Chicago Hindu Temples – A Photo Tour

By on 21 Comments

(Photos by Naveen, SI & Rama Dasa)

Chicago is an embarras de richesse when it comes to Hindu temples.

Drawing devotees from near and far, and doubtless the most prominent Hindu Temple in the area, is the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Aurora.

The other popular Hindu landmark in the Chicago area is the Rama Temple in Lemont.

Housed in sprawling campuses, both Balaji Temple and Rama Temple cater to three groups of supplicants – humans, cars (car pooja) and buildings.

Besides rendering divine benediction, the temples also address the bellowings in their devotees’ stomachs through popular canteens.

We dined at both Chicago Balaji Temple and Rama Temple Canteens during our last visit to Chicago.

Besides the Balaji Temple and Rama Temple, Chicago is also home to other temples like Sai Baba Mandir, Gayatri Gyana Mandir, Swaminarayan Mandir and Hari Om Mandir.

Here is a photo tour of SVS Temple in Aurora, Rama Temple in Lemont, BAPS Mandir in Bartlett, Manav Seva Mandir in Bensenville and Jain Temple in Bartlett.

SVS Temple Aurora, IL

Aurora Balaji Temple PondA Panoramic view of Balaji Temple in Aurora, IL

Aurora Balaji Temple GateMain entrance gate to abode of Balaji in Chicago

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Abode of American Balaji in Chicago

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Chicago Balaji Temple (from SI Collection)

Chicago Balaji Temple StepsSteps leading to divine blessings of Balaji

Devotees at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Devotees at Chicago Balaji Temple

Murugan at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Valli-Murugan-Devasena at Chicago SV Temple  (SI)

Elephant at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Elephant on Chicago Balaji Temple Wall

Elephant at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple Aurora, IL Elephant Chariot on Chicago Balaji Temple Wall (SI)

Aurora Balaji Temple PondMan-made Pond at SVS Temple, Aurora

Chicago Balaji Temple Parking LotParking Lot at Balaji Temple, Chicago

Rama Temple Lemont, IL

Rama Temple Lemont, IL Chicago Rama Temple (from SI Collection)

Ram Parivar at Rama Temple Lemont, IL Rama, Sita, Lakshman at Rama Temple, Lemont, IL (SI)

Radha Krishna at Rama Temple Lemont, IL Radha Krishna at Rama Temple (SI)

Swami Vivekananda Statue at Rama Temple Lemont, IL Swami Vivekananda at Rama Temple (SI)

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett, IL

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett, IL BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett, IL(from Rama Dasa)

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett, IL Pond at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett
(Rama Dasa)

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Bartlett, IL BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Garden Bartlett
(Rama Dasa)

Manav Seva Mandir Bensenville, IL

Manava Seva Mandir Bensenville, IL Manav Seva Mandir Bensenville, IL
(Rama Dasa)

Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago Bartlett, IL

Jain Center of Chicago Bartlett, ILJain Temple Bartlett, IL (Rama Dasa )

Related Stories:
Jain Gods of America – A Photo Tour

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21 Responses to "Chicago Hindu Temples – A Photo Tour"

  1. Naveen   August 4, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    Your photos of the Balaji temple seems to be several years old. When did you visit?

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    Late 2004.

    There was a lot of construction activity going on. You can see the scaffolding on the side of our picture.

    • Naveen   August 4, 2011 at 5:08 pm

      Thanks for fixing my mexican sounding balaji 😉

  2. Naveen   August 4, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    I got this message when I posted my comment and no! i did not post it twice…

    “Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!”

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    No idea, why.

    We added the Like/Dislike button since some users clamored for that repeatedly.

  3. Naveen   August 4, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    Need pics of the BAPS temple?

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    Sure, as long as they are yours.

    We’ll add them to the bottom below the Rama temple pictures.

    • Naveen   August 4, 2011 at 4:44 pm

      Yes, they are mine. I will send some later tonight.

      SearchIndia.com Responds:

      Thanks.

      • Naveen   August 14, 2011 at 10:29 pm

        Got some new pics of BAPS today… you may post it if you like.

        SearchIndia.com Responds:

        Please e-mail.

        • Naveen   August 14, 2011 at 10:56 pm

          Sent. I had to split it into multiple emails.

          SearchIndia.com Responds:

          Thanks. Got it.

    • rama dasa   August 4, 2011 at 5:09 pm

      if you want pics of BAPS or any other mundir in chicago, I have lots of them i would be happy to send you,also if anyone wants pics of the mundirs in ohio i would also like to share those.

      SearchIndia.com Responds:

      As long as the pictures are yours, please send them. Thanks in advance.

      We’ll add the Chicago pictures to this post, assuming they’re not repetitions.

      • rama dasa   August 4, 2011 at 5:24 pm

        i tried sending the email but got “delivery failed” notice,email me and I will send the pics,thanks

        SearchIndia.com Responds:

        Got it. Thanks.

        But which Swaminarayan Temple is this? Apparently, there’s more than one Swaminarayan Mandir in the Chicago area.

        • rama dasa   August 4, 2011 at 6:17 pm

          it’s baps,i have several ISSO,ISSM pics but not on this computer(at a pals house)

          SearchIndia.com Responds:

          Is this in Bartlett, IL?

          • rama dasa   August 4, 2011 at 6:35 pm

            yes it is, actually the BAPS and Jain mundirs are located within like one mile of each other (i visited both in one evening back in may of 2010) if there are any Jains reading this,you MUST visit the jain mundir in bartlet, it’s the second most beautiful mundir in chicago next to BAPS.

            SearchIndia.com Responds:

            Thanks.

      • முனிAndy   August 4, 2011 at 5:39 pm

        Presence of Rama Dasa completes a religious article on SI.

        Actually any article on SI is incomplete without a Rama Dasa comment.

        He (if he were a She, then she would have been a Dasi) has input on all kinds of subjects.

        SearchIndia.com Responds:

        But this post is straight up his alley.

        • முனிAndy   August 6, 2011 at 12:48 pm

          yay! my comment (or was it SI’s reply to it) became certified fresh.

          SearchIndia.com Responds:

          Friends & Family helping you out?

          • rama dasa   August 6, 2011 at 4:43 pm

            i liked it myself once (hey it’s about me!),so the other four were probobly his or from someone in his family

            SearchIndia.com Responds:

            You are probobly (sic) right.

            Oh, well, time for some Falafel, Gajar Halwa & Gin.

          • rama dasa   August 6, 2011 at 6:04 pm

            the giant eagle where i live has some nice packaged gajar halwa,I dont know if they have GE in your state……..

            SearchIndia.com Responds:

            No Giant Eagles here, only Food Lions and Acmes.

          • முனிAndy   August 7, 2011 at 4:02 pm

            maybe.. or I may have found a workaround to do it myself.

            SearchIndia.com Responds:

            Now, don’t you get us worked up.

            As it is, we’re in a bad mood over a mediocre Chettinad meal.

  4. sam   August 5, 2011 at 2:42 am

    Self proclaimed atheists ! and writing article bout temples! what irony! ippavavathu unmaiye othukonga. ivalavu vayasu aayi innum budhi varale! ha ha

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    Sometimes in life, it’s better to shut one’s trap and be suspected of being a dunce than to open one’s mouth and confirm the suspicion.

    Writing about a temple or putting some pictures doesn’t make an atheist a devout believer. By stretching your warped asinine logic, a visit to the Taj Mahal would make anyone a follower of Al Qaeda.

    • sam   August 6, 2011 at 11:43 am

      When it comes to replies, none can beat SI!

      • abhi220   August 6, 2011 at 8:52 pm

        SI may have deleted all the beat downs. Who knows? 😉

        SearchIndia.com Responds:

        As we’ve said on more than one occasion, we can’t dick around with the Likes/Dislikes.

        • abhi220   August 7, 2011 at 2:06 am

          Who mentioned about likes/dislikes.
          I was merely mentioning about the posts/replies you may have deleted which you got from members.

          SearchIndia.com Responds:

          When you have nothing to say, tis’ better to say nothing!

  5. Dr.Logu   August 6, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    Sorry for the dislike on the reply to Sam’s comment.. I thought it was meant for Sam

    SearchIndia.com Responds:

    Sweetie, it’s a free world.

    You can Like/Dislike us and/or the others to your heart’s content. 😉

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