The new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chigwell, Essex, was inaugurated in the presence of Anandswarupdas Swami and Bhadreshdas Swami, senior swamis visiting from India, on Saturday 9 June 2018.
The new mandir (Hindu temple) will not only serve as a place of worship for the large and enthusiastic local Hindu community, but also as the hub of children’s, youth, educational, healthcare and other charitable activities for BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) in the wider East London area.
His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of BAPS, had performed the murti-pratishtha of the Mandir – a special Vedic ceremony infusing the images with the divine presence of the deities – on 8 October 2017.
Following the murti-pratishtha ceremony in October 2017, volunteers worked tirelessly for the completion of the adjoining cultural complex. The festivities on 9 June marked the culmination of their endeavours.
The inauguration was marked with a grand mahapuja (Vedic prayers for peace and righteous prosperity) in which hundreds of worshippers as well as members of the local community participated. This was followed by an enlightening cultural programme of devotional singing and discourses from swamis who explained the historical context and significance of mandirs, and the peace and fulfilment that they provide to endless people.
A series of short video presentations charted the development of spiritual and community activities in East London, and the history of the new mandir project.
A number of prominent guests were present for the opening, including Dame Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, and Cllr Darshan Sungar, Cllr Gagan Mohindra and Cllr Aniket Patel as well as all members of the Epping Forest District Council.
Girish Patel, one of the leading volunteers of the Mandir, shared, “The Mandir will play an important role in the East London region and we are delighted to see so many members of the local community coming together to celebrate this momentous occasion with us.”
