The Queen’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Simon Ovens DL FCM, Labour MP for Brent North, Barry Gardiner, and Leader of Brent Council Mohammed Butt joined global spiritual leader Acharya Swamishree Maharaj to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Maninagar Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury in North West London, UK – widely regarded as the world’s first eco temple for its green credentials.
Celebrations kicked off on Saturday 24 August great colour, music and fervour, as a magnificent Grand Parade made its way through the streets of Kingsbury. The Parade started at St Lukes Hospice in nearby Kenton, which is one of several charity partners that the Mandir supports. To date, the Mandir has raised a staggering £60,000 for the hospice, included £10,000 raised this year for which a cheque was presented to the Hospice by Acharya Swamishree Maharaj.
Tens of thousands of onlookers, mostly families with young children, lined the three mile to see the Parade, which saw dancers, floats, musicians and more, all led by the Mandir’s prestigious Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band. Acharya Swamishree Maharaj presided on a resplendent chariot throughout the parade.
The Mandir, opened in 2014 and lauded by many – including London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan – for its green credentials, has over the past five years become a pillar in the local community by offering many charitable, sporting, educational and arts activities and showcases. Moreover, it has stood as a beacon of sustainable living and environmental protection, inspiring the community to live greener – a message that is perhaps even more relevant today, given the current climate crisis.
Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan – a worldwide organisation dedicated to the progression of spiritual, social and cultural value – is in the UK to continue to spread his message of peace, unity and tolerance. Kingsbury Mandir in northwest London is one of many centres around the world overseen by Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, established to provide societal amenities.
