Neasden Temple
The Neasden Temple (official name: Shri Swaminarayan Mandir ) in the London borough of Brent is the largest Hindu temple in Great Britain after the temple in Tividale ( West Midlands ) . It was established from 1992 to 1995 by the Hindu BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha from Ahmedabad . The domes and turrets are made of Carrara marble and Bulgarian limestone; inside the altars are decorated with flowers of Hindu gods ( murtis ). Each of the 26,300 processed stones has a different motif.
The temple was also mentioned in the 2000 Guinness Book of Records as the largest Hindu temple outside of India.
However, since then there have been other BAPS Mandir in other locations that are far larger. The temple was built and financed entirely by the Hindu community. The project took a total of 5 years, with the construction of the temple taking 2½ years. Construction started in 1992 and on August 20, 1995 the finished temple was opened by Pramukh Swami Maharaj. In November 1992, the largest amount of concrete ever measured in the UK was poured. 4,500 tons of concrete were poured here within 24 hours to create a foundation slab. The first stone was laid in June 1993; two years later the temple was ready. Iron girders have been dispensed with in the construction, as steel, according to Hindu understanding, emits magnetic waves that disrupt meditation calm.
The temple complex consists of:
- the Mandir Temple, mainly Italian from hand cut Carrara marble and Bulgarian limestone is
- the permanent exhibition "Understanding Hinduism" ("Understanding Hinduism")
- the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Haveli, a cultural center with a meeting hall, gym, bookstore, and offices
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Certificate "Largest Traditional Hindu Temple Outside India". Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London, archived from the original ; accessed on June 12, 2020 .
- ↑ The Eventful 20th Century - 70 Wonders of the Modern World by The Reader's Digest Association Limited - p. 124 to p. 125
Coordinates: 51 ° 32 ′ 51 ″ N , 0 ° 15 ′ 39 ″ W.