Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a vacation in a while, but I’ve been increasingly drawn to the edges of Toronto. That’s why for this year’s Doors Open, I skipped the hot item Don Jail, big banks, and turbine.
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Instead, I took the long trip to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir around Finch and highway 427. The Hindu temple opened two years ago and if you’ve driven along the 427 in the area, there’s no way to miss the white structure.
What’s most striking is that in an age of steel and stucco, this structure is refreshingly basic, at least in materials used. Around 1,800 craftspeople working at 26 sites across India filled 305 containers with 10,000 tonnes with Italian marble, Turkish limestone, Indian sandstone and granite. The pieces were assembled like a puzzle (you can see red assembly marks in one of the photos) and no steel reinforcement was used in the building intended to last 1,000 years.
Standing next to the $40 million structure you get the feeling you’ve not only traveled far from Toronto, but back in time (if you can block out the highway).
The white building is the Mandir, but next to it is an equally impressively decorated wooden Haveli, which refers to a majestic mansion from 17th century India.
Once inside, the stunning carvings turn from limestone to wood or marble. Photos weren’t permitted, but there are plenty on the temple website. The centre of the Mandir, a meditation zone is really amazing. It’s like going into a cave, except the stalactites are actually load-bearing carvings. I could do without the colour changing mood lighting – not unlike our CN Tower’s new bulbs – but to each his own.
The good news is if you missed viewing this Doors Open location, they’re open to visitors everyday as long as you don’t stop in during ritual hours listed on its site.
