Image Source: X/ The Royal Family
King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a special visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London, on Wednesday, October 29, to mark the temple's 30th anniversary. The visit was a milestone for the royal couple, as the Mandir is Europe's first ever traditional Hindu stone temple, opened in 1995.
Throughout the visit, the King and Queen participated in Hindu prayers and rituals within the temple complex. The royal couple walked barefoot across the holy grounds, folded their hands to greet, and greeted warmly devotees and representatives of the temple. Photos from the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the royal family depicted them offering prayers, welcoming visitors, and gazing at the complex carvings of the Mandir.
"Celebrating 30 years of Neasden Temple! Today, The King and Queen attended Europe's first traditional Hindu stone temple. As part of today's visit, Their Majesties greeted worshippers and representatives from community and social impact organisations that the Temple supports, such as The Felix Project and Women of the World (WoW).
The AFP reported that King Charles had undergone a traditional Hindu welcoming ceremony officiated by Head Priest Sadhu Yogvivekdas Swami. The priest conducted the nadachadi ceremony, a religious ritual of tying a holy thread, which is symbolic of peace and friendship. The 76-year-old king took off his shoes when going into the main shrine as a sign of respect. Both the Queen and the King were decorated with flower and pearl garlands while on their tour of the temple.
One of the most poignant moments was when 11-year-old Dev Patel, a south-east London devotee, conducted a petal-offering ceremony in front of the divine image of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. King Charles viewed the ritual with his hands clasped and afterwards greeted the devotees with a "belated Happy Diwali." He also witnessed the abhishek ceremony (sacred bathing ritual) of Shri Nilkanth Varni Maharaj, the teen incarnation of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, led by the Patel family.
Head Priest Sadhu Yogvivekdas Swami, in his welcome speech, revered the Mandir as "the home of God", describing it as having become "an integral part of the religious, cultural landscape of our great nation".
He continued, This is all inspired and guided by our spiritual leader, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, and the values that he embodies – values such as compassion, respect, harmony, values such as humility, sincerity and integrity. All values that Their Majesties have also embraced throughout a lifetime of public service. The priest also remembered the King's previous visits to the temple in 1996, 2007, and 2009 and thanked him for his continued friendship and support.
A video message was sent from India by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, praying for the good health and happiness of the King and Queen. Within the temple's central assembly hall, schoolchildren chanted the Vedic prayer of peace 'Shanti Path' to welcome the royal visitors in a gesture of goodwill and harmony.
After the ceremony, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the temple with Jitu Patel, Chair of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha UK. They marveled at the 10-metre-tall central dome, renowned for its detailed stonework and craftsmanship. In the temple’s “Haveli” foyer, the royal couple also viewed a scale model of the new BAPS Mandir in Paris, which is currently under construction. Once completed, it will become France’s first traditional Hindu temple when it opens next year.
King Charles and Queen Camilla's trip to the Neasden Temple was both spiritual and symbolic—serving to demonstrate the royal family's ongoing devotion to interfaith harmony, cultural diversity, and community involvement in Britain. With the temple celebrating its 30th anniversary, the occasion celebrated not just the grandeur of Hindu architecture and tradition but also the common values of peace, compassion, and unity that unite different cultures.
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