INFORMATION
Open to one and all, the BAPS Shri SBAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Pune was inaugurated in Feb of 2017 after only 24 months of construction time. The Mandir is about 184.6 feet Long by 181.6 feet Wide and 74.6 Feet High, Covering 33,523.36 Sq.ft. of Aera. Fully Stone Carved Without any Steel. It is Designed as Southern Shilpa Shaili by Sompura. The Mandir has 23 Samrans of Which 7 are Giant Ones Which Beautifies the Mandir from surroundings. Mandir is carved by hand Rajasthan and assembled in Lilburn like a giant 3-D puzzle. Mandir is set upon 140 Carved Pillars.
It also has about 109 Beautiful Toran with 10,269 Carved Sculpture and Deities which is Representing the Heritage of Maharashtra and India. It represents True Devotion of Guruhari Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj and all Devoted Santo, Hari Bhakto. The Mandir is comprised of Indian pink Sandstone and Red Stone.
MANDIR VISIT
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is traditionally hand carved stone Mandir built according to the principles of ancient Indian Shilpshastras.
Murti Darshan
- Morning : 7:00 am to 12:00 am
- Evening : 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Aarti
- Shangar Arti : 7:30 am
- Rajbhog Arti : 11:15 am
- Sandhya Arti : 7:00 pm
- Shayan Arti : 8:30 pm
ABHISHEK MANDAPAM
This sacred part of the Mandir welcomes all visitors to participate in the ‘Abhishek’ ritual. By participating in the ‘Abhishek’ ritual with devotion and faith, ones personal prayers and inner wishes are fulfilled spiritual blessing or success in life and will experience peace.
Abhishek Mandapam Time
- Morning : 7:00 am to 12:00 am
- Evening : 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
GIFT SHOP
The Gift & Book Shop is filled with a wide selection of Mandir books on Hinduism, Pendrives and CD-DVD for Bhajan Kirtan and meditation, herbal products, and gifts.
Gift Shop Time
- Time : 9:00 am to 8:30 pm
FOOD SHOP
With its all-vegetarian cuisine, Premvati is the perfect way to experience some traditional and authentic tastes.
Food Shop Time
- Time : 9:00 am to 8:30 pm
ARTI CEREMONY
One of the highlights of a visit to the Mandir is to witness the midday Arti ceremony performed daily at 11:15 am. It is an ancient Hindu offering made by waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to the accompaniment of a musical prayer.
Aarti
- Shangar Arti : 7:30 am
- Rajbhog Arti : 11:15 am
- Sandhya Arti : 7:00 pm
- Shayan Arti : 8:30 pm
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History of BAPS
Bhagwan Swaminarayan
(1781 – 1830 CE) was born as Ghanshyam in the tiny village of Chhapaiya near Ayodhya in North India. Renouncing his home at the tender age of 11 after a deep study of Hindu scriptures, He performed an arduous seven year pilgrimage through Nepal, Eastern and Southern India before settling down in the Western state of Gujarat. Appointed as the spiritual successor of His Guru when He was just 21, Bhagwan Swaminarayan ask two boons from the Guru – “If your devotee is destined to suffer a single scorpion bite then let me, instead, suffer the pains of millions of scorpion bites on every pore of my body. And if your devotee is destin to take to the begging bowl then let it be my fate but your devotee should not suffer from want of food and clothing.”
Bhagwan Swaminarayan then revolutionized society through spiritual and social reforms like,
- stopping sacrificial killing of animals in yagnas
- motivating all to live a value-based life
- encouraging freedom from addictions like tobacco, alcohol, etc.
- abolishing female infanticide
- banning the practice of Sati (forced widow-burning)
- promoting education among women
- inspiring 3000 educated people to renounce the world and live as ascetics (sadhus)
- …and countless other activities for the spiritual salvation of His followers
Working in tune with the Vedic tradition and in harmony with the direction show by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the Sanstha has been continuously nourished by an unbroken chain of enlighten Gurus.
Gunatitanand Swami
(1785 – 1867 CE) was a unique and choicest devotee of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. For forty years, through his divine splendor, glory and preaching, he raised many spiritual aspirants to the state of highest spiritual enlightenment. He was know as Aksharbrahma in the Sampraday. He fulfilled his mission of revealing and spreading the true grandeur and glory of Bhagwan Swaminarayan as the supreme Godhead. Him was succeed by Bhagatji Maharaj
Bhagatji Maharaj
(1829 – 1897 CE) relentlessly reached out, moving from village to village, spreading the Akshar Purushottam philosophy. He preached the philosophy of Akshar Purushottam – that Bhagwan Swaminarayan is Parabrahma (Supreme Godhead or Purushottam) and Gunatitanand Swami is Aksharbrahma (God’s Abode). People were dazzl by his spiritual and moral majesty, profound scholarship, splendor of devotion and radiance of knowledge. Bhagatji Maharaj was succeed by Shastriji Maharaj.
Shastriji Maharaj
(1865 – 1951 CE) who founded the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha in 1907. In fact, he was the architect of the movement during its recent history and of the form in which it exists today.
In order to establish the philosophy of Akshar Purushottam, he built five lofty mandirs installing the murti of Akshar alongside that of Purushottam, that is, the murti of Gunatitanand Swami alongside that of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the central shrine. He first enshrined the precepts of Akshar and Purushottam in the temple at Bochasan in Gujarat, in 1907. He spread the message of Bhagwan Swaminarayan far and wide by travelling to the towns and villages of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Through letters, his message crossed the seas to East Africa. When Shastriji Maharaj passed away in 1951, the number of sadhus had increased from six to over fifty and the householder devotees had increased to several thousands.
Yogiji Maharaj
He handed over the mission to Yogiji Maharaj (1892 – 1971). People fondly call him Yogi, for his mind was always unit with God in divine ecstasy. Yogiji Maharaj became the first of the Sanstha’s gurus to travel overseas.
He built mandirs in East Africa and England. He affectionately imparted spiritual teachings to thousands, above all to youth. Many educated youth joined the order of sadhus; some studied Sanskrit while others learnt music. He respected and honored sadhus and religious leaders of all faiths. He founded schools and hostels and opened youth and children centers in India and abroad, promoting moral and spiritual values through weekly meetings. Yogiji Maharaj was succeed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921 – )
is the present form of Aksharbrahma through whom Bhagwan Swaminarayan is manifest on this earth. He tirelessly travels around the world; cleansing hearts, transforming lives and harmonising families. His gentle philosophy of socio-spiritual regeneration knows no barriers of caste, creed, color, wealth or literacy. He has visited over 15,500 cities and villages, sanctified some 250,000 homes. Written more than 500,000 letters and personally counselled 810,000 people. Him has delivered 22,000 discourses and built and consecrated 700 mandirs. Has weaned thousands from addictions and drugs and instilled fraternity and faith for God. He established hostels and schools, hospitals and medical camps, provided aid in times of natural calamities and organized international festivals to preserve, protect and promote India’s rich culture, inter-faith harmony and universal brotherhood.
The followers are a peace-loving group of people wedded to a sincere discipline of no addictions. No stealing, and no illicit sex, a pure vegetarian diet and moral purity.
Today the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha is widely know and applaud for its work among the young generation, the socially and economically depriv and for its relentless drive against social evils, such as the dowry custom, drugs and other addictions. The Sanstha’s Volunteer Force of 45,000 is active in serving society. It is well know as the organization behind Akshardham (Gandhinagar) and Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir (London), two unparallell landmarks of our age.
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