One of the most beautiful buildings in London is some miles out of the city centre. Located between the new Wembley stadium and an Ikea superstore, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was opened in 1995. It was the first purpose built temple in Europe and is cited by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest Hindu temple outside of India.
I visited the temple on Friday with a group of work colleagues. I'm glad I went - I've always meant to visit the temple. Sadly, photography was forbidden inside the Mandir itself so no pics of then inside.
That's a pretty impressive building. I've never seen it myself, but I expect many of my friends have been there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love the intricate stonework on those temples!!
ReplyDeleteIt's intriguing to have a relatively new-ish structure look so old as though its been there for centuries.
ReplyDeleteKnow what I found funny? That it's called BAPS. In the States that's a fond acronym for Black American Princess, and there's even a movie with the same title. I'm thinking that's NOT what the Temple acronym stands for, though.
It was even more beautiful inside the temple. I will see if I can find some images
ReplyDeleteIt certainly isn't Black American Princess, EWBL! Acvtually there is a similar Mandir in Housdton. In Stafford?
It reminds me of the Jain temple in Ranakpur (Rajasthan) in India. I think they have the same architecture.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Hindu temple is in Khajuraho in India.
I can see why you like the Khajuaho Temple. Alas I don't think the not-wife and I are supple enough for some of those activities anymore!
ReplyDeleteI once went to a very beautiful temple in Ghandinagar. It was attacked by terrorists in 2002.
ReplyDeleteSenseless.
Utterly senseless Elizabeth. Like the bomb attacks on mosques in Iraq. WHat do the terrorists hope to achieve except murder and sacrilege.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's a gigantic Temple outside Houston. Our homeschool group toured through their ornate gardens last year but we couldn't make it.
ReplyDeleteIf you get the chance to have a visit (epecially the Mandir itself) go! THe garden at the London temple is small (space restrictions but other temples have much larger gardens
ReplyDeleteTo answer all questions as I belong to BAPS: Bochansanwasi Akshar Purushottam Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). There is a temple in Staffor (houston), tx, chicago, atlanta, USA and toronto, canada.
ReplyDeleteThe one that was attacked by Terrorist in Gandhinagar, belongs to BAPS. It is known as the Gandhinagar Akshardham.
And Sonia, honestly, you are on a blog for something religious.
I know this blog was posted a while ago but I just happened to come across this. If you are still interested in more images, please check the following link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mandir.org/photogallery/index.htm
For more information on the temple itself, feel free to view the temple's official website:
http://www.mandir.org/
THanks for the links. I'll check them out.
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