use it if you need to go shopping as well.”

Because of this, we did not have to worry any more about having transportation to go to mandir or for that face, anywhere. This is simply out of care and selfless service.

Mandirs are a center to bring the community together. The values of selfless service, positivity and compassionate care are the pillars which guides those who build and sustain such communities. Although the physical structure is one part of the mandir, it is the community within its walls that brings life to the mandir.

Mauktik Dave