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Posted in Texas January 19, 2017 by Katie Lawrence

Not Many People Realize This Incredible Palace Is Hiding In Texas

Is the Taj Mahal on your bucket list of places to visit in your lifetime? If so, today is your lucky day because you can visit the closest thing to it without even leaving Texas. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford (just outside of Houston) is a breathtaking Hindu temple that looks as if it belongs in India. It’s open to the public daily and is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in a new culture and become more worldly – not to mention the fact that it’s absolutely awe-inspiring to look at.

The mandir, which took 28 months to complete, consists of over 33,000 pieces of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone.

It's the largest Hindu temple in Texas and was modeled after guidelines spelled out in ancient texts.

Spanning over 22 acres, the grounds include not only the temple but also a cultural center and an exhibit that teaches visitors about Hinduism.

The congregation gathers weekly, much like in Christian churches, for devotionals, scripture study, and youth activities such as heritage and music classes.

Community involvement is very important to the mandir. It hosts an annual Women's Day celebration, walkathon, and health fair.

If you look closely at the architecture, you'll see intricately carved deities, musicians, dancers, elephants, horses, flowers, and geometric patterns.

All of the pieces were carved in India and fitted together like a giant jigsaw puzzle to be shipped to Houston in crates.

Inside the temple, monks worship marble statues of Hindu deities many times throughout the day. The murtis, as they're called, are said to contain the living presence of the divine being.

Visitors are welcome daily to admire the breathtaking palace-like building and become more educated on Hindu culture and religion.

I guarantee you'll feel more like you're in India than Texas.

This isn’t the only incredible architectural marvel in Texas. We have castles and even an underground labyrinth!

Have you ever been to the BAPS Shri temple? Is it just as majestic in person as it is in photos?

Katie Lawrence

Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing. Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.