PRINCE Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Neasden’s Swaminarayan Mandir and school on Wednesday (March 4) to celebrate the Holi, the festival of colours.
The royal couple were greeted at the London temple in the traditional manner with a chandlo, nada chadhi and garlands by the head sadhu, Yogvivek Swami.
Prince Charles offered flower petals at the shrine, and was later shown around the temple by Yogvivek Swami and chair of the board of trustees, Jitu Patel.
The BAPS (Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) Shri Swaminarayan Mandir attracts over half a million visitors annually and was listed as the largest Hindu temple outside India by Guinness World Records in 2000. It was built under the leadership of His Holiness Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Having seen the temple and its activities, the royal couple then visited the Swaminarayan school, which was set up in 1992 with an aim to provide the best elements of state and independent education, with an emphasis on the Hindu ethos.
The prince and the duchess heard traditional Indian musical instruments in a Performing Arts classroom. Prince Charles tried his hand at a small Indian drum and also spoke to children about the significance of Holi.
At the senior school, the royals visited an arts class and viewed Holi-based art exhibits.
The visit concluded at the school gym where Prince Charles and the duchess watched children playing Holi in the traditional manner by throwing coloured powder and spraying each other with water.
Keeping in the spirit of the occasion, the royals showered the students with flower petals in a symbolic gesture.
A Holi dance depicting the advent of spring followed, after which Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were presented with mementos by the head girl and head boy of the senior school.
The chair of governors, Piyush Amin, said: “It was a pleasure to show their royal highnessess firsthand the school’s curriculum. They were impressed by the manner in which culture and values are included in studies.”
Headteacher MK Savjani said, “It was so wonderful and an honour to have His Royal Highness Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at the school to celebrate Holi. They enjoyed every bit of the visit, especially the music and dance. They were impressed by the school’s exceptional performance in the results’ league tables in recent years and the fact that the children study 12 GCSEs and that the parents are so supportive.”
