Todd Wessell
Sacred Sight
Brown cow, a sacred symbol in the Hindu religion, is paraded in front of worshippers gathered for Sunday’s dedication of the Hanuman Mandir Spiritual and Cultural Center in Glenview.
Brown cow, a sacred symbol in the Hindu religion, is paraded in front of worshippers gathered for Sunday’s dedication of the Hanuman Mandir Spiritual and Cultural Center in Glenview.
Posted: Wednesday, April 20, 2016 12:00 am | Updated: 3:57 pm, Wed Apr 20, 2016.
By TODD WESSELL Journal & Topics Editor
Flower petals dropped from a helicopter overhead. A large brown cow, sacred in the Hindu religion, was ushered in. Drummers pounding on their instruments caught the attention of the throng of worshippers who had gathered on West Lake Avenue near Pfingsten Road Sunday afternoon.
The event was the dedication of the Hanuman Mandir Spiritual and Cultural Center in Glenview, an undertaking by the local Hindu faithful of their new 40,000 sq. ft. house of worship. The center, constructed of marble, features in its front entrance a 23-ft. tall marble statue of Hanumanji, one of the most powerful Indian gods.
Local dignitaries, including State Rep. Elaine Nekritz and Glenview Village President Jim Patterson, participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony. After that, people toured the inside of the center where some fell to their knees praying to their gods.
According to Moti Argawal, a Des Plaines businessman who is a founding member of the temple, members of the congregation had considered building the temple on the grounds of the former Grazie Restaurant on Oakton Street in Des Plaines. However, the fact that it’s located within a dense business district and the available space was limited, the decision was made to locate elsewhere.
“The Glenview mayor and village board has welcomed us,” said Argawal. “Mayor Patterson is a wonderful guy. There used to be an old barn on the property, which was an eyesore.” The temple is located on 4 acres.
“There’s a huge Indian community in the area,” added Argawal. “This will be a place where all Indians can gather. People visit here from all over the country because Hanumanji is such a powerful god.” The marble statue, which weighs 46,000 pounds, was transported to Glenview from India.
While there are numerous other Hindu temples in the area, the one that opened Sunday in Glenview is the biggest, said Argawal.
Source: http://www.journal-topics.com/news/article_22ceeb26-067d-11e6-9d0e-87b7025b1a5e.html