While recently in Chicago, I visited the Balaji Temple . Truly a magnificent temple. And you feel the 'presence' of the Supreme Being very strongly. The services are performed in traditional Tirupati style and despite the crowds, the priests take their time chanting the mantras clearly. There are no short cuts here. Inside the temple all my worries seemed to disappear and I felt very relaxed. I even wondered if they would let me spend the night there. I understood what it would be like 'to surrender.'
They have a very nice canteen as well, which serves idlis, medhu vadas, dosas, upma, tamarind rice, curd rice, sambar rice and of course the delicately compacted rich soft boondhi ladoos. Guess what I got?
It is in the midst of a major expansion and thus these odd angle pictures. I was trying not to get the scaffolding and the unfinished parts. Even for this expansion they have brought in the “shilpis” from south india who are well versed in the art.
Visit it and know what it would be like 'to surrender.'
See visit to the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, IL.
Arun Shanbhag 