Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir sits just off Milwaukee Avenue and is one of the most distinctive buildings in Wheeling — a white temple with traditional Indian architectural detail in a setting otherwise dominated by strip malls and motels. The temple is open to visitors outside service times.

Visit modestly dressed and remove your shoes at the entrance. There is usually someone happy to explain the meaning of the carvings and rituals.

things to do sight
A story
The Wheeling mandir was the first BAPS Swaminarayan temple in the Midwest, built in 2004 by the BAPS Hindu organisation and serving the suburban Chicago Gujarati community. The white-painted exterior and ornate interior are unusual to find on a six-lane Illinois suburban road, and the temple is a useful reminder of how Wheeling's immigrant communities shape the area.