LONDON mayor Boris Johnson said he was “amazed” and “impressed” during his visit to Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, northwest London, last Wednesday (May 28) when he inaugurated a state-of-the-art community and sports facility.
Johnson was the guest of honour of Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, the spiritual leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, a centre for spiritual, cultural and social welfare and parent organisation of the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Kingsbury.
A thousand-strong gathering – which included the Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band – welcomed the mayor, who sported a ‘Paagh’ or a traditional turban tied using a single piece of unsewn white cotton.
In his remarks, the Mayor said, “I am hugely impressed at what you have achieved here. London is the world’s most diverse city and what better example of that diversity than what we see here today – a traditional, magnificent mandir on one side of the courtyard and a modern sports and community centre on the other.”
Purushottam Mahal, as the hall is known, is part of the wider £20m Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Complex that also includes a traditional Hindu temple and offices for small businesses.
Organisers said the temple, while traditional in design, architecture and artistry, was built using sustainable methods and described it as an “eco-Mandir.”
The temple itself will be open in August as part of a six-day festival that will be open to the public.
During his visit, the Mayor toured the temple and its surrounding facilities, and also met members of its academies, which include traditional music and dance, sports, and young cadets of the Pipe Band.
On the day the temple also launched a cycling academy aimed at encouraging the community to use bicycles in the complex.
Temple trustee Mahesh Varsani said, “Acharya Swamishree Maharaj’s mission is to inspire the community through hubs like Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, which he has established all over the world to promote peace, spirituality, charity and community.”
