The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Chicago, Illinois is a traditional Hindu place of worship built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is headed by Mahant Swami Maharaj, is a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya within Hinduism. The mandir is located in the Chicago suburb of Bartlett and opened on August 7, 2004. It was built of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone. The mandir is the largest of its kind in Illinois and was constructed in accordance to the Shilpa shastras. The mandir complex spreads over 27 acres and includes the mandir and the haveli. Daily rituals The central shrine of the mandir houses the murti of Swaminarayan, with Gunatitanand Swami to his left, together worshipped as Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj. Other shrines hold the murtis of Ghanshyam Maharaj, Harikrishna Maharaj, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, Sita-Ram, Hanumana, Ganesh, and the lineage of BAPS gurus who are Swaminarayan's spiritual successors in BAPS. The Swaminarayan swamis offer devotional worship by performing the aarti ritual five times throughout the day and offering food to the deities . Aarti is a ritual where devotees sing the glory of God while a lighted wick is circulated before the murtis. Food that has been offered to the deities is considered sanctified, and is distributed to devotees as holy prasadam. Shrine doors are closed when food is being offered and when the murtis are put to rest. Mandir activities Followers gather for weekly assemblies in the haveli where devotional hymns are sung and discourses on Hindu scriptures are conducted. The mandir also organizes activities for the youth, such as Hinduism classes, traditional Indian music classes, Gujarati classes, leadership seminars, and charitible initiatives. Some of the major festivals celebrated annually include Ram Navmi, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. Marking the Hindu New Year, Diwali is one of the grandest Hindu festivals, and attracts many visitors and devotees to the mandir. Tours Tours of the mandir can be scheduled for individuals, groups and educational institutions. Group visits are available on weekends and holidays and can be scheduled from 10AM to 5PM Monday to Saturday, and before 12PM on Sunday. Tours can be scheduled through the mandir's website. History In 1972, at the behest of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, a small group of devotees in Chicago began gathering in homes to hold spiritual assemblies. The number of followers grew after Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Chicago in 1974, 1977,