OT: Grounds for Sculpture and Hindu Temple
- Thread starter tom1944
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save some time to go to DeLorenzo's in Robbinsville.
Never been to the Hindu temple bit the grounds for sculpture is great. .give yourself 3 or 4 hours there plus lunch at rats restaurant.
That Monet display on the lake is pretty cool at Grounds. It can get a little crowded on good weather weekends, so if you can go at an off-peak time that would be great.
Grounds for Sculpture you need at least a half day to try to see everything, and you definitely want to go to lunch or dinner at Rat's Restaurant right there on the grounds. I've been many times and still haven't seen everything.
I live near the Hindu temple. Refuse to go because of all the slave labor they used to build it and the multiple people, including a kid who had no right working let alone working on scaffolding, who died. Feds raided them because of conditions they were keeping the men they brough over from India on the premises. Women were living in a house that they turned into some Little Orphan Annie boarding house with windows and doors literally boarded up. All of this is available in a quick Google search.
I live in one of the condo buildings in Robbinsville. The temple rented units in the building and put multiple people in them, way over what should be there, and they lived in shifts. These were the people living in the US who came to "volunteer"...they were working 16+ hours and had nothing but a mattress on the floor.
the whole thing is appalling to me. I refuse to support it
I live near the Hindu temple. Refuse to go because of all the slave labor they used to build it and the multiple people, including a kid who had no right working let alone working on scaffolding, who died. Feds raided them because of conditions they were keeping the men they brough over from India on the premises. Women were living in a house that they turned into some Little Orphan Annie boarding house with windows and doors literally boarded up. All of this is available in a quick Google search.
I live in one of the condo buildings in Robbinsville. The temple rented units in the building and put multiple people in them, way over what should be there, and they lived in shifts. These were the people living in the US who came to "volunteer"...they were working 16+ hours and had nothing but a mattress on the floor.
the whole thing is appalling to me. I refuse to support it
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Yeah, I have seen photos shared on social media from people who visited. While it looks incredible, I can’t get over the slave labor stories and don’t want to go.
Mega +1 on the Hindu temple. Truly disgraceful.
I will share that with my wife. It is safe to say we will likely cut that out. Gives me an easier day to plan by just going to the Grounds for Sculpture
Frustrating stuff with the temple. I found several articles about violations or investigations at the local, state and federal level but no follow up articles reporting the final results on any of them.
I went once as relatives from London wanted to visit. It’s really nice, but I personally wouldn’t spend more than a couple of hours.
I actually volunteered to help the people who built the temple and got to know many of them and they were treated good for the most part and I was one-on-one with them, there might have been some of what you said but I think it was a little bit overblown. I would ask them if they were safe after giving them a checkup they said they were very happy to be in America. A juicy story like this is going to be way exaggerated but I was right in the thick of it so I think I have a good idea. I certainly don't condone any bad behavior but it was a huge project with many moving parts.
"They were treated good for the most part" is all I really need to know
But, What part do you think was "overblown"?
The men being treated as slaves?
The women in boarding houses with windows & doors actually boarded up? 33 women in 2 houses..that's 16 people per house.
The 16 y/o boy who was 45 feet up on scaffolding & fell to his death?
I can attest to 10 or more people living in 2 bedroom condos while "volunteering" to build the temple. They were covered in dirt & dust and exhausted, 6 days a week.
A lot of things that were "reported", but I was among hundreds of the workers and they were very proud of what they were doing. I do not know what a "slave" looks like or acts, but I did not get the impression they were oppressed. I surely didn't see any guarded compounds. There were thousands of workers and they may have cut some corners like jamming too many people in the into a house(horrible), but the lawyer for the property said it was immaculate inside.
The FBI was there, but no criminal charges were brought to bear and the temple denied the allegations. And a lawsuit in New Jersey is not uncommon, certainly not proof.. If proof is brought about, I did not see it ,but I would definitely change my opinion about the temple. . The workers I saw were generally tired and covered in dust because it was masonry work but they never complained to me about it and I am an American and not part of the temple. When I was in Dubai, a lot of the workers there complained about the poor conditions. . I was there during construction of this temple and can only tell you my personal experiences. The 16-year-old who died was a tragedy.
The FBI was there, but no criminal charges were brought to bear and the temple denied the allegations. And a lawsuit in New Jersey is not uncommon, certainly not proof.. If proof is brought about, I did not see it ,but I would definitely change my opinion about the temple. . The workers I saw were generally tired and covered in dust because it was masonry work but they never complained to me about it and I am an American and not part of the temple. When I was in Dubai, a lot of the workers there complained about the poor conditions. . I was there during construction of this temple and can only tell you my personal experiences. The 16-year-old who died was a tragedy.
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Packed 16 heads in a flat in Mumbai, or packed 16 heads in a luxe condo in Robbinsville...gee where would anyone feel safer and happy to be? Being poor in the USA is richer than most folks in the world will ever be.
Some of those who had claimed to have been subjected to forced labor withdrew their claims and stated that they had been coerced into making them.
Or coerced into withdrawing them? Can go both ways, no?
Not sure when you are looking to go but why not wait for warmer weather when more things are blooming and you can sit outside at Ratts.
None of us know all of what transpired. There are two sides to the story.
Heat & A/C? Refrigerator? In-unit laundry? On-demand hot water? Heck, parasite & germ-free water! Utilities installed with even a modicum of safety in mind. Why do you think everyone is coming here for a better life, in the places we wouldn't be caught dead in?
The people working at the temple didn't come to live here. They came because it's a huge honor to work building the temple. Like Catholics being invited to work on the Vatican.
The ones who came from India were oversold on what they were getting into (living in trailers, living in boarded up boarding houses). The ones that volunteered from within the US were working a little harder than they thought they would be, but also considered it an honor to be working there.
Exactly what i was thinking its all about perspective . You cant imagine the poverty in India vs a condo in NJ. Clean running hot and cold water a shower a bath a functioning toilet.
We're totally ignorant and cant fathom how bad conditions are in the third word.....
As others have said, GFS is a wonderful place with some of the best sculptures anywhere, plus they're mostly set amid lush gardens and sprawling lawns. We go a couple of times a year, sometimes with friends and have a great time, even though we've seen almost everything in their permanent collection - but there are always some new pieces, too.
Give yourself at least a half a day and if you like French-influenced modern American food, Rat's is a must as it's one of the best restaurants in NJ and is easily the most gorgeous, especially the outdoor dining on a beautiful veranda set on a pond that is an amazing recreation of the famed painting Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies. We like going around 10 am, walking around for a couple of hours, then doing lunch, and then exploring for a few more hours.
funny how things work. I had never even heard of this place until this thread and then my kids went there on Sat out of the blue.As others have said, GFS is a wonderful place with some of the best sculptures anywhere, plus they're mostly set amid lush gardens and sprawling lawns. We go a couple of times a year, sometimes with friends and have a great time, even though we've seen almost everything in their permanent collection - but there are always some new pieces, too.
Give yourself at least a half a day and if you like French-influenced modern American food, Rat's is a must as it's one of the best restaurants in NJ and is easily the most gorgeous, especially the outdoor dining on a beautiful veranda set on a pond that is an amazing recreation of the famed painting Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies. We like going around 10 am, walking around for a couple of hours, then doing lunch, and then exploring for a few more hours.
We had to skip this weekend because old timer me screwed up my knee doing squats. Orthopedic visit on Thursday. No real pain when sleeping or sitting but knee is problematic when walking and especially tight when I first get up. Not significant pain but something is going on.
good working knees and proper foot attire are mandatory for GFS. Hopefully it's nothing and you can try again in 2 weeks.
Well that sucks - good luck. Bad knees here, too (arthritis, basically, but also partially torn meniscus in each knee). My ortho basically said it's not worth getting them replaced until the pain keeps me from doing the things I like to do, like various sports (soccer, golf, softball, disc golf, etc.), although everyone I've talked to who had a knee replacement says it was a great decision to get it done. I've tried PRP (platelet rich plasma injections), steroids and PT and the first two gave some relief for awhile, while the PT has probably been more helpful.
I actually never had knee problems so hopefully this is just an injury that happened and can be fixed.
Couple of years ago I took a tumble and dislocated my shoulder. Result was surgery but have had no problems since.
I have an appointment with the surgeon who did the shoulder. This injury seems much less of an issue than the shoulder injury, but it needs to be addressed.
I volunteer at different places in the USA and India , but the poverty/filth /slums in India cannot be comprehended until you see it and smell it and breath it, in 100 degree weather. Endless slums with no trees/greenery , soul destroying. Shoes for a lot of children is a luxury. Again this is not to excuse any poor behaviour that may have occurred here. The workers were VERY GLAD to be in the USA and wanted to stay.
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I think we all understand that being packed into a NJ apartment is going to be much better than being packed into a slum. But with that said- I am curious, were these workers paid fair wage for their work? Were they allowed to do anything they would like to(if legal) during their time off? And was this job how it was described to them before they came to the US? Where the living conditions here sanitary and safe?
I don't know the answers, so that is why I am asking.
I was looking at the temples website and it seems they push the "volunteers" built the temple. Almost a comparison to Habitat for Humanity setup.
ok- so they got people to volunteer to come to another country, didn't have to pay them, put 10-20 people into a 2 br apartment and I am sure not much spent on amenities, food, etc.
Seems ok to me...