BAPS Temple Neasden

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu temple in Neasden, London. Built entirely using traditional methods and materials, the Swaminarayan Mandir has been described as being Britain’s first authentic Hindu temple. It was also Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple, as distinct from converted secular buildings. It is a part of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha organisation and was inaugurated in 1995 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.The Mandir was cited in Guinness World Records 2000, as follows:However, since 2000 it has been surpassed in size by other BAPS temples elsewhere. The mandir was built and funded entirely by the Hindu community. The entire project spanned five years although the Mandir construction itself was completed in two-and-a-half years. Building work began in August 1992. In November 1992, the temple recorded the largest concrete-pour in the UK, when 4,500 tons were put down in 24 hours to create a foundation mat 6 ft thick. The first stone was laid in June 1993; two years later, the building was complete.The temple complex consists of: a traditional Hindu temple, constructed mainly from hand-carved Italian Carrara marble and Bulgarian limestone. The temple is the focal point of the complex; a permanent exhibition entitled "Understanding Hinduism"; and a cultural centre, known as the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Haveli, designed in traditional Gujarati haveli architecture, housing an assembly hall, gymnasium, bookshop, and offices.

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