The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday (March 9) condemned an incident of vandalism at the BAPS temple in California’s Chino Hills and demanded “stringent action” against those involved.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We call upon the local law enforcement authorities to take stringent action against those responsible for these acts, and also ensure adequate security to places of worship.”
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism. It has numerous temples around the world, including the famous Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gandhinagar.
In the past, a few of its temples, including in New York and Canada, have been the target of vandals. The temples are also known for several high-profile visits, including when then UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited India in 2023 and when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi that year. Here is what to know.
What are BAPS temples?
BAPS has a network of around 1,550 temples globally, including the Swaminarayan temples in London, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Nairobi. It also runs 3,850 centres and 17,000 weekly assemblies globally, according to its website. Like many religious organisations, it engages in charity works and community services. BAPS also runs hospitals and schools in India, primarily in Gujarat.
Among the practices followed by members of this tradition is beginning “the day with puja and meditation”. Its five “lifetime vows” are “no alcohol, no addictions, no adultery, no meat, no impurity of body and mind”.
Who founded BAPS?
It was pioneered by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951). Its current leader is Mahant Swami Maharaj. Its website says, “Bhagwan Swaminarayan was the manifestation of Supreme God, to whom BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is dedicated and whose sacred images are enshrined in the garbh-gruh (sanctum sanctorum).”
Beginning in mid-December of 2022, a month-long Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary (1921-2016) event was held in Gujarat. During his time, the sect grew manifold.
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PM Modi inaugurated the centenary event, with Union Home minister Amit Shah also present. Several top industrialists attended the celebrations, including Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani; G M Rao, Chairman of the GMR group; T S Kalyanraman, Chairman of Kalyan Jewellers; Karsan Patel, Chairman Nirma Group; Pankaj Patel, Chairman Zydus Cadila; Vijay Munjal, Chairman Hero Electric and Hero Exports; and Dilip Sanghavi, Managing Director of Sun Pharmaceuticals.
The sect has at times sought to project a multicultural ethos. Sect member Swami Bhadreshdas said, “When the Akshardham temple in Delhi was inaugurated in 2005, a Muslim President (APJ Abdul Kalam), a Sikh Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and a Hindu Leader of Opposition (Lal Krishna Advani) came together for the ceremony. This inclusiveness was the hallmark of Pramukh Swami.”
Similarly, at the UAE temple’s inauguration in 2023, a BAPS spokesperson said, “A Muslim king donated land for a Hindu Mandir, where the lead architect is a Catholic Christian, the project manager a Sikh, the foundational designer a Buddhist, the construction company a Parsi group, and the director comes from the Jain tradition.”
PM Modi has referred to Pramukh Swami as a “father figure” and said at the centenary inauguration that he signed all his election candidature forms using the pen sent earlier by Pramukh Swami and after him by Mahant Swami (the current guru). Modi also shared how he had been receiving the cloth for his kurta-pyjamas from Pramukh Swami and his successor.