My Panch Tirthi in the USA: A Divine Sunday 

This Sunday, June 28, I was in Atlanta and felt a strong desire to visit the Jain temple. What started as a simple visit to the Derasar slowly turned into a beautiful spiritual journey — one that reminded me of home, family, faith, and the invisible grace that guides us.

Stop #1: Jain Center of Greater Atlanta — The Derasar

I entered the Derasar at 11:45 AM, and to my surprise, the Aarti began within five seconds. What a wonderful and divine sight it was to get the opportunity to do Aarti of Arihant Bhagwan — the ones who have conquered their inner enemies.

It felt heavenly.

I have always loved visiting spiritual places. They help us reconnect with our soul and experience peace, stillness, and tranquility. Every time I visit a temple, I am reminded that there is much more to life than the material things we chase every day.

Arihant Paramatma — the one who conquered inner enemies, guided countless lives, and ultimately attained liberation — reminds us that the real battle is not with the world outside, but with the enemies within.

As they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Since Savannah does not have a Jain Derasar nearby, I spent my own sweet time at both the Shwetambar and Digambar temples before departing.

In the parking lot, I looked up nearby temples online. Something within me clicked, and I thought:

Why not visit as many temples as I can today?

Stop #2: Siddhi Vinayak Mandir

My next stop was Siddhi Vinayak Mandir, located inside Global Mall in Norcross.

The moment I entered, it reminded me of the famously renowned Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, where I used to go often during my undergrad days.

Old memories came rushing back.

Once again, it was a calm, mesmerizing, and peaceful experience.

Stop #3: Shree Sadhana Mandir

This temple was also located inside Global Mall. As the name suggests, it truly carried the feeling of Sadhana — a spiritual learning environment — right in the middle of a busy mall.

There, I met Acharya Joshiji, who warmly welcomed me to Atlanta. 🙏

Twist in the Tale

By this point, I had completed three temple visits.

It reminded me of the Panch Tirthi day trips we do back home in Gujarat, India, with Dada, Dadi, and family — and most recently with Papa and Mummy in March 2026.

For us, Panch Tirthi means visiting five Jain temples around Ahmedabad in one day.

And suddenly, I exclaimed to myself:

Let’s do a Panch Tirthi in the USA!

Because, why not?

Stop #4: Umiya Mataji Mandir — Macon

I had started my journey from Atlanta/Norcross and was now heading back toward Savannah. I remembered Ubani from work once mentioning a magnificent Hindu temple in Macon, which happened to be on the way.

I looked it up, and that became my next stop.

As soon as I reached the campus, the temple facade instantly reminded me of beautiful temple structures back in India. It was mesmerizing.

Upon inquiring, I learned that the temple was built around 23 years ago as a religious, spiritual, and community space for the people of Macon.

What truly caught my attention was the beautifully and intricately carved wooden structure above the deities in the main temple. It was breathtaking.

While exploring the temple, I met Mr. D. S. Patel, who happened to be one of the key people involved in bringing this project to life. He was extremely humble and generously shared his experience with me.

He told me how, back in the day, only a handful of people came together and gathered funds dollar by dollar from the community to lay the foundation of this temple. Today, the temple stands tall and continues to support the community.

One thing Mr. Patel emphasized deeply was honesty.

“Be honest in whatever you do.”

He shared a simple principle: when operating a store, if a customer forgets a few cents, do not keep that money in the register. Keep it separately. If the customer returns, give it back. If they do not, donate it or give it to someone in need.

And he said this does not apply only to cents — the same ideology applies even to hundreds or millions of dollars.

He also shared that even small things matter. For example, if a vendor offers to take you out for lunch, avoid accepting it if it creates even a small obligation to reciprocate in a commercial way later.

Such basic and simple values are often the real keys to success.

I truly saw that in Mr. Patel.

Stop #5: Shree Swaminarayan Mandir — Loyadham, Macon

Maps showed one more temple in Macon — Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Loyadham. I headed there directly because I did not want to miss the opportunity while I was already in Macon.

Upon arriving, I initially thought the doors were closed. Fortunately, when I checked, the temple was open.

It was a beautifully designed temple with a strong feeling of positivity and calmness. I met members of the committee there, and they warmly insisted that I have Prasad dinner.

I was humbled.

It felt like pure coincidence, and yet it was exactly the right time for dinner.

I was grateful to meet such sevabhavi people and learn about the Swaminarayan Loyadham Guru Parampara and the broader community. It is amazing how, sometimes, the dots automatically connect.

And with this, my Panch Tirthi in the USA was complete.

The Journey Back

As I drove back to Savannah after completing my Panch Tirthi, the day gave me one last unexpected moment — my rear right tire went flat on the way.

But somehow, there was no chaos.

I found an exit, got help, had the tire patched, and finally reached home at 12:45 AM. The journey had started with Aarti and ended past midnight, with one quiet lesson: when the heart is steady, even the roadblocks feel manageable.

Looking back, I truly felt that the calmness I had carried from the temples stayed with me throughout the journey. The day had begun in devotion, continued through five sacred places, and ended with a gentle reminder that grace does not always mean the absence of difficulties. Sometimes, grace is simply the strength, timing, and peace to move through them.

Energy, Frequency, and Vibration

Today reminded me of the famous Nikola Tesla quote:

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.”

That day, I felt exactly that.

The energy of the temples.
The frequency of faith.
The vibration of peace.

A simple Sunday turned into a spiritual journey I will always remember.

— D. K. Kamdar