the Indian New Year. Many Hindus go to the temple on this day for blessings for the new year. BAPS celebrates this day with Annakut. Annakut means "mountain of food" and it represents the offering of food to god. Every year at BAPS thousands of vegetarian dishes are offered to the gods in return for their blessings. These offerings range from sweets to savory food items such as pizza. Along with Annakut, BAPS also does a New Year Aarti every hour inside the temple so that people visiting at the time can pray and receive blessings. COVID-19 Pandemic During the COVID-19 global pandemic, BAPS Charities provided relief and assistance worldwide. On April 1, 2021, BAPS Charities hosted a vaccination drive in conjunction with Prism Health Lab at the mandir. A total of 1,111 vaccines were administered to essential workers and adults with underlying health conditions. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy praised BAPS Charities for holding vaccination clinics at mandirs. Regarding the elderly, Murthy noted easier accessibility at the temples “surrounded by trusted friends in familiar settings than it may have been for some of them to get vaccinated at an unfamiliar location.” Gallery References External links Bartlett, Illinois Hindu temples in Illinois Religious buildings and structures completed in 2004 Swaminarayan temples Buildings and structures in DuPage County, Illinois Asian-American culture in Illinois 2004 establishments in Illinois Tourist attractions in DuPage County, Illinois Indian-American culture in Illinois