Shivalya of Downtown Chicago
| Shivalya of Downtown Chicago | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Proper name | The Shivalya of Downtown Chicago |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 41°53′30″N 87°38′11″W / 41.891801°N 87.636342°WCoordinates: 41°53′30″N 87°38′11″W / 41.891801°N 87.636342°W |
| Country | United States |
| State/province | Illinois |
| Locale | Chicago |
| Culture | |
| Important festivals | Shiv-ratri, Vaikund Ekadashi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Nav-ratri, Janmashtami, Deepavali |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Modern |
| Number of temples | 1 |
| History and governance | |
| Date established | September 2012 |
| Website | http://www.shivalya.org/ |
The Shivalya of Downtown Chicago (SDC) is the Hindu temple and cultural center in heart of downtown Chicago, Illinois. Found and supported by humble devotees, SDC serves as a prayer and meditation center, for downtown Chicago dwellers.
- Deities adored at SDC are: Ganesh, Shiv-ling, Shiv and Parvati, Durga, Kartikey, Vishnu (Balaji) and Lakshmi, Sri Ram, Sita and Lakshman, Sri Hanuman, Sri Krishna and Radha, and Saraswasti
- Pran-pratishtha for Shiv Nagabharanam on March 10, 2013 at 9:30 AM.
Weekly events
Daily poojas start at 6:30 PM, followed by a Maha-arati around 7 PM.
- Monday: Shiv abhishek
- Tuesday: Hanuman Chalisa
- Wednesday: Group recitals
- Thursday: Sri Krishna bhajans
- Friday: Vishnu Sahasranam parayanam
- Weekends are packed with activities for both adults and children.
- Sponsored Lunch served on Sundays.
Major festivals and events
Shivalya celebrates all Hindu festivals including:
- Makar Sankranti/Pongal/Lohri: January
- Basant panchami: February
- Shiv-ratri: February or March
- Holi: February or March
- Ram-navami: April
- Hanuman Jayanti: April
- Akshay Tritiya: May
- Nag-panchami: August
- Raksha Bandhan: August
- Krishna Janmashtami: August
- Ganesh Chaturthi: September
- Nav-ratri/Dashera/Durga Pooja: Sept/October
- Karwa Chauth: October
- Deepavali/Diwali: Oct/November
- Vaikund-ekadashi: December
Special events
SDC recently celebrated pran-pratishtha of deities in 2012.
- Upcoming celebrations include Janmashtami on August 28, 2013
- Upcoming 1 year anniversary celebration on September 29, 2013
Shivalya Cultural center
Shivalya aims to be a learning center for kids growing in the downtown. Various classes are conducted for kids of all ages on Saturdays and Sundays.
SDC cultural center welcomes new and seasoned learners.
- Yoga classes
- Weekend School - Music, Arts, Religion and language
- Meditation Sessions
Facility
The temple has a prayer hall, auditorium and a library with audio and video facilities. Elevator in the building. Street and garage parking is available.
Temple hours are:
- Monday-Friday: 11AM - 8PM
- Saturday-Sunday:9AM - 7PM
Management and volunteers
SDC is managed by noble minded volunteers and bhaktas.
Presence Online
- Website: http://www.shivalya.org
- Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/Shivalyatemple
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shivalyatemple
- Google+: https://plus.google.com/104124558650747807268/about?rfmt=s&hl=en&gl=us