Did you know that there is a Hindu temple in London?
In this article, I present the Neasden temple.
It's an architecturally incredible place to visit, and I'll go with you.
Hindu temple in London: article summary
What is the Neasden temple?
To begin with, its full name is Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. For the uninitiated, Swaminarayan is a Hindu name derived from Bhagwan Swaminarayan, born in India in 1781.
At the age of 11, he embarked on a seven-year pilgrimage across the country and established his own traditions, known as Vedism. These focused on greater morality and spirituality, transcending the barriers of caste and gender.
Hindu temple in London: the rich life of its founder
On his death in 1830, he was revered as a deity and handed over the leadership to his successor. The Neasden temple is the brainchild of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's fifth spiritual successor.
His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited London in 1992 and, seeing the Hindu community based here, predicted that a grand marble temple would soon serve the people. Eager to realize his vision, the Swamishri began construction.
This is Europe's first traditional Hindu Mandir (temple). It is built according to the ancient Shilpashtras, literally meaning "the science of the Shilpas", a science of arts and crafts.
An architecturally interesting structure
It is entirely carved in stone and wood. No concrete core or steel frame supports this temple!
2,828 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone and 2,000 tonnes of Italian Carrara marble make up its structure. All materials were shipped to India to be hand-carved by skilled craftsmen before returning to London for assembly. More than 3,000 volunteers contributed to the creation of Mandir.
It then took 3 years to assemble the entire building. Considering the size of the building, this seems to have been a considerable task.
Hindu temple in London: a few twists and turns along the way
Not a single piece of stone was damaged on the journey to London. The only slight setback occurred during construction of the final arch that frames the entrance.
A piece of stone, one day before the official opening, was nowhere to be found. In the end, the craftsmen simply regrafted another stone and put it in place.
One week later, they found the missing stone!
Thus, according to Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj's prophecy that a temple would appear in August 1992, the opening ceremony took place on August 3, 1995.
A temple with a small museum
In addition to the main prayer temple, you can also enjoy an exhibition area explaining the origins, beliefs and profound influence of Hinduism.
Photography is not permitted inside the temple and museum. However, please note the location is particularly beautiful.
What are the opening hours?
The Neasden temple is open to visitors:
- Every day 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The temple organizes various ceremonies at different times of the year. I recommend that you visit the temple's website before you visit. You'll be able to find out about the different ceremonies taking place on the day of your visit.
The visit is free, but there are plenty of opportunities to make a donation to the Mandir if you wish.
London's Hindu Temple is a must-see if you want to discover this exceptional culture. Here you can enjoy architecture and a spiritual moment in the calm of Hindu ceremonies.
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