The domes were hoisted into place by crane on the morning of Oct. 5, following a prayer ceremony attended by dozens of congregation members. A fifth, larger dome is still to be installed at a later date.

The temple on Southeastern Avenue opened in late April. As many as 12,000 people came from Indiana and neighboring states for its inauguration, according to congregation member KP Singh, a former urban planner for the city. An estimated 15,000 Sikh families live in Central Indiana.

The domes were made in Chandigarh, India, and shipped to the United States. Singh said their arrival was delayed, in part, by disruptions to shipping routes tied to the Iran war. The building’s white exterior and gold-colored domes are prominent to motorists passing through southwest Indianapolis on I-74.

For Sikhs, the domes carry spiritual meaning beyond their appearance. Singh said they can represent crowns and a canopy of grace, while the lotus-petal pattern on their surfaces symbolizes purity: a flower that grows in muddy water yet blooms above it. The shape also evokes spiritual insight, he said, and creates a focal point above the prayer hall, where Sikh scriptures are enshrined.

The domes are made of plexiglass. In the finished design, four smaller domes will surround a larger central one.

Sikhism began more than 500 years ago in the Punjab region of South Asia. Its teachings include oneness, equality and service. More than 25 million people worldwide practice the faith, including more than 500,000 in the United States, according to the Sikh Coalition.

Singh described the installation as the final touch on the new temple’s exterior, saying the domes served as its crown.