Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, Britain’s counter-terrorism lead, and the Metropolitan Police’s most senior officer of Asian origin, visited the vibrant Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury – a grand magnificent Hindu temple in Northwest London of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan – during a special event in celebration of Raksha Bandhan.
Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that is traditionally a reminder of the bond of protection between a brother and sister, but the temple community has a long- standing tradition of using the festival to extend its gratitude to all protectors of society – in this case, the police – and using it as platform to promote peace and tolerance. The Mandir has previously hosted the Armed Forces’ flagship Raksha Bandhan event, similarly honouring some of the UK’s most senior military personnel.
Joining AC Neil Basu was Chief Superintendent Simon Rose, the tri-borough Commander of Brent, Harrow and Barnet, local MP Barry Gardiner, and a number of other guests and dignitaries.
During the event, both senior ranking officers were adorned with a white paagh, or turban – the highest honour that is bestowed by the Swaminarayan faith. The global spiritual leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan (the umbrella organisation under which the Kingsbury temple sits), Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, tied a sacred rakhdi – a simple wrist-worn thread – to the officers, as symbol of the community’s gratitude for the protection provided by all police around the country.
Basu was impressed at hearing about Acharya Swamishree Maharaj’s numerous drives to promote peace and tolerance between communities, particularly of different faiths, including the hosting of a Global Peace Conference 2018 at World Peace Centre Shree Muktejeevan Swamibapa Smruti Mandir in India in November, which will be a first of its kind event anywhere in the world.
Addressing the congregation, Basu said, “I couldn’t possibly compare myself to Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, but I too joined the police force to serve. If I ever need a reminder of the importance of serving the community, all I will have to do is remember this day and this visit”.
