Built in 1995 in North West London, on the way to Wembley stadium, the beautiful BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (“temple”) appears despite its grey suburban surroundings as one of the most exotic destinations in London, and an architectural marvel definitely worth the visit.
- For the architecture: using 5,000 tonnes of Italian Carrara marble and Bulgarian limestone shipped from Europe to India for its construction, the Neasden temple has been described by the Reader’s Digest as one of the 70 marvels of the world. Its construction involved more than 1,500 skilled craftsmen who hand-carved 26,300 individual stones which were then sent back to London and assembled by thousands of volunteers over three years.
- For the change of scenery: the Mandir has been described by the Guinness Book of records in 2000 as the largest temple outside of India. Its adjoining spiritual centre spreads over 2,500 square metres, with a prayer hall which can accommodate up to 4,000 people. Its shop sells original gifts and traditional products, which make for perfect souvenirs from the visit.
- For the discovery factor: a permanent exhibition is organised to enable visitors to discover the principles and history of Hinduism, a religion born more than 8,500 years ago. On the first floor, five ornate shrines house the deities, whose colourful clothes are changed daily. About 500,000 people per year visit the temple, and its admirers include Prince Charles, Tony Blair and Boris Johnson.
- For the warm welcome: the change of scenery is not the only exotic factor encountered when visiting the temple, as the kindness of its employees will come as a surprise to most Londoners.
Some advice :
- While relatively close to the centre of London, the temple itself is not that easy to find. It is worth studying the route before leaving home or using a SatNav. One good point of reference is the Ikea superstore, located opposite the road leading to the temple. The closest tube station is Neasden (Jubilee), which is a 15-minute walk to the temple.
- Smart casual clothing is recommended, with no garments shorter than knee length. Footwear must be removed upon entering.
- It would be a pity to leave without paying a visit to the supermarket and Shayona deli situated in the (free) parking opposite the temple: the beautiful and very cheap exotic fruits and marvellous savoury dishes and sugary pastries are definitely recommended.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir 105-119 Brentfield Road, Neasden NW10. Open every day from 9am to 6pm. Free entrance except for the exhibition (£2.00 for adults and £1.50 for children).
