The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
NW London, England, is Home to the Biggest Hindu Temple in the West
Apr 16, 2008
101: The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a very beautiful temple. Is it based on a traditional design?
YS: Yes, the temple, or mandir in Sanskrit, is based on the principles of ancient Indian Shilpashastras. There are many similar mandirs in India however this one is the first such traditional, ornately stone-carved mandir to be built outside of India in 800 years.
101: I believe that the actual building was carried out by the community?
YS: To construct such a huge mandir has taken an immense community effort. 5,000 tonnes of marble and limestone were hand-carved into 26,300 pieces by 1,526 different skilled craftsmen in India. The carved pieces were then shipped to England to be fitted together. Volunteers spent many hours from helping to cook for the artisans to polishing the marble, the young and old, men and women all joined in. Every weekend, they came to polish the marble, giving it the smooth finish it has today. Some even took sabbaticals from work to help.
101: What about fundraising?
YS: One fundraising activity undertaken by the teenagers was a project to collect aluminium cans for recycling. They collected over 7 million cans and 22 tons of aluminium foil over three years. To highlight the dedication of these youths, I’d like to mention 2 teenage brothers, Dhiren and Chirag, who heavily contributed to this project. After completing their homework, they would go to the parks around their home and collect all the cans that had been thrown on the ground.
Also, three national sponsored walks were organised where everyone could contribute – it was not going to be the work of one generous wallet – but the fusion of love and support of thousands of devotees and well-wishers. For us, this is the most beautiful aspect of the mandir, even more than the intricate stone carvings!
101: It is extraordinary. Who inspired these volunteers?
YS: Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, (after whom the temple is named). He has inspired millions across the world to lead a God-conscious, value-centred life. He emphasizes the importance of family harmony, community service and spiritual progress. Representing the essence of Hinduism, his compassion for humanity, universal wisdom and striking simplicity have touched many world religious and national leaders.
101: It seems more than a place of worship - what would you say its main functions are?
YS: The mandir is first and foremost a place of worship and prayer. In fact, ‘mandir’ is a Sanskrit word which means a place where the mind becomes still and the soul floats freely to seek the meaning of life and the source of peace.
In the Hindu faith, spirituality can take many shapes and forms. Complementing personal prayer is also community service. Here, many people come together with a common faith and purpose to grow spiritually, and so they forget their differences and voluntarily unite to serve society. The community benefits as a whole -- spiritually and in other useful ways such as providing health screening services, and presentations and seminars on parenting. For the younger devotees there are education seminars, careers days and even anti bullying campaigns.
101: Do you work with other charities?
YS : We do. This year we will be supporting Diabetes UK, the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes.
But remember, this is all a part of our spirituality and what we call sadhana (spiritual practices and endeavours), so the mandir remains a spiritual space, a place of worship and prayer.
- More information and directions to the mandir.
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